Jørgen Haagen Schmith
Encyclopedia
Jørgen Haagen Schmith better known under the codename Citron, was a fighter in the Danish resistance movement
during the German Occupation of Denmark
of 1940-45.
Just before the war, Schmith found work as a concierge and stage manager at Zigeunerhallen music hall in Copenhagen. Following the German invasion, Schmith performed spectacular operations together with fellow resistance fighter Bent Faurschou-Hviid
(Flame) as members of the resistance group Holger Danske
.
In July 1943, Schmith sabotaged a Citroën garage. Six German cars and a tank were destroyed. It was there that he acquired his nickname.
On September 19, 1944, Faurschou-Hviid and Schmith disguised themselves as policemen. However, on that same day the Germans arrested the entire Danish police force. Both were captured but, despite the fact that they were highly sought by the Gestapo, were not recognized. Schmith jumped a fence to escape, but was shot while doing so. Miraculously, he was rescued by an ambulance. Faurschou-Hviid slipped away during the confusion.
Schmith then moved to a safe house in Jægersborg Allé. Despite the fact that Faurschou-Hviid relocated to Jutland
following their escape, he left all of his weapons under Schmith's bed. A month after their escape, German soldiers arrived at the house to arrest or kill Schmith. He fought for hours against an overwhelming force of enemy troops killing 11 and wounded scores of other before the house was set on fire and he was shot attempting to escape the flames.
Schmith has a memorial stone in Mindelunden
in Ryvangen with the inscription:
FOR ALLE GODE TANKER
DE KAN SLET IKKE DØ
FØR ENDNU BEDRE TANKER
ER SPIRED AF DERES FRØ
This roughly translates to:
FOR ALL GOOD THOUGHTS
THEY CANNOT DIE
BEFORE EVEN BETTER THOUGHTS
ARE SPROUTED OF THEIR SEEDS
In 2007/2008 Danish producer Lars Bredo Rahbek made a drama/action film about Schmith and Faurschou-Hviid titled Flame & Citron
. Mads Mikkelsen
plays the role of Citron.
Danish resistance movement
The Danish resistance movement was an underground insurgency movement to resist the German occupation of Denmark during World War II. Due to the unusually lenient terms given to Danish people by the Nazi occupation authority, the movement was slower to develop effective tactics on a wide scale...
during the German Occupation of Denmark
Occupation of Denmark
Nazi Germany's occupation of Denmark began with Operation Weserübung on 9 April 1940, and lasted until German forces withdrew at the end of World War II following their surrender to the Allies on 5 May 1945. Contrary to the situation in other countries under German occupation, most Danish...
of 1940-45.
Just before the war, Schmith found work as a concierge and stage manager at Zigeunerhallen music hall in Copenhagen. Following the German invasion, Schmith performed spectacular operations together with fellow resistance fighter Bent Faurschou-Hviid
Bent Faurschou-Hviid
Bent Faurschou-Hviid was a member of the Danish resistance group Holger Danske during World War II. His red hair quickly gave him the nickname "Flammen" meaning "The Flame"....
(Flame) as members of the resistance group Holger Danske
Holger Danske (resistance group)
Holger Danske was a Danish resistance group during World War II. It was created by veteran volunteers from the Winter War who had fought on the Finnish side against the Soviet Union. It was among the largest resistance groups and consisted of around 350 volunteers towards the end of the war...
.
In July 1943, Schmith sabotaged a Citroën garage. Six German cars and a tank were destroyed. It was there that he acquired his nickname.
On September 19, 1944, Faurschou-Hviid and Schmith disguised themselves as policemen. However, on that same day the Germans arrested the entire Danish police force. Both were captured but, despite the fact that they were highly sought by the Gestapo, were not recognized. Schmith jumped a fence to escape, but was shot while doing so. Miraculously, he was rescued by an ambulance. Faurschou-Hviid slipped away during the confusion.
Schmith then moved to a safe house in Jægersborg Allé. Despite the fact that Faurschou-Hviid relocated to Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
following their escape, he left all of his weapons under Schmith's bed. A month after their escape, German soldiers arrived at the house to arrest or kill Schmith. He fought for hours against an overwhelming force of enemy troops killing 11 and wounded scores of other before the house was set on fire and he was shot attempting to escape the flames.
Schmith has a memorial stone in Mindelunden
Mindelunden
Mindelunden is a memorial park in Ryvangen in Copenhagen, Denmark.During the Second World War, the German occupying power executed members of the Danish resistance movement on this location...
in Ryvangen with the inscription:
FOR ALLE GODE TANKER
DE KAN SLET IKKE DØ
FØR ENDNU BEDRE TANKER
ER SPIRED AF DERES FRØ
This roughly translates to:
FOR ALL GOOD THOUGHTS
THEY CANNOT DIE
BEFORE EVEN BETTER THOUGHTS
ARE SPROUTED OF THEIR SEEDS
In 2007/2008 Danish producer Lars Bredo Rahbek made a drama/action film about Schmith and Faurschou-Hviid titled Flame & Citron
Flame & Citron
Flame & Citron is a 2008 Danish drama/action co-written and directed by Ole Christian Madsen. The film, a fictionalized account based on fact, is about two Danish resistance movement fighters during the Nazi occupation of Denmark.- Plot :...
. Mads Mikkelsen
Mads Mikkelsen
' is a Danish actor.-Life and career:Mikkelsen was born in the Østerbro area of Copenhagen, the son of Bente Christiansen and Henning Mikkelsen, a cab driver. He is the brother of actor Lars Mikkelsen. After attending Århus Theatre School, he made his film debut in the movie Pusher...
plays the role of Citron.