Denmark's longest-living person was a member of the Danish Nazi party
The 112-year-old from West Jutland, Kirsten Schwalbe, confirms that during the Occupation she was a member of DNSAP.
Kirsten Schwalbe is the longest-living Dane ever. For several years, her life has been followed, particularly by TV Midtvest. (Archive photo). (Photo: © Morten Stricker, Jysk Fynske Medier/Ritzau Scanpix) 17 minutes ago
The longest-living Dane in history, Kirsten Schwalbe, was a member of the Danish National Socialist Workers' Party (DNSAP) during the Occupation.
So was her former husband, the 112-year-old from West Jutland confirms to Kristeligt Dagblad.
She confirms the membership to TV Midtvest.
"Yes, I was signed up. My husband asked me about it, and I said I didn't care. I wasn't the least bit interested in politics, so I just did what he thought I should do," says Kirsten Schwalbe to TV Midtvest.
Read also: Denmark's oldest turns 112 today ( https://www.dr.dk/ligetil/ligetil-paa-tegnsprog/nyhedsudsendelser-paa-tegnsprog/danmarks-aeldste-fylder-112-aar-i-dag )
Kirsten Schwalbe joined the party in August 1941. According to Kristeligt Dagblad, this appears in the Bovrup file, which is a register of DNSAP members.
The party was founded in 1930, strongly inspired by the German Nazi party, NSDAP, led by Adolf Hitler during World War II.
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Name appears in the Bovrup file
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Independently of each other, two historians have confirmed to Kristeligt Dagblad that Kirsten Schwalbe's name appears in the Bovrup file.
Her surname is spelled "Schalbe", but other details such as date of birth and address match reality, the media writes.
Read also: Kirsten was 57 when Margrethe became Queen of Denmark: Today she turns 111 ( https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/kirsten-var-58-aar-da-magrethe-blev-danmarks-dronning-i-dag-fylder-hun-111-aar )
Charlie Krautwald, historian at the University of Copenhagen, says the file only indicates whether a person joined the party.
"And not why one joined, how long one was a member, or whether one even managed to pay dues to DNSAP," he says.
The historian adds that a person's name can thus appear in the file even if the person was not active in the party.
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Portrait book does not mention Nazi party
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TV Midtvest has followed Kirsten Schwalbe's activities for several years, and the media manages her Instagram account.
In addition, two employees of the media recently published a book about the Dane with the publisher Gyldendal.
The publisher writes in a comment to DR that they were not aware of this part of Kirsten Schwalbe's history.
"As the authors of the book, Gyldendal also had no knowledge of this part of Kirsten Schwalbe's history until now, so now we will, together with the authors and Kirsten, find out whether it gives reason to change anything," says Niels Overgaard, Gyldendal's communications director, in a written comment.
At no point has her past in the Nazi party been mentioned, notes Kristeligt Dagblad.
This is because TV Midtvest was not aware of the membership, says editor-in-chief Marc Killigren Akselsen.
Kirsten Schwalbe from Struer wrote herself into the history books on Wednesday as the longest-living Dane ever. She then reached 112 years and 218 days.
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