Poul Ib Gjessing (31 March 1909 – 23 June 1944) was a sea captain and member of the Danish resistance executed by the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

occupying power.

Biography

In March 1944 the

Gestapo The (, ), Syllabic abbreviation, abbreviated Gestapo (), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of F ...

made an "incredible number of arrests" including ten arrests in the region of Års. The presumed leader of the Års group was the 35-year-old sea Captain Gjessing, who was found to have in his Hasseris home a large weapons cache and about 50 fake police badges. On 23 June 1944 Gjessing and seven other members of the resistance were executed in Ryvangen.

After his death

The January 1945 issue of the resistance newspaper ''Frit Danmark'' (Free Denmark) reported on the execution of the eight resistance members including Gjessing. On 29 August 1945 Gjessing and 105 other victims of the occupation were given a

state funeral A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honour people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements o ...

in the memorial park founded at the execution site in Ryvangen. Bishop

Hans Fuglsang-Damgaard Hans Fuglsang-Damgaard (29 July 1890 – 8 July 1979) was a bishop of the diocese of Copenhagen for 25 years including the years of the Nazi Germany, German occupation. Early life and education Hans Fuglsang-Damgaard was born on 29 July 1890 in ...

led the service with participation from the royal family, the

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...

and representatives of the resistance movement.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gjessing, Poul Ib 1909 births 1944 deaths Danish people executed by Nazi Germany Danish resistance members Resistance members killed by Nazi Germany 20th-century Danish sailors People from Silkeborg