Danish man recalls fainting from joy at WWII liberation 81 years later

A Danish man who was a child during World War II has shared his vivid memories of Denmark’s liberation on May 4, 1945, describing how he fainted from overwhelming emotion as crowds celebrated the end of Nazi occupation, reports DR.

Hakon Rahbek, then a young boy, remembers the moment the radio announced that German troops had withdrawn from Denmark. “I fainted,” he said, recalling the surge of relief and joy. Across the country, people lit candles in their windows, raised the Danish flag—Dannebrog—and gathered to share simple but symbolic meals, including rhubarb porridge, a dish associated with the celebration.

The annual commemoration of the liberation remains a deeply personal moment for Rahbek, now reflecting on the event 81 years later. His account captures the collective euphoria of a nation emerging from five years of occupation, marked by small but powerful acts of defiance and unity.