WORLD WAR II

THE BOMBARDMENT OF RØNNE & NEXØ

Bornholm was also a subject to the German Occupation like the rest of Denmark. But in May 1945 the small island experienced a different ending on World War II than the rest of Denmark. Denmark's history split into two, and Bornholm was affected by the consequences for many years after the war.

On Bornholm the celebration of the Liberation Message May 4th 1945 was interrupted abruptly when Bornholm's two biggest cities Nexø and Rønne was bombed by Soviet aircraft May 7th and 8th 1945. After the bombing Bornholm was subject to Soviet Occupation and a reconstruction of the two cities was initiated. It was not until April 6th 1946 the Bornholmers could breathe freely, when World War II finally came to and end, and Soviet troops left the island. During the occupation it was unsure whether Bornholm would have become part of the Soviet Union.

You can get an insight to Bornholm's war history in the exhibition World War II, which also shows the Resistance Movement, German refugees from East and the everyday life that had to go on war or not.

THE COLD WAR

The Soviet troops left Bornholm only on the condition that there was no foreign soldiers on Bornholm. Being in the front row to the Eastern Bloc, gave the island a strategic value. For Bornholm that caused an extremely insecure and vulnerable situation.
From Bornholm it was possible to keep an eye on the Russians, East Germans and the Polish from the radar systems at Bornholm.

There are many interesting stories from the war, e.g. the number of refugees from the Eastern Bloc who fled using fishing boats, kayak and even a water pedalo escaped from the East to Bornholm.

You can also see the bunker in the garden, which was used under the bombardement of Rønne.