Commemorates Sindbergs 100 Years Birthday

Mr. Bernhard Arp Sindberg, a Danish citizen who helped save of thousands of Chinese citizens during the Nanjing Massacre, was commemorated at two events in Nanjing. 
 
In the morning on 16th of February Søren Jacobsen, the Deputy Head of Royal Danish Embassy attended a ribbon cutting ceremony on the exclusive exhibition on Sindberg at Nanjing Civil Museum on the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.


”I’m please to know that this is the first exclusive exhibition in China on Sindberg. This exhibition is of significance to promote Sindberg’s story but also deepen the friendship between China and Denmark,” said Søren Jacobsen.


During 107 intense days in the winter of 1937/1938 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1937/1938      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, Bernhard Arp Sindberg protected a refugee camp at Jiangnan Cement Plant outside Nanjing and thereby saved the lives of thousands of Chinese citizens.


Mr. Su Guobao, a villager helped by Mr. Sindberg attended the event. He was only 12 years old when he met Sindberg. Sindberg gave him one silver dollar, and according to Mr. Su his whole family survived by Sindberg’s help.


In the afternoon, Qi Xia District government, the area where Sindberg set up the refugee camp organized a seminar to commemorate Sindberg.


“As Denmark’s Deputy Ambassador to China, I’m proud to learn that a Dane was staying with Chinese people when they were in danger. I believe China and Denmark will share the fascination of the multifaceted story of Mr. Bernhard Arp Sindberg and his humanitarian efforts,” said Søren Jacobsen.


Mr. Li Hanqiao, Vice Secretary of CPC Qixia District Committee, Mr. Xing Zhengjun, Executive Deputy Head of Qixia District Government, as well as high rank officials from Foreign Affairs Office of Jiang Su Province and Nanjing City attended the event together with several Chinese historians were present.


The historical events and the story of Sindberg are documented in the book “1937-1938 A Dane in Bloodstained Nanjing – Testimony on Humanity and Violence”. The book is written by Mr. Dai Yuanzhi, a senior journalist with China Youth Daily, and was publish in May 2010.


Since 2010, the Danish Embassy has donated 3000 books to Chinese Ministries, government organizations, Chinese Universities, libraries, China Academy of Social Science, journalists and museums.


On Saturday February 19th, the actual day of Mr. Sindberg’s 100th anniversary, he will be commemorated at a ceremony at the City Hall in his home town Aarhus in Denmark. At the ceremony both the Chinese ambassador to Denmark Xie Hangsheng and the vice mayor of Aarhus will be present.


Mr. Sindberg will also be commemorated in Beijing on Thursday the 24th of February at the Museum of the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Present at the ceremony will be the Danish ambassador to China Friis Arne Petersen.




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