Fire at Resistance Museum “could have been worse”

No historical artefacts were lost in the fire, but the building may be a total loss

A fire that raged through the Museum of Danish Resistance earlier today did serious damage to the building but most of the historical artefacts were moved before they could succumb to the flames. 

 

The fire at the Resistance Museum began in the early hours of Sunday morning and firefighters were still battling the blazes well into the afternoon. The fire began in the museum's cafe before spreading into the exhibition areas. 

 

The building sustained extensive damage and it is currently unknown if it will be able to be saved. But thanks to the efforts of firefighters, the historic contents of the museum were moved out of harm's way.

 

"There isn't anything that was lost," Henrik Schilling, the director of communications for the National Museum of Denmark, which includes the Resistance Museum, told the press. "It is very serious, but it could have been worse."

 

A press release from the Resistance Museum said that although no artefacts or records were damaged by the fire, there were "certain textiles and records which will need care". The museum expects all items to be able to eventually go back on exhibit or into the museum's archives. 

 

The Resistance Museum exhibits objects and documents related to the German occupation of Denmark during the Second World War. It focuses particularly on Danish resistance efforts. 

 

No-one was injured in the fire. Copenhagen Police said that investigators would first begin their investigation into the fire on Monday.