Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz, Trade Attaché to the German Embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark, 1943

Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz (1904-1973) was sent as a representative of a coffee firm in Denmark from 1928-1933.  In 1939, he was employed by the Hamburg-American Shipping Line.  Later, he was appointed Trade Attaché to the German Embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark.  In September 1943, Duckwitz learned that the Nazis were planning to deport Danish Jews in the first week of October 1943.  On September 13, he flew to Berlin to try to intervene with high ranking Nazi officials to stop the planned deportations.  Duckwitz learned that the decision had already been made and the deportation was inevitable.  On September 19, Duckwitz wrote in his diary, "I know what I have to do."  On September 22, he made a clandestine trip to Stockholm to meet with the Prime Minster of Sweden to convince him to provide safe haven for Danish Jews.  Duckwitz even convinced German port commanders to stand down their patrol boats so that Jews could be safely ferried to Sweden.  On September 28, Duckwitz warned senior members of the Danish government about the impending deportation.  They in turn mobilized members of the government and trade union movements in order to warn as many Jews as possible.  

The Danish people and underground in turn implemented the rescue of more than 7,900 Danish Jews, and 99% of Danish Jews were hidden and smuggled into neutral Sweden, where they survived the war.  For his actions, Duckwitz was in grave danger. 

After the war, Duckwitz became the German Ambassador to Denmark.  Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz was designated Righteous Among the Nations in 1971.