The Danish original war film ‘The Bombardment,’ directed by Danish director Ole Bornedal, reveals the horrific truth of the Nazi occupation of Denmark, amplifying the message using kid characters.
Henry is shell-shocked and forgets to talk after witnessing an attack on a neighbourhood automobile. On the other hand, a nun whose faith in God is waning tries to heal the betraying Dane’s heart.
While the film unfolds virtually in real-time, the meditative camerawork dilutes some of the problems.
Life continues to thrive in the ruined metropolis until it is destroyed by earth-bound bombs. The raid on the Shell House occupies the majority of the plot, and if you want to know if the Shell House ever existed, let us accompany you on your adventure.
Also See: ‘The Bombardment’ (2022) Review And Ending Explained
What is the Shell House? Does It Really Exist?
In ‘The Bombardment,’ Shell House is the epicentre of chaos. In the Nazi-occupied city centre of Copenhagen, the structure known as Shellhus contains the Gestapo headquarters.
When Svend arrives at Frederik’s house asking for a place to stay, we hear the mention of the Shell House from the beginning.
Svend’s former position has been betrayed by the enemy, but Frederik, a Danish Gestapo foot soldier, will not allow him to stay at his home. Instead, he requests a meeting with Svend at the Shell House.
If you’re wondering if the Shell House existed in Nazi-occupied Denmark, you’ll be happy to know that it did. In the early days of World War II, Germany conquered Jutland, Denmark’s mainland.
On April 9, 1940, Germany launched a massive invasion of Denmark. The Danish Resistance fought the German forces, and there were occasional battles all over the country.
The Danish administration, on the other hand, believed that the German fleet was too powerful for the Resistance to stand a chance.
Furthermore, the Germans purchased a large quantity of explosives, and the local authorities were concerned about civilian casualties.
As a result, Denmark surrendered barely a few hours after the German attack began. Initially, the Danish government attempted to cooperate with the Nazi occupiers.
The Danes were able to conduct business as usual as a result of the cooperation, while the Danish branch of the Nazi Party sprang up overnight.
The Danish National Socialist Workers’ Party formed regional headquarters. Nazi offices and the Gestapo’s headquarters were located in Copenhagen’s city centre.
However, as they passionately opposed the Danish authority’s collaborative plan, a Danish opposition rose in popularity over time.
The Resistance published an illegal newspaper and carried out sporadic acts of vandalism, including attacks on trains, German buildings, and corporations that aided the Nazis.
The sentiment began to shift in favour of the Resistance by the summer of 1943. The news of the German military’s defeat abroad prompted the Danes to plan large-scale strikes in cities like as Odense and Esbjerg.
The German invaders declared an emergency on August 29, 1943, fearing an escalation of the crisis, and the Danish government stopped to function.
The Germans disbanded the Danish police force on September 19, 1944, fearing that it would pose a danger to German sovereignty. The crackdown was stepped up, and most of the Danish Resistance leaders were imprisoned under the Shell House’s roof.
By the beginning of 1945, there were severe food shortages, prices were skyrocketing, and the city streets were rife with turmoil.
In summary, the Danish Resistance in Jutland went through a difficult period, which the film depicts. The war, on the other hand, was drawing to a close.
The British Royal Air Force was informed by the Resistance, and three waves of de Havilland Mosquitoes were dispatched to destroy the Shell House of Copenhagen.
On March 21, 1945, the British military tried Operation Carthage, a precision raid that ended in the calamity depicted in the film. Several bomber planes accidentally attacked the Jeanne d’Arc School while destroying the Shell House.
Civilians, including children, were killed, but German troops in Holland, northwest Germany, and Denmark surrendered on May 4, 1945.
Denmark gained independence soon after the Shell House was destroyed, but it appeared to come at a heavy price.