The story about the king of Denmark wearing a Jewish star during World War II is not true.

The fact that it is not true does not really matter to me. It is the spirit of the story that matters.

My history with Judaism goes back to my childhood. Really, it goes back to the fact that my parents were raised in Jersey. Really, it never even crossed my mind that when I called something "meshuggah" that that had some cultural overtones. It is just the right word for the particular moment.

I grew up believing the story that when Hitler ordered Christian X, King of Denmark, to ensure all Jews wore Jewish stars pinned to their clothing, in an great act of creative and peaceful defiance the king decided that bright yellow stars would be the fashion hit of the season, and that all Danes would wear them.

Nice story, but it isn't true.

My mother told the story to me. My father, who had been to Denmark, who other than direct descendants of his parents had no family outside Denmark, backed it up. The story is so ingrained in the folklore of the king that to think anything otherwise would be crazy.

This whole project, this website, this writing idea was based upon the story of the King of Denmark.

Related Links:

» Snopes - Debunking Yellow Star Story

» Article: The King of Denmark and the Yellow Star

» Answers.com Article

» Reference.com Article

» Factbites.com Article

» Available at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County:

The yellow star : the legend of King Christian X of Denmark
Deedy, Carmen Agra.
Publisher: Peachtree,
Pub Date: c2000.
Pages: [28] p. :
ISBN: 1561452084