Poul Ib Gjessing

Poul Ib Gjessing (31 March 1909 – 23 June 1944) was a sea captain and member of the Danish resistance executed by the German occupying power.

Poul Ib Gjessing
Born
Paul Ib Gjessing[1]

(1909-03-31)31 March 1909[1][2]
Præstemarken, Silkeborg[1][2]
Died23 June 1944(1944-06-23) (aged 35)[2][3]
Ryvangen[2]
Cause of deathExecution by firing squad[2]
Resting placeRyvangen Memorial Park[2]
OccupationSea captain[2][3]
Known forExecuted as member of the Danish resistance movement[2]
Spouse(s)(married)[2]
Parent(s)Ejnar Gjessing and Ane Dorthea Jørgine Hansen[1][2]
Website"Modstandsdatabasen" [Resistance Database]. Poul Ib Gjessing (in Danish). Copenhagen: Nationalmuseet. Retrieved 2014-12-04.

Biography

Gjessing was born in Silkeborg on 31 March 1909 to painter Ejnar Gjessing and wife Ane Dorthea Jørgine Hansen[2] and baptized Paul Ib Gjessing at home the same day.[1] His baptism was confirmed in Lime church on the third Sunday after Trinity.[1]

In March 1944 the Gestapo made an "incredible number of arrests" including ten arrests in the region of Års. The presumed leader of the Års group was the 35-year-old sea Captain Gjessing, who was found to have in his Hasseris home a large weapons cache and about 50 fake police badges.[4]

On 23 June 1944 Gjessing and seven other members of the resistance were executed in Ryvangen.[2][3][5][6][7]

After his death

The January 1945 issue of the resistance newspaper Frit Danmark (Free Denmark) reported on the execution of the eight resistance members including Gjessing.[3]

After the liberation Gjessing's remains and those of at least six of the others executed with him were found in Ryvangen and transferred to the Department of Forensic Medicine of the university of Copenhagen.[2][5][6][7]

On 29 August 1945 Gjessing and 105 other victims of the occupation were given a state funeral in the memorial park founded at the execution site in Ryvangen. Bishop Hans Fuglsang-Damgaard led the service with participation from the royal family, the government and representatives of the resistance movement.[2][8]

References
  1. "Fødte Mandkøn" [Born Males]. Kirkebog [Parish Register]. 1908-1912 (in Danish). Silkeborg. 1909. p. 32.
  2. "Døde Mandkøn" [Deceased Males]. Kirkebog [Parish Register]. 1930-1946 (in Danish). Sankt Johannes Sogn. 1945. p. 371. Paul Ib Gjessing. Død 23 Juni 1944 Ryvangen. Henrettet ved Skydning. Begravet 29 August 1945 Ryvangen. Skibsfører, Gift, 35 Aar
  3. "23. Juni - 8 Frihedskæmpere henrettet" [23 June - 8 freedom fighters executed]. Frit Danmark (in Danish). January 1945. p. 9. Retrieved 23 November 2014. stud. theol. Chr. U. Hansen, Laandmaaler E. Balslev, Købmand B. Lauritsen, Købmand J. Ryder, Kleinsmed J. P. Funk Lind, Købmand M. Vestergaard Jensen, Kaptajn P. Gjessing og Mejerist H. J. Henriksen
  4. "Utrolig mange Arrestationer" [Incredibly many arrests]. De frie Danske (in Danish). 18 March 1944. p. 10. Retrieved 24 November 2014. I Aars har der været stor Razzia, der har resulteret i en halv Snes Anholdelser, bl.a. af Landinspektør Emil Balslev, Grosserer Westergaard Jensen, Landsrs. Torrild Thomsen. Hovedmanden i Sagen menes at være den 35-aarige Skibskaptajn Gjessing, Hasseris, i hvis Hjem Tyskerne fandt et stort Vaabenforraad og ca. 50 falske Politiskilte.
  5. "Døde Mandkøn" [Deceased Males]. Kirkebog [Parish Register]. 1930-1946 (in Danish). Sankt Johannes Sogn. 1945. p. 351. Død 23 Juni 1944 Ryvangen Opgravet 22 Juni 1945. Skudt. Begravet 26 Juni 1945 Aars Kirkegaard. Købmand, Ugift, 27 Aar
  6. "Døde Mandkøn" [Deceased Males]. Kirkebog [Parish Register]. 1930-1946 (in Danish). Sankt Johannes Sogn. 1945. p. 352. Død 23 Juni 1944 Ryvangen. Skudt. Begravet 30 Juni 1945 Alling Kirkegaard. Mekaniker, Ugift, 23 Aar
  7. "Døde Mandkøn" [Deceased Males]. Kirkebog [Parish Register]. 1930-1946 (in Danish). Sankt Johannes Sogn. 1945. p. 365. Død 23 Juni 1944 Ryvangen. Henrettet ved Skydning. Begravet 29 August 1945 Ryvangen. Mejerist, Ugift, 24 Aar
  8. "Historie - Mindelunden Ryvangen" [History - Ryvangen Memorial Park] (in Danish). Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2014-11-16.
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