flashback i chapter 2

Annemarie remembers a story her father told her about King Christian when the Germans first invaded. A German soldier saw King Christian riding down the street but did know who this man was. The soldier asked a young Danish boy who was riding past. The Danish boy informed the German that this was Denmark's King, and the German asked where the King’s bodyguard was. The boy replied, "the whole population of Denmark is the King’s bodyguard."

Back then, Papa explained that every true Dane would die for King Christian, including himself and Mama. Annemarie, only 7 at the time, stated that she would die for the King, too. Looking back, Annemarie wonders why King Christian chose to surrender rather than fight the Germans. Papa had explained that many Danish people would have died if they had chosen to fight because the German military is much more powerful than Denmark's. Annemarie muses that the Germans occupy many European countries now, but Sweden is still free.