Betty: A Story of Courage and Love

By Arland O. Fiske
164 pages
5-1/2” x 8-1/2”
soft bound
$11.95
ISBN 0-942323-30-0

Well-noted for his efforts at researching and bringing alive the important cultural history and rich traditions of Scandinavians through his short stories, Arland Fiske uses his talents to bring life to World War II Denmark through the real-life eyes of Betty Poulson and Erik Waehrens in Betty: A Story of Courage and Love. 

It personalizes the hardships of the Danish people during the Nazi reign, winding a love story with well-rounded historical research – which is obviously Fiske’s labor of love. Telling the story of Betty allowed Fiske to try something different – use his extensive research skills about Scandinavia and compose a novelette in the form of a docudrama, which The Pioneer and others ran in a 32-part serialization. 

The author of several books on Scandinavian history and lore, Fiske wanted to try his hand at relating what is essentially a true story, molded with the historical background of the Danish people during the trying times of the rise of Hitler, the German occupation of Denmark and of the Danish Resistance movement. It also allowed the newspaper to bring back a reader service from a bygone era – the serialization of a story from week-to-week in our daily newspaper. The story becomes even more valuable in our northern Minnesota area, rich in Scandinavian history and parentage. The grandson of Norwegian and Danish immigrants myself, I yearn for information about my heritage. I followed Betty’s travels across the Atlantic Ocean to a country of which she knew little of, thinking my grandparents must have had the same thought as they ventured across the ocean decades earlier from Copenhagen and from a small fishing village on the northwest coast of Norway. Only this time, Betty and Erik also had to contend with a major world war and we learn not only of their personal story, but, also of the great efforts of the Danish people in coping with perhaps the darkest times of this century. 

As in all his work – in books and in weekly newspaper columns – Fiske’s goal is to keep the past alive for those of Scandinavian heritage, that we not forget the people, places, events and legends that shape our history, culture and traditions. He and his wife, Gerda, now live near Laporte, south of Bemidji, and his stories have made us richer in understanding our Scandinavian heritage. It is through Fiske’s painstaking efforts and attention to detail that a period of Scandinavian history – of my heritage – can be personalized and brought to life. While it tells the story of Betty and Erik, it reflects the story of many Danish couples and the unselfish courage they displayed during a dark time. Many of us can relate to that story in our own backgrounds, and now begin to understand what it is that shapes us as Scandinavians. As a people, we prepare for the future by learning of our past. For those of us who are proud to call Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland or Iceland our homeland, we thank Arland Fiske for giving us that insight.– Brad Swenson Managing Editor The Pioneer Bemidji, Minn.