The Only Way (1970) Plot Summary Explained

The Danish people had a strong moral opposition to the Nazi persecution of Jews. When Germany occupied Denmark in 1940, the Danish government negotiated protection for Danish Jews. Even after the Nazis broke their promise in October 1943 and ordered deportation, Danes chose to risk their lives to hide and ferry thousands of Jews to neutral Sweden, refusing to surrender their Jewish neighbors to extermination.

• danish resistance
• helping jews
• occupation
• sweden escape

The Stein family had already gone into hiding in the apartment of their friend Mr. Petersen, located upstairs from their own apartment. When Nazi soldiers broke into their apartment, the family was not there. Petersen had helped orchestrate their concealment as part of the resistance network protecting Danish Jews from deportation.

Foreshadowing: Lillian learned of the Nazi plan earlier, prompting the family to prepare for hiding.

• stein family
• petersen
• hiding
• raid escape
• nazi raid

Ruth refused to depart for Sweden without her husband Leo because she would not abandon him despite the mortal danger. She demonstrated steadfast loyalty and insisted on waiting for him to return from his mission to sell a valuable violin to raise funds for their escape. Only after Leo's safe return did the family proceed with the evacuation.

• ruth stein
• leo stein
• loyalty
• escape plan
• refusal to leave

Leo Stein left his shop to sell a valuable violin in order to raise the money needed to fund the family's escape from Denmark. The escape required hiring fishing boats to smuggle the family to neutral Sweden, and the proceeds from the violin sale provided the necessary financial resources for this dangerous journey.

• violin
• leo stein
• money
• escape funding
• smuggling boats

Lars, who was Stein's devoted assistant, sacrificed his life to buy precious time for the family's escape. When the couple was departing from Petersen's apartment, Lars intervened to prevent their capture, giving Lillian and her parents the opportunity to reach the evacuation point. His act demonstrated the profound human cost of resistance and the bravery of ordinary Danes.

• lars
• sacrifice
• assistant
• death
• resistance hero

The Danish resistance organized a smuggling operation using fishing boats to carry hidden Jews across the narrow strait to neutral Sweden. Petersen worked tirelessly, meeting with various allies to secure reliable boat crews and coordinate the escape route. This operation required secrecy and trust among participants in the resistance network.

Foreshadowing: The resistance had already helped many Jews go into hiding before planning the evacuation.

• rescue
• sweden
• boat
• smuggling
• resistance network
• escape route

The Nazi round-up netted very few Jews because the Danish resistance had already warned the Jewish community and helped most go into hiding before the deportation order. Danish citizens concealed their Jewish neighbors in private homes, attics, and basements throughout Copenhagen and beyond, preventing the Nazis from finding their intended victims.

Foreshadowing: Lillian's early warning about the Nazi plan allowed time for preparations.

• roundup
• capture
• hiding
• danish jews
• nazi deportation

After a series of narrow escapes and brave decisions, Lillian Stein and her parents boarded a small fishing boat and sailed to Sweden, where safety awaited. The successful evacuation marked a hopeful turning point, confirming the power of collective courage and demonstrating how ordinary citizens banding together could thwart Nazi extermination plans.

• sweden
• safety
• arrival
• family escape
• successful evacuation

Mr. Petersen served as a crucial ally in the resistance network, providing safe refuge for the Stein family in his apartment above their own. He worked tirelessly to orchestrate the escape, meeting with various contacts to secure passage on fishing boats bound for Sweden. His efforts kept the fragile escape plan alive during dangerous negotiations.

• petersen
• resistance
• help
• hiding
• coordination
• escape plan