Sculpture Honors Unsung Danish Hero Who Rescued Jews During the Holocaust

Artist Astrid Cybele Møller Seeks to Locate Survivors Her Grandfather Helped Escape Nazi-Occupied Denmark

SANTA BARBARA, NY, UNITED STATES, October 1, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Artist and writer Astrid Cybele Møller has unveiled a powerful new sculpture honoring the quiet heroism of her grandfather, Karl Klausen Møller, a Danish sailor who risked everything as a member of the Danish Resistance during World War II.

With extraordinary courage, Karl used his small sailboat to transport Jewish families from Nazi-occupied Denmark across the Øresund to safety in neutral Sweden. His resistance work continued until German troops began to suspect his activities. One day, while Karl was away on a rescue mission, Nazi forces arrived at the family home. They ordered his wife, Ellen, to take one possession and flee with their three young children—among them Klaus, Astrid’s father, who was just six years old. Ellen saved a single item: a painting of their home. After the family’s escape, the house was burned to the ground.

Now, decades later, Astrid is collaborating with her mentor—an anonymous Danish-American artist—to create a bronze bust of Karl Møller to honor his legacy of moral courage and quiet resistance. She hopes to see the sculpture permanently exhibited at the Danish Resistance Museum in Copenhagen.

“My grandfather never asked for recognition,” Astrid said. “But his actions saved lives. This project is my way of honoring his sacrifice and connecting with the descendants of those he helped.”

In addition to preserving Karl’s legacy through sculpture, Astrid is calling on the public—particularly in the United States, Israel, and Scandinavia—to help identify any surviving families who may have escaped Denmark between 1943 and 1945 with the help of a fisherman or sailor named Karl. She believes the time has come for these stories to be reunited and remembered.

The sculpture is more than a tribute—it is a testament to human bravery and the importance of remembering those who risked everything for others. Astrid will also be sharing archival materials, including the original painting her grandmother saved from the fire, as part of this ongoing remembrance campaign.

Media inquiries, survivor stories, and expressions of interest are warmly welcomed.

A fundraiser has been created for this project. For more information, please contact Astrid Møller at astridcmøller@gmail.com.

"We are raising funds to cover the cost of casting, bronzing, and transporting this memorial sculpture," Astrid said. "Your contribution will help insure that future generations understand what it took and how much was risked by people like my grandfather, who stood against hatred and chose humanity.

Please consider donating at https://www.givesendgo.com/HonoringQuietCourage

About the Artist:
Astrid Cybele Møller is a multidisciplinary artist and writer of Danish-American heritage. Her work focuses on stories of resistance, survival, and generational memory. Through art and advocacy, she seeks to illuminate the lives of that history has overlooked.

Astrid Cybele Moller
astridcmoller@gmail.com
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Sculpture of Karl Klausen Møller

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