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Memorial Stone for du Plat, Schau and Rosen

A modest stone on a Sønderborg side street commemorating three resistance fighters, offering a brief but powerful pause for reflection on Denmark’s wartime past.

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Set quietly along Dybbølgade in Sønderborg, the Memorial Stone for du Plat, Schau and Rosen is a small but poignant marker of Denmark’s wartime past. This modest stone in a pocket of greenery commemorates three resistance fighters executed in the final phase of the Second World War. Surrounded by residential streets and everyday life, it offers a brief yet powerful moment of reflection on courage, loss, and the local cost of occupation in Southern Jutland.

A brief summary to Memorial Stone for du Plat, Schau and Rosen

  • Dybbølgade 74, Sønderborg, 6400, DK
  • Duration: 0.25 to 0.5 hours
  • Free
  • Environment icon Outdoor
  • Mobile reception: 5 out of 5
  • Monday 12 am-12 am
  • Tuesday 12 am-12 am
  • Wednesday 12 am-12 am
  • Thursday 12 am-12 am
  • Friday 12 am-12 am
  • Saturday 12 am-12 am
  • Sunday 12 am-12 am

Local tips

  • Combine a short stop at the memorial with a visit to Dybbøl Banke or Sønderborg Castle to place the story of du Plat, Schau and Rosen in the wider context of local conflicts.
  • Visit in daylight so the inscription is easy to read and you can fully appreciate the contrast between the quiet stone and the everyday life around it.
  • Bring a small notebook if you like to reflect in writing; this is a contemplative spot where many visitors spend a few quiet minutes in thought.
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Getting There

  • Local bus from central Sønderborg

    From central Sønderborg, use the local city buses that serve Dybbølgade and the surrounding residential area; journeys typically take 5–15 minutes depending on the route and traffic. A single adult ticket within the town area usually costs about 20–30 DKK and can be purchased on board or via local transport apps. Buses run more frequently on weekdays than in the late evening or on Sundays, so check current timetables in advance.

  • Walking from Sønderborg town centre

    From the central shopping streets or the harbourfront, reaching Dybbølgade on foot generally takes around 15–30 minutes, depending on your starting point and pace. The route follows paved urban pavements with gentle gradients, suitable for most visitors including those with strollers, though some older kerbs and occasional uneven surfaces may be present. This option is free and allows you to link the memorial with other historical points around town on a relaxed urban stroll.

  • Taxi within Sønderborg

    A taxi ride from central Sønderborg to Dybbølgade usually takes 5–10 minutes in normal traffic. Fares within the town area commonly fall in the range of 80–150 DKK, depending on time of day, distance and waiting time. Taxis provide a convenient option if you have limited mobility, are travelling in a small group, or wish to visit the memorial as a brief stop between other sights.

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Discover more about Memorial Stone for du Plat, Schau and Rosen

A quiet corner of Sønderborg with a heavy story

Tucked beside the everyday rhythm of Dybbølgade, this unobtrusive memorial stone marks a decisive and tragic moment in Sønderborg’s history. The stone stands in a small landscaped setting – part verge, part pocket park – where the traffic hum never quite drowns out a sense of solemnity. There are no grand gates or sweeping lawns, just a simple monument and a few touches of planting that set it apart from the surrounding houses. The memorial commemorates du Plat, Schau and Rosen, three members of the Danish resistance who were executed here during the German occupation in the final years of the Second World War. Their names are inscribed in stone at the very place where their lives ended, anchoring national history in a precise, local point on the map.

Resistance and remembrance in Southern Jutland

Southern Jutland has long been a frontier region, shaped by shifting borders and conflicts, from the 1864 war at nearby Dybbøl Banke to the turmoil of the 20th century. This memorial belongs to that broader landscape of remembrance, but it focuses tightly on the clandestine struggle of ordinary citizens who chose to resist occupation. The stone hints at covert meetings, coded messages and underground networks that once threaded discreetly through these quiet streets. Unlike larger museums and battlefields in the area, this site tells its story through absence as much as presence. There are no uniforms, weapons or reconstructed trenches here – only names and dates. Standing in front of the monument, you trace the carved letters and imagine the moment when a small group of men, now reduced to three surnames, faced a firing squad for acts they believed might change their country’s future.

A brief stop with room for reflection

Visiting the memorial is usually a short experience. Many people pause here on a walk around Sønderborg or on the way to larger historical sites like Dybbøl Banke, using the stone as a quiet counterpoint to more elaborate exhibitions. The location is fully open-air and unfenced, so you can approach at any time, step onto the paved or gravelled edge, and stand within arm’s reach of the inscription. The setting is informal rather than park-like: a few trees or shrubs, a strip of grass, perhaps a nearby bench or low wall to sit on while you gather your thoughts. The openness makes the site accessible, but it also underlines how exposed the men themselves were when they met their fate here. In a matter of minutes, the visit typically shifts from simple curiosity to a more personal contemplation of risk, sacrifice and moral choices under pressure.

Reading the stone and the surroundings

Take a moment to look carefully at the stone’s design. Danish memorials of this period often favour rough-hewn blocks with crisp lettering, avoiding overt heroics in favour of restrained dignity. The stone’s surface and typography mirror that tradition. Any plaque or inscription present usually provides just enough information to identify the men and the occasion, leaving the deeper story to be explored later at local museums or history centres in Sønderborg. Around you, the ordinary townscape – pavements, bicycles, gardens and apartment blocks – creates a striking contrast with the drama once played out here. That contrast is part of the memorial’s power: it reminds you that history is not confined to castles and museums, but also lives on in residential streets, backyards and the small urban spaces you might otherwise walk past without a second glance.

Linking a single site to a larger narrative

Although modest in scale, the Memorial Stone for du Plat, Schau and Rosen fits into a wider network of remembrance across Sønderborg and the island of Als. Nearby, larger institutions explore the region’s military history and shifting borders in depth, while other small plaques and stones dot the town, each anchored to specific individuals and events. Taken together, they form a patchwork narrative of resistance, occupation and national identity. Even if you only spend a short time here, the stone can serve as a starting point. After your visit, you may find yourself noticing other, similar markers around the town, each quietly expanding your understanding of how global conflicts leave their mark on a single street. In that sense, this unassuming memorial is less an endpoint than a doorway into Sønderborg’s layered and sometimes painful past.

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