Lothar Jeppesen was a local Nazi leader in Skive and Salling. As head of the branch of the DNSAP called Thysyssel, he had an office in Skive and was the top Danish Nazi in the area.
Born in Odense, he became politically interested and after a period in DSU, he joined DNSAP in 1934.
In 1939 Jeppesen moved to Salling, where he became Sysselleder (local Nazi department leader) for Thy Syssel. It was at the same time that Thysyssel was formed, by separating Thy and Mors from Vendsyssel, and adding Salling. Such reshuffles were not unusual, with relatively few members, the organization was dependent on where the competent party members were located.
In Skive, he worked at the DNSAP office in Skive at Frederiksgade 13.
Jeppesen was arrested after the liberation and was sentenced to 2 years and 4 months in prison for, among other things, conscientious objection and for having been an informant to the Germans. At the trial, he was defended by High Court Attorney H.R. Brøcker. Brøcker, and witnesses spoke against him having betrayed Danes to the German, including the local freedom fighter Anton Rask.
Jeppesen himself was very much against the characterization that he had stabbed anyone. The fact that no Jews from Thy Syssel were reported during the occupation speaks for itself. He also referred to himself as an opponent of HIPO and the Schalburgkorpset, but “merely” as a political advocate for Nazism on Danish terms.
After the occupation, he left Salling and Skive, first for Thy, then after he had been imprisoned he moved to Vemb. Jeppesen died in 1996 and was buried at Holstebro Cemetery.
Sources
- Asferg, Henrik, Der var gode folk iblandt bind 1, Mellemgaard 2019 (e-book. The section is named after Jeppesen)
- Skive Folkeblad 27/1-2014, 31/12-2015, 22/11-1946