Bernahrd Sindberg, now in charge of the plant, with Karl Guenther, a German, painted a Danish flag and German Swastika flag on the factory to keep the Japanese from bombing or attacking it. Japan was not at war with either of those countries.
When Chinese civilians realized that the building was safe, they began flocking there. Bernhard and Karl set up a makeshift hospital on the grounds and started providing shelter. They would risk their lives leaving the compound to go to the Red Cross to get food, supplies and medicine.
Meanwhile, conditions in the factory started failing. The Chinese suffered from hunger, disease and the cold.
The Japanese were aware of what was going on, and after three months, forced Sindberg to leave and sent him to Shanghai where he took a ship to Europe and arrived in Italy where his father picked him up and they drove home. On the way, they stopped at Geneva where he was honored and thanked by the Chinese delegation.
Later, Sindberg moved to the United States and lived there the rest of his life.
--GreGen
The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.
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