At the turn of the century, the town thus contained a guest house, a bathing hotel, many villas, a sanatorium and recreation homes. World War II Gilleleje continued to thrive on its fishing until 1941 when Nazi-Germany occupied Denmark. Like most other Danes at the time, the Gillelejere were against the oppression and helped the Jews by hiding them various places in the town. However, on 2 October 1943, the Gestapo set out to capture all Danish Jews. The Jews in Gilleleje were hidden on the church-loft, and the fishermen prepared for taking them across the sound to Sweden in their cutters. They could not leave immediately, though, because of the German patrols in the street. After several days of hiding, an informer let the Germans know where the roughly 75 Jews were hiding, and they were all captured, bar a single boy who hid behind a gravestone in the cemetery. According to local lore, the priest was so mortified by the situation that he never really became normal again. A memorable exchange resulted after the Gestapo seized Jewish families in the town. "The poor Jews!" exclaimed one villager to a Gestapo officer. When the German responded that it was "written in the Bible that this shall be their fate,” the villager retorted, “but it is not written that it has to happen in Gilleleje.” After the occupation was over, several memorials have been put up in the town, both commemorating the Jews and the fishermen who lost their lives when colliding with sea mines. Post-war period The eastern areas (called Stæremosen - "Starling moor") that had been used for pasture became the industrial area in and around 1950, creating more jobs, meaning more newcomers. Economy Gilleleje harbor is the 5th largest commercial fishing harbor in Denmark. Transportation Railway stations The Hornbæk railway line connects Gilleleje with Helsingør and the Gribskov railway line connects Gilleleje with Hillerød. Gilleleje railway station is the principal railway station of the town. The town is also served by the railway halts Gilleleje East, Stæremosen and Fjellenstrup. Notable people Holger Jacobsen (1876–1960) a Danish architect, designed his own summer house in Gilleleje in 1919 Dina Birte Al-Erhayem (1975–2019) a Danish actress with an Iraqi background, raised in Gilleleje Christine Milton (born 1985) a Danish pop singer, songwriter and professional dancer, raised in Gilleleje Bibliography Johannes Steenstrup, De Danske Stednavne (1918) Palle Lauring, Her Skete Det