Editing Victor Borge (section)

===Early life and career===
Victor Borge was born Børge Rosenbaum on 3 January 1909 in [[Copenhagen|Copenhagen, Denmark]], into an [[Ashkenazi Jewish]] family. His parents, Bernhard and Frederikke (née Lichtinger) Rosenbaum, were both musicians: his father a [[Viola|violist]] in the [[Royal Danish Orchestra]],<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.kglteater.dk/site/OmKunstarterne/Ensembler/Det_Kongelige_Kapel/Tidslinjen.aspx | title = Det Kongelige Teater – Kort fortalt | access-date = 3 October 2010 | language = da |trans-quote=My father played in the orchestra for more than 30 years – we couldn't recognise him, when he came home.|quote=Om Bernhard Rosenbaum, som var bratschist i Kapellet fra 1888–1919 sagde Victor Borge: "Min far spillede i Kapellet i over 30 år – vi kunne heller ikke kende ham, da han kom hjem| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110110194149/http://www.kglteater.dk/site/OmKunstarterne/Ensembler/Det_Kongelige_Kapel/Tidslinjen.aspx | archive-date = 10 January 2011 | url-status = dead | df = dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Who's Who in Entertainment 1989–1990 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=58BkAAAAMAAJ |date=1988 |publisher=Marquis Who's Who, Inc. |page=67 |isbn=978-0-8379-1850-1}}</ref> and his mother a pianist.<ref name="Krak1964">{{cite book
|author=Ove Holger Krak
|title=Kraks blaa bog: ...nulevende danske mænd og kvinders levnedsløb ...
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=juthAAAAIAAJ
|access-date=2 October 2010
|date=1 January 1964
|publisher=Krak.i
|language=da
|page=186}}</ref> Borge began piano lessons at the age of two, and it was soon apparent that he was a prodigy. He gave his first piano recital when he was eight years old, and in 1918 was awarded a full scholarship at the [[Royal Danish Academy of Music]], studying under [[Olivo Krause]]. Later on, he was taught by [[Victor Schiøler]], [[Franz Liszt|Liszt]]'s student [[Frederic Lamond (pianist)|Frederic Lamond]], and [[Ferruccio Busoni|Busoni]]'s pupil [[Egon Petri]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Victor Borge |url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0096493/bio |access-date=2022-11-05 |website=IMDb}}</ref>

Borge played his first major concert in 1926 at the Danish Odd Fellow Palæet (''The Odd Fellow's Lodge building'') concert hall. After a few years as a classical concert pianist, he started his now-famous [[stand-up comedy|stand-up]] act with the signature blend of piano music and jokes. He married the American Elsie Chilton in 1933, the same year he debuted with his revue acts.<ref name="Jensen1966">{{cite book
|author=Bernhardt Jensen
|title=Som Århus morede sig: Folkelige forlystelser fra 1890'erne til 2. verdenskrig
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eOwNAQAAIAAJ
|access-date=2 October 2010
|year=1966
|publisher=Universitetsforlaget
|language=da
|page=128}}</ref> Borge started touring extensively in Europe, where he began telling anti-[[Nazism|Nazi]] jokes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Palmer |first=Jordan |date=2021-07-22 |title=Celebrating the great Jewish comedians: Victor Borge |url=https://stljewishlight.org/news/news-local/celebrating-the-great-jewish-comedians-victor-borge/ |access-date=2022-11-05 |website=St. Louis Jewish Light}}</ref>

When the German armed forces occupied Denmark on 9 April 1940, during [[World War II]], Borge was playing a concert in [[Sweden during World War II|neutral Sweden]] and decided to go to Finland.<ref name="Sears1986">{{cite book
|author=Richard S. Sears
|title=V-discs: first supplement
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0ZJHAAAAMAAJ
|access-date=2 October 2010
|date=3 December 1986
|publisher=Greenwood Press
|isbn=978-0-313-25421-5
|page=23}}</ref> He traveled to America on the United States Army transport {{SS|American Legion|1919|2}}, the last neutral ship to make it out of [[Pechenga (urban-type settlement), Murmansk Oblast|Petsamo]], Finland,<ref>{{cite book
|title=Information
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lWgvAAAAMAAJ
|access-date=2 October 2010
|year=1977
|publisher=R.Levin
|language=da
|page=26}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Charles |first=Roland W. |title=Troopships of World War II |year=1947 |location=Washington |publisher=The Army Transportation Association |lccn=47004779 |page=7 |url=http://www.history.army.mil/documents/WWII/wwii_Troopships.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402123952/http://www.history.army.mil/documents/WWII/wwii_Troopships.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 April 2015 |access-date=9 August 2015}}</ref> and arrived 28 August 1940, with only $20 (about ${{Inflation|US|20|1940}} today), with $3 going to the customs fee. Disguised as a sailor, Borge returned to Denmark once during the occupation to visit his dying mother.<ref>{{cite book
|author=National Geographic Society (US)
|title=The National geographic
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RflKAAAAYAAJ
|access-date=3 October 2010
|date=1 July 1998
|publisher=National Geographic Society
|page=59}}</ref>