Danish History

Denmark's history in short

Vikings

The word: ”Viking” means: ”Pirate”. It was used by the vikings themselves. The vikings were also called: Northmen, as they came from the north. The viking age cover the period around 700-1050. They sailed the seas and plundered where ever they went. The most famous raid was at Lindisfarnes in 793, where the vikings raided the St. Cuthbert Church and sent a shockwave through Europe, but the vikings had paid visit to the coastline of Wessex just about 4 years prior, where they the king's reeve, who was sent to bring them to court.

Another famous raid was the plundering of Paris around year 855 by Regnar Lodbrog (Lothbrock). Yes, you might know him from the famous tv-series ”Vikings”. This was the beginning of the raids on the West Frankish Kingdom, settled by his son, Sigurd, about 40 years later. A part of the Frankish Kingdom was given to the Northmen and named: Normandie, meaning: The land of the North men.

The vikings traveled far around the world, and even reached the Northern Africa, Middle East and North America. The took prisoners from the slavic people in Eastern Europe, and sold them as slaves in the Middle East.

In Denmark King Harald Blåtand (Bluetooth), who has given name to the modern technology of bluetooth, raised the stone we now know as ”The Jellinge Stone” in Jelling. This stone is considered as the birth certificate of Denmark, as it's the earliest known mention of Denmark. The stone is still standing next to the church of Jelling, and everyone can go and see it.

Harald Bluetooth also built a number of ring castles across the country. Today we know of five ring castles. One of these are in Aggersborg, close to Ranum. The ring castles are now considered UN Heritage Sites.

The Jellinge Stone

The Reformation

Like most of Europe, Denmark was a catholic country, until Martin Luther's reformation in 1517, where he posted his 95 thesis against the catholic church's trades of indulgence. This caused the start of the reformation changing the religious map of Europe.

The reformation changed Denmark from 1536 creating the protestant church in Denmark, also known as Folk Churches.

Denmark has today a large variation of churches, from Folk Churches in one end of the scale, to Pentacostal-like churches on the other end of the scale.

N. F. S. Grundtvig

Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig (1783-1872) was a Danish priest, poet and politician. His the author of 1500-1600 hymns and songs, song all across Denmark. It had a very different mindset of his time, believing in the freedom of diversity and a vision of democracy based on historical roots as opposed to formal rules. Also in church he believed in the individual faith and a wide embracing church. He also believed in enlightenment of the people based on “The Living Word” contrary to the “The Dead Letter”.

Grundtvig is founder of the first højskole in Rødding in 1844, where peasants could be taught in history, philosophy, society, gymnastics, singing, speaches etc. to stop the one-way communication from the power holders.

The idea of højskole sparked the inspiration for efterskole for , where the first was established in 1851 in Ryslinge at Fyn (the island between Jutland and Zealand). It was founded by Christen Kold.

Both højskole and efterskole is a uniq Danish institution. You won't find similar elsewhere.

Grundtvig is considered one of the most important people in Denmark in the 1800s.

1864 war

Denmark used to be a super power in Europe, controlling Norway, Faroe Island, Greenland, southern part of Sweden and northern part of Germany (Slesvig, Holsten and Lauenborg), down to the Rhein. These German duchies were more or less self-governed by the reigning Duke.

In 1848 Denmark was overthrowing the absolute power of the monarch and signed a new constitution, known as: “Grundloven” (All laws in Denmark must abide to this, but has been renewed a few times). As the proces of changing the constitution is very difficult, complex and long stretched (takes at least 8-10 years), most politicians stay away from this unless it's very important. Last time it was done, was in 1953.

Around the time of the new constitution, Europe was influenced by nationalistic mindset. The people of Holsten and Lauenborg were more German-minded, while the North Slesvig was Danish-minded, and South Slesvig was German-minded as well. Some influential politicians campaigned that all of Slesvig had to be unified to the Kingdom of Denmark, while they would accept to let Holsten and Lauenborg go.

On the German point of view, they wanted all of Slesvig. This ended in a three years long war (1848-1850). Denmark had a partly win – Denmark succeded in keeping the duchies separated, but had to give in to the thought of unifying Slesvig to the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1863 Preussen and Austria declared war against Denmark. Denmark lost the war in 1864, and lost all of Slesvig. A new boarder was drawn just south of Kolding. This loss is still today influencing the mindset of the Danes.

In 1920, after Germany had lost 1. World War, an election was held in Slesvig, where the citizens were voting on which country they wished to belong to. Northern Slesvig voted for Denmark, while Southern Slesvig voted for Germany. According to this election, a new borderline was drawn, and Northern Slesvig was unified with the Kingdom of Denmark. This was marked by the King of Denmark, King Christian X, rode across the border near Kolding on his horse, followed by the Royal Family in a carriage.

Second World War

Nazi-Germany occupied Denmark on April 9 1940. There was only little fight, as the Danish Government quickly resigned. The Government made an agreement with Nazi-Germany, where Danish institutions maintained. The Danes could carry on with their lives more or less uninfluenced by the Nazi-German occupation. This continued until around 1943 where resistance groups began taking matters into own hands. The most famous of these was the Churchill Group in Aalborg, who was a bunch of young lads, who sparked the resistance movement across the country. Another famous resistance group was called: “The Hvidsten Group”, as they were centred around Hvidsten Inn, north of Randers in Jutland.

Compared to most of Europe, Denmark was quite peaceful despite the occupation. Nazi-German soldiers was sent from the East Front to Denmark on leaves. Denmark was also called: “The Butter Cream Front”, as many groceries hard or impossible to get in most of Europe, was more or less available in Denmark during the war.

Adolf Hitler was expecting an invasion from England, and therefore built the West Front stronghold. A line of strategically placed bunkers along the entire coastline of Europe, from Northern Norway to South of France. Most of these concrete bunkers along the Danish West coastline is still there. Many of them are inaccessible, but there are few open to public.

Denmark was liberated from Nazi-German occupation May 5th 1045.

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