Figure 1.-- Here is a boy photographed about 1905 from Haderslev, Denmark. But we believe that he is a German boy. Haderslev (Hadersleben) is near the German border. Still today there is a German minority living in Haderslev and there is a German school. A German reader found this picture in a bundle with lots of German pictures from northern Germany area (near Denmark). She believes that they belonged together. Image courtesy of the BP collection.

The largest minority group in Denmark is Germans. Denmark was once a major European power. The border between Denmark and Germany has thus varied over time. It was largely settled with the Danish War (1864) engineeerd by Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. One of the results of the War that the Danish Princess who married the Prince of Wales became an influential anti-German voice in a Britain that still saw France as their great enemy. Another consequence was that there ws a German minority in Denmark and a Danish minority in Germany. There was also a small Jewish minority which the courageous Danish people managed to save during World war II. Since World War II Muslims from various Middle-Eastern countries have immigrated to Denmark, attracted by the traditionally tolerant Danish society.

Germans

The largest minority group in Denmark is Germans. Denmark was once a major European power. The border between Denmark and Germany has thus varied over time. It was largely settled with the Danish War (1864) engineeerd by Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. One of the results of the War that the Danish Princess who married the Prince of Wales became an influential anti-German voice in a Britain that still saw France as their great enemy. Another consequence was that there was a German minority in southern Denmark and a Danish minority in across the border in northern Germany. Here is a boy photographed about 1905 from Haderslev, Denmark (figure 1). But we believe that he is a German boy. Haderslev (Hadersleben) is near the German border. Still today there is a German minority living in Haderslev and there is a German school. A German reader found this picture in a bundle with lots of German pictures from northern Germany area (near Denmark). She believes that they belonged together. When this picture was taking in 1905 Haderslev belonged to Germany (since the Prussian-Danish war). The official name was Hadersleben. The territory became Danish again in 1919 after a referendum imppsed by the Versailles Treaty. The population voted to return to Denmark. It becamev German once more after the German World War II invasion (1940). It was returned to Denmark after Germany's defeat (1945). The German-speaking minority was granted its own schools with German as language of instruction only after the West-German government gave the same rights to the Danes south of the border, who also have their own schools, newspapers, libraries and organisations. It is interesting to note that in many cases it is difficult to know who is German and who is Danish, because many people have family names like Jensen or Hansen. It seems to be a matter of choice. Of course, the German speakers are Danish citizens, while the Danes in Germany are German subjects. They all are bi-lingual. Famous Germans from this area were Hjalmar Horace Greeley Schacht, Hitler's financial wizard, who later turned against the Führer, and the expressionist painter Emil Nolde, who's real name was Hansen, but who was born in the village of Nolde near Apenrade (Abenra). His paintings were declared "degenerated" by the Nazis and he was put under house arrest during the war, although he was a super "Arian".

Jews

Denmark had a small Jewish minority which the courageous Danish people managed to save during World War II.

Muslims

Since World War II Muslims from various Middle-Eastern countries have immigrated to Denmark, attracted by the traditionally tolerant Danish society. Complaints from Danish Muslims eventually spirled into the 2006 cartoon controversy which caused a violent reaction in the Muslim world. Interesting because Arab newspapers commonly carry racist cartoons that could easily have appeared in NAZI newspapers.

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Created: 5:06 AM 3/22/2006
Last updated: 5:06 AM 3/22/2006