History of Denmark Part 2

Schleswig-Holstein Question

Issue of incorporating Schleswig into Denmark, opposed by Germany.

National Liberal Movement

Movement in Denmark calling for incorporation of Schleswig into Denmark.

Eider Program

Demand to incorporate Schleswig into Denmark, named after the Eider River.

Christian Albrecht Bluhme

Conservative leader who succeeded the National Liberal government.

Pan-Scandinavianism

Movement promoting cooperation between the Scandinavian countries.

Carl Christian Hall

Leader of the moderate National Liberal government.

November Constitution

Constitution that effectively annexed Schleswig to Denmark.

Otto von Bismarck

Prussian leader who initiated the war against Denmark.

Christian IX

Conservative leader who succeeded the National Liberal government.

Højre Party

Political party formed by the merger of the National Liberals and Conservatives.

United Left

Coalition of farmer groups formed to counter the Højre Party.

Social Democratic Party

Left-wing party formed in the 1870s.

Jacob Brønnum Scavenius Estrup

Højre member and prime minister who pursued a strictly conservative policy.

Change of System

Granting of parliamentary democracy in Denmark.

Neutral Foreign Policy

Danish foreign policy developed along neutral lines.

Viggo Hørup

Left-wing advocate for complete disarmament.

Industrialization

Development of industrial production in Copenhagen and provincial towns.

Railroad Construction

Government takeover of railroad construction in the late 1860s.

Foreign Trade

Rapid development of harbors, steamships, and foreign trade.

Cooperative Dairies

Establishment of cooperative dairies for dairy production.

Cooperative Slaughterhouses

Establishment of cooperative slaughterhouses for meat production.

Folk High Schools

Educational institutions that provided technical information to farmers.

Parliamentary Democracy

System where the king appoints a parliament-approved government.

Free-Trade Law

Law passed to benefit agricultural export interests.

Radical Left Party

Faction that broke away from the Left Reform government.

Constitutional Revisions

Reforms that revoked the Landsting's privileged franchise and extended the franchise to women, servants, and farmhands.

Land Reform

Redistribution of land from large estates to increase smallholdings.

League of Nations

International organization Denmark joined in 1920.

German Occupation

Military occupation of Denmark by German troops during WWII.

Resistance Movement

Organized groups that committed acts of sabotage against the German occupiers.

Jewish Rescue

Efforts by the Danish resistance to hide and smuggle Jews to safety.

Freedom Council

Council formed to cooperate with leading Danish politicians during the German occupation.

Knud Kristensen

Leader of the Left government that came to power after WWII.

Also Known As

Kongeriget Danmark • Kongaríkidh Danmark • Kingdom of Denmark • Danmarkip Nâlagauvfia

Head Of Government

Prime Minister: Mette Frederiksen

Capital

Copenhagen

Population (2023 est.)

5,986,000

Currency Exchange Rate

1 USD equals 6.963 Danish krone

Head Of State

Danish Monarch: Queen Margrethe II

Form Of Government

constitutional monarchy with one legislative house (Folketing [179])

Official Language

Danish

Official Religion

Evangelical Lutheran

Official Name

Kongeriget Danmark (Kingdom of Denmark)

Total Area (Sq Km)

42,838

Total Area (Sq Mi)

16,578

Monetary Unit

Danish krone (DKK; plural kroner)

Population Rank (2023)

115

Population Projection 2030

6,114,000

Density: Persons Per Sq Mi (2023)

361.1

Density: Persons Per Sq Km (2023)

139.7

Urban-Rural Population

Urban: (2020) 88.1% • Rural: (2020) 11.9%

Life Expectancy At Birth

Male: (2020-2021) 79.6 years • Female: (2020-2021) 83.4 years

Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate

Male: 100% • Female: (2015) 100%

Gni (U.S.$ '000,000) (2022)

432,121

Gni Per Capita (U.S.$) (2022)

73,200

What was the border dispute between Denmark and Germany after World War II?

Dispute over unification with Denmark in South Schleswig.

What was the Danish government's stance on the border changes in 1946?

Rejected any border changes in the October 1946 Note.

When did the Social Democrats return to power in Denmark?

1947 under Hans Hedtoft.

What international organizations did Denmark join after World War II?

UN in 1945 and NATO in 1949.

What measures did Denmark take to strengthen its military in 1950-51?

Enacted new laws.

Did Denmark agree to US requests for air bases?

No, they rejected the requests.

What protections did Denmark secure for the Danish minority in South Schleswig?

Through the 1955 Bonn Protocol.

What political reforms were implemented in Denmark in 1953?

New constitution allowing female succession, reducing parliament to one chamber, and instituting proportional representation.

What did the political reforms in 1953 lead to?

Difficulties in achieving absolute majorities, resulting in minority or coalition governments.

Which parties dominated Danish politics in the postwar years?

Conservatives, Left Liberals, Radical Left, and Social Democrats.

Did smaller parties gain influence in Danish politics?

Yes, they gained influence, complicating politics.

Who led the Danish governments from 1953-1968?

The Social Democrats.

What reforms were delivered by the Social Democrats during their time in power?

Reforms like value-added and pay-as-you-earn taxes.

Which parties formed a coalition after the 1968 election?

The Radicals, Conservatives, and Liberals.

Who succeeded Jens Otto Krag as the Prime Minister of Denmark?

Anker Jørgensen.

Which parties gained in the 1973 elections in Denmark?

Centre Democrats, Christian People's Party, and the anti-tax Progress Party.

Who returned as Prime Minister in 1975?

Jens Otto Krag.

Which party did Jørgensen reject in 1975?

The Socialist People's Party.

Who was the Prime Minister of Denmark in the late 1970s?

Jørgensen

What did Jørgensen's government introduce in 1979?

Wage and price freezes

Which party formed a minority centre-right coalition after Jørgensen's resignation?

Conservative Party

When did economic recovery begin under Poul Schlüter?

1985-86

What was a concern despite economic recovery under Schlüter?

Foreign debt

Which parties gained influence in the late 1980s?

Socialist People's Party and Progress Party

What led to Schlüter's resignation in 1993?

Scandal over Tamil refugees

Who became the Prime Minister after Schlüter's resignation?

Poul Nyrup Rasmussen

What happened to living standards in the postwar years?

Overall rise

What happened to regulations and trade in the 1950s?

Abolished and liberalized

When did prosperity rise?

Late 1950s

What happened in the 1960s amid rising consumption?

Deficits returned

What challenges did the 1970s bring?

Recession, rising oil prices, and unemployment

When did Denmark join the EEC?

1973

What did Schlüter's reforms in the 1980s focus on?

Reducing inflation and boosting investment and employment

What happened in the 1990s despite Europe's recession?

Gradual recovery

Who is the current ruler of Denmark?

Margrethe II

Who ruled Denmark before the House of Oldenburg?

House of Pomerania

Who ruled Denmark from 1448 to 1863?

House of Oldenburg

Who inherited the Danish throne in 1863?

House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg

When did the monarchy in Denmark become hereditary?

1660

Which political entities are covered in this list?

Kingdom of Denmark, personal union of Denmark and Norway, Kalmar Union, United Kingdoms of Denmark-Norway, Kingdom of Denmark, Iceland, Greenland, Faroe Islands

When did Denmark and Norway form a personal union?

1380-1397

When did Denmark, Norway, and Sweden form the Kalmar Union?

1397-1536

When did Sweden leave the Kalmar Union?

1523

When did Denmark and Norway continue as a union after Sweden left?

1523-1536

When did Denmark and Norway form the United Kingdoms of Denmark-Norway?

1536-1814