Denmark 1815-1864 Denmark 1914-1918






Early Danish Stamps


Denmark, 1864-1914



From ca. 1870, Denmarks politics were dominated by two groups, HØJRE (conservatives), CENTRUM and VENSTRE (the leftist liberals, organized since before 1848). VENSTRE usually held the majority in the Folketing, while the ministers, appointed by the king, were conservative. As Venstre opposed the Hoejre governments, lead by prime minister J.B.S. Estrup, the governments between 1885 and 1894 is called the PERIOD OF PROVISIONAL LAWS. 1895-1901 a Højre government was tolerated by Venstre, until in 1901 the VENSTREREFORMPARTIET (est. 1895 by Venstre politicians opposed to reconciliation with Højre) formed a government.
The Danish Labour Movement had been founded in 1871, the SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY in 1876, the first Social Democrats elected into Folketing in 1884. Parliamentary responsibility was introduced in 1901. In 1906, RADICAL VENSTRE split of Venstrereformpartiet, soon to become a leading force in Danish politics. In 1915, Højre lost, and a splinter group formed the CONSERVATIVE PARTY.
During World War I, Denmark stayed neutral. Economically the country depended on Britain, it's main partner in ex- and import. For matters of national security, Germany was more important. In April 1917, the DANISH WEST INDIES were sold to the United States, which feared them might pose a threat to the Panama Canal if Germany got hold of them. When World War I was over, the plebiscite in Northern Schleswig finally was held; the northern part of it, around TØNDER, HADERSLEV, ÅBENRA and SØNDERBORG, opted for Denmark. The Danish minority in the area remaining with Germany got a statute protecting it's rights in the constitution of Schleswig-Holstein.


EXTERNAL
FILES 		The Modern Breakthrough, in : History of Denmark, rom Dan. Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Neutrality, Regulations and Political Conflicts, in : History of Denmark, from Dan. Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Deutsche Zollgeschichte : Daenemark, from Deutsche Zollgeschichte, postcards commented in German language
Den tidlige Kvindebeægelses historie 1871-1890 (Early Womens' Suffrage Movement, 1871-1890), posted on historien.dk, in Danish
Arbejderbevægelsens Historie Pt.1, 1780-1860, (History of the Danish Labour Movement), Pt.2 : 1860-1872, Pt.3 : 1874-1886, Pt.4 : 1890-1900, Pt.5 : 1900-1910, from Socialistisk Standpunkt, in Danish
DOCUMENTS Historical Population Statistics : Denmark, from Population Statistics at Univ. Utrecht
World Statesmen : Denmark, by Ben Cahoon
Copenhagen, map of 1890, from National Library of Russia
Article Dänemark, from Meyers Konversationslexikon, 1888-1890 edition, in German
Medal : Visit of King Christian IX. of Denmark to London, 1893, from Medal Web, Collection Benjamin Weiss
Sources on Danish History 1864-1919, from Skræp, in Danish
REFERENCE Knud J.V. Jespersen, A History of Denmark, Basingstoke : Palgrave MacMillan 2004, KMLA Lib.Sign. 948.9 J58h
Article : Denmark, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1913 pp.983-987 (on events of 1912) [G]
Article : Denmark, in : Statesman's Year Book 1878 pp.41-55, 1895 pp.448-460, 1898 pp.446-459, 1901 pp.513-527, 1905 pp.567-582, 1910 pp.722-735 [G]
Article : Denmark, in : International Year Book 1898 pp.261-262, 1899 pp.264-266, 1900 pp.295-297 [G]
Article : Denmark, in : New International Year Book 1907 pp.220-222, 1908 pp.202-205, 1909 pp.203-205, 1913 pp.202-204, 1914 pp.200-202 [G]
Article : Denmark, in : Appleton's Annual Cyclopedia and Register of Important Events 1886 pp.283-287, 1894 pp.238-241 [G]
Algernon Bastard, The Gourmet's Guide to Europe (1903), posted by Gutenberg Library Online, chapter XIII pp.210-217 on Sweden, Norway, Denmark
Frederic Augustin Ogg, The Governments of Europe (1913), posted by Gutenberg Library Online, Pt.8 pp.553-570 on Denmark


This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted in 2000, last revised on October 17th 2007

Click here to go Home
Click here to go to Information about KMLA, WHKMLA, the author and webmaster
Click here to go to Statistics