The Schleswig Wars and the Potentiality of a German Denmark | Short Documentary | 🇩🇰🇩🇪

Introduction - 0:00
Part I - The Kingdom and the Whole State (Helstat) - 0:37
Part II - The Schleswig Wars - 2:27
Part III - A Crippled Kingdom - 4:39
Part IV - The Danish-German Connection - 6:32
Part V - The State of Europe - 10:17
Conclusion - 12:52
End Notes - 14:24
Bibliography
- Ahlers, Christian Anthony, “The Importance of the Schleswig-Holstein Conflicts in German Unification: A Primordial Case Study, 1839-1871 ”(thesis, 2018).
- Carr, William, The Wars of German Unification 1864-1871, ed. Harry Hearder (New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, 1991).
- Greßhake, Florian, Contested Cultural Heritage - Contested Space. Discourses on the Museum Landscape in the Danish-German Border Region (Linköping University Electronic Press, 2011).
- Østergård, Uffe, “Danish National Identity: A Historical Account,” in Global Collaboration: Intercultural Experiences and Learning, ed. Martine Cardel Gertsen, Anne-Marie Søderberg, and Mette Zølner (London, United Kingdom: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012).
- Raagaard, Ingrid, “Der Dänische Autor Deckt Historischen ‘Verrat,’” Hamburger Abendblatt, August 19, 2010.
- Trap, Jens Peter, Statistisk-Topographisk Beskrivelse Af Kongeriget Danmark, vol. 1 (Commission Hos GEC Gad, 1860).
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#19thCentury #19thCenturyEurope #SchleswigWar
PS: I said the word wrong. Sorry.

[@bryanlea8115]

“Only three people have ever really understood the Schleswig-Holstein business: the Prince Consort, who is dead; a German professor, who has gone mad; and I, who have forgotten all about it.” - Lord Palmerston

[@user-ys5yv2nz6w]

Was the professor Nietzsche?

[@ThePRCommander]

Lord Palmerston promised British military support. It never came. Norway and Sweden promised military support (20.000 troops); never arrived. Plus, our politicians wouldn’t pay what was required in our military plans. Had they done so, we would have created a stalemate = danish victory.

[@user-bq3ch1ps8q]

@@ThePRCommander well tbh the prussian military was just superior

[@ulrikschackmeyer848]

As a historically minded Dane I would say that there are tons of interesting and neccesary details missing. BUT with a frame of 15 minute (and not the 1500 years needed) it PROBABLY the VERY BEST TOO SHORT VIDEO I HAVE EVER SEEN ON THE SUBJECT. But to all people interested would say;, to understand the Slesvig-Holsten (Danish spelling) issue resonably takes at least a couple of years of serious dedication. Now you are warned!

[@hazchemel]

In case you haven't heard Palmerston's joke: “Only three people have ever really understood the Schleswig-Holstein business: the Prince Consort, who is dead; a German professor, who has gone mad; and I, who have forgotten all about it.”

[@henner645]

Very interesting indeed!

[@pzwar5989]

true that, but thank god its German... cause most of the pop was ethnically German and if not part of Germany, tensions would always brew up... well, because the ppl r not German xD

[@TheJanDahl]

@@pzwar5989 ethnic tensions in Germany eh?

[@SchmulKrieger]

It was Westgermanic before the Danes took the peninsula in the Middle Ages. So why not German?

[@David-so2ue]

This is one of those rare occasions when the algorithm actually recommends me a worth watching video. Kudos to you, sir.

[@r2b217]

For some reason I read the title as “Danish Germany” and was very confused as to how they could achieve that

[@malteedman278]

Me too, me too...

[@TAKE_BACK_BRITAIN]

I thought that up until like 2/3 into the video. I was waiting the whole time for the explanation on how that could’ve been possible lmao.

[@Ludovicus1769]

At one point it was possible, but that was then.

[@ThePRCommander]

Prussia had, in fact, plans, to make Denmark a German Naval state. Hitler played with the idea as well.

[@madzen112]

Just watch the video 😀🙂

[@user-lt8vw4fe4w]

The Danish Royal Family is part of the old Northern German Oldenburg Family, who also provides the ruling houses of Russia, Greece and the Duke of Edinburgh of the UK.

[@thyscott6603]

But only after the Wittelsbach family

[@user-lt8vw4fe4w]

@@thyscott6603 The Wettlesbach is of Oberfranken origin and hence Southern German or Frank in origin. The earliest Oldenburg Elimar was supposed to be descended from Wittekind, a notable defender of the Saxons and the chief opponent of Charlemagne during the Saxon Wars of 777 to 785.

[@thyscott6603]

@@user-lt8vw4fe4w okay. Wittelsbach. Also ruled in Bavaria and Rheinlan-pfalz-

[@user-lt8vw4fe4w]

@@thyscott6603 Yes they did. Still very influential.

[@hazchemel]

Did they not also supply princes for 1 or 2 other Balkan countries?

[@j.w.b5048]

It is interesting how the Danes managed to hold on to their own identity and customs, despite having such a huge neighbor. And this neighbor has partly a close history, related ethnic origins etc. Its much harder to stick to your own customs, if the big guy next to you is related to you.

[@alexanderchristopher6237]

Well, the thing is, the Danes’ neighbor is a Germany that has not been united for a long time. It was only in 19th century when the context and boundaries of what it meant to be German is fully defined by the German nationalist movement. Meanwhile, the Danes were a regional power in Europe for during the same time of German disunity. It was one of the largest power in Northern Europe. Only in the early 19th century did this nation got into bad situations like the Napoleonic Wars and the loss of Norway.

[@acb1511]

Lol, I, from Ukraine, thought Scandinavians were German "Ukrainians" but is seems Denmark is actually Scandinavian "Moscow", not Germany.

[@someopinion2846]

The Danes have had much influence from Germany because of geographic proximity. Linguistically, Germans are more related to the English and Dutch, Danes to Swedes and Norwegians.

[@richlisola1]

Like how Portugal held onto its freedom on the Iberian Peninsula

[@friedeseimitdiroxmox4669]

Bismarck did not want any colonies at all.

[@christiankastorf1427]

There was a parallel mind game to the incorporation of Denmark into the German Confederation : The incorporation of the lands under Habsburg rule. Have a look at the overall situation: It was not uncommon in those days to rule in "personal union". That means that the only link between two territories is the person of the monarch. After the 30-Years-War a number of territories along the German coastline were ruled by Sweden. But that did not make Wismar or Stade or parts of Pommerania "Swedish" or a part of Sweden, though that is often said colloquially. It meant that the King of Sweden had a seat in the"Reichstag", the assembly of the German princes. In 1714 the Duke of Brunswik-Lunenburg became King George I. of Great Britain. That did neither make his German lands British nor Great Britain a part of Germany. The same thing was true about Schleswig and Holstein ("and" or "-"? that is the political question). Schleswig and Holstein had the same ruler, but only Schleswig was in Denmark. To make things complicated, over the centuries the border between the two duchies had become something that was not noticed anymore and the question where Schleswig belonged was on the agenda). Luxemburg had the same monarch as the Netherlands, but it was a part of the German Confederation. And the Habsburgs ruled over an empire of their own, with only a tiny bit of it within the German Confederation. The bulk of that Austro-Hungarian Empire was populated by Poles, Hungarians, Czechs, Italians, Croats... and lay outside the borders of the German Confederation. In 1848 there was a revolution in Paris which spread like wildfire across Europe. Vienna was first after Paris, then Berlin, Budapest, then Copenhagen...The Germans wanted to unify their country but what was that? If only the German parts of Austria were incorporated into a unified German state with one elected government and one elected parliament the situation for the Habsburg Emperor would have been absurd. His empire would only exist through him as a ruler over all of its part in personal union, while in his heartland he would only be a local prince under the hegemony of an all-German constitution and constitutional regime. The Hungarians, Poles, Czechs, Italians wanted to break away from Vienna anyway and an emperor that was no absolute monarch in his own home anymore would have worked as a catalyst for any insurrection. For a short time the all-German assembly in Frankfurt discussed the question whether all of the Habsburg territory should be made "German". They and their inhabitants would enjoy all the same rights and liberties. And exactly the same question was discussed about Denmark. It would have made it posible to incorporate Schleswig-Holstein (with a hyphen!!) into that German state as a full member and at the same time diminish that loss for Denmark. That was daydreaming, born from the need to solve one problem by opening a box with thousands of other potential conflicts. The solution of the Austrian problem is known: Austria was excluded from Germany, first by the proposed constitution project of 1849, then in reality by the end of the German Confederation in 1866. After the end of World War I. when the Habsburgs had lost their crown and empire and Austria was reduced to what it is now, the idea was there again to unify it with Germany, but the Allies objected and even banned the project of a toll and customs union with Germany. Today Austria is in the EU.

[@TheLocalLt]

Yeah as you described personal unions were very different when involving the Holy Roman Empire under Habsburg suzerainty, which also made the Habsburgs own non-German possessions effectively vassals of Germany, which had the unique situation of playing host to the universal Empire, thus foreign kings (including the German-speaking Prussia) could hold territory and a seat at the court of what was effectively a Habsburg realm. This led to demise of the both Habsburg-led Holy Roman Empire and it’s successor confederation which was set up the same way, with Austria controlling only a small German-speaking population after 1866, as the Habsburgs only had their personal crown lands left, with the rest (including the Catholic states which were briefly fully independent 1866-71) being taken under Prussia’s new Imperium in nominally the same manner as the old empire and confederation, but in reality with Prussia calling all the shots and uniting the German people in nationalism, something the Habsburgs never tried to do including pre-Napoleon, partly out of fear of the foreign powers holding territory within the empire, and partly for fear of exactly the Balkan conundrum you talked about. Austria would then lose all German speaking territories outside the German crown lands in 1866, would then lose all non-German speaking territories along with a few scattered German-speaking regions as well in 1918, lost its 1000 year old monarchy to a left-leaning republic, lost German Bohemia and the Sudetenland early in 1919, was nearly merged into a left-leaning Germany, and eventually of course Austria was subsumed into Germany after both states had turned back conservative by fascist dictatorships, with Hitler renaming the region Ostmark, “Eastern March”, instead of Austria/Österreich, “Eastern Realm”. Britain, America, France and the Soviet Union then divided Austria into military occupation zones for 10 years before Austria was reborn in 1955 as the “first victim of German aggression”, and with a new attitude towards Germany more akin to the Swiss.

[@davidaxelos4678]

The Austrian Empire was in a big dilemma, and I've read an Austrian- pro-Slavic politician had already foreseen its disssolution after the "Kleindeutsche Lösung" in 1866. An Austrian Empire cut from the rest of Germany had only a minority German population and would disintegrate due to secessions he predicted. By excluding Austria, Bismarck/the Prussian king/Prussia shamefully usurpated the leadership of the German lands that for the longest time had been with Austria and its emperor. But perhaps Bismarck was conscient that the time of multiethnic empires was over, and that's why he wanted to exclude Danish and Austrian non-German people from Prussian-led Germany.

[@Hetfielderino]

Slesvig*

[@billybob4184]

As an Australian, I have just today earnt I have a 3x great uncle who fought in this war. Just another chapter I can add to my heritage. And a great doco, thank you.

[@kaanugurlu4487]

thats interesting, but on which side tho?

[@mrmarmellow563]

BONZA MATE🐨 WESTY.🇳🇿.'BOAT⛵🥝🥝⚓JUMPERZ Sure Were GOT ABOOT MATE🖖

[@ottosaxo]

By the way, the actual name of the peninsula is Cimbria. It contains Jutland, Schleswig and Holstein.

[@BradleyGearhart]

Interesting! I did not know that!

[@ottosaxo]

@@xyx3102 :) It takes me 45 minutes to go to the Elbe River. What I see on the other side is Holstein. Schleswig is to the left, somewhere below the horizon. Only distant lightnings in the night are visible that far.

[@pastanoodles]

Isn't Cimbria its ancient name though?

[@ottosaxo]

@@pastanoodles Well, well,... making Portugal a part of the Spain peninsula wouldn't be right either. I mean, just because Iberia is an ancient name ;)

[@pastanoodles]

@@ottosaxo the difference here being that Iberia is a generally well known name for the peninsula, while Cimbria is a name I've never heard of as a danish person, but still interesting nonetheless

[@jottys3709]

a good comparison to show the importance of the loss of Schleswig to the Danes is this: you know how the years 1914, 1918, 1939, or 1945 are almost instantly recognizable by anyone who knows some history. Well, the year 1864 is on the same level of recognisability as those years to the Danes.

[@Yora21]

I'm from Schleswig-Holstein with a great interest in history, and that number does not ring any bell. Even after just having watched the video.

[@jottys3709]

@@Yora21 really? I got that year slapped hard into my memory from school and my parents and the like.

[@Yora21]

@@jottys3709 In Germany, all states have their separate education systems, so the schools in Schleswig-Holstein can set the content in history class at anything they want. But the Schleswig Wars were really only a footnote mentioned in passing during the history of German unification. And even then it was all about Prussia and Austria, with Denmark not really appearing as a relevant player in that story. Though from what I remember, neither local history nor Northern European history wasn't covered in school at all. Bits and pieces about the Hansa for third graders, but that was about it.

[@fidgetspinner1050]

Oh god please dont spell Schlewig like that

[@matthewsteele99]

@@fidgetspinner1050 ironic LOL

[@mikaailahmed5679]

Don't worry too much about the 'dry-ness' of the video. It was really interesting, and some great insights in there. Some channels overdramatise their videos, at least yours wasn't. You could try animating some maps in the future, and add some quotes of the characters in your future videos. Great job though!

[@whotoobe]

I'm late, but you could also get friends / relatives to read out parts of your scripts or quotes from the subjects you cover etc. to break up the voice as well. If you do, try to keep in mind what parts are for who to say and you could even tailor the script a bit, if you're scripting.

[@hansfranklin5070]

I'm German and Danish from my dad's ancestry and proud to be both! Thanks for sharing the history!

[@BradleyGearhart]

I appreciate all the praise and criticism! Thank you to everyone who let me know (and continues to do so) how horribly wrong I pronounced Schleswig in this video! (I've only ever read the word, not heard anyone say it aloud) I'm thinking of a way to respond to many of you who have voiced your concerns. There's only so much I can address in a 15-minute video. Please keep your questions and criticisms coming! When I have some free time on my hands I'll make a quick video addressing them. P.S. feel free to follow me on my socials to join the little community we’ve just started growing together. Instagram - instagram.com/bradleygearhart/?hl=en Twitter - twitter.com/bradleygearhar7?lang=en Public Facebook Page - facebook.com/BradleyEGearhart

[@petermages9482]

Could have mentioned that Denmark was a member of the First Reich for - five, six hundred years.

[@KimDabelsteinPetersen]

@@petermages9482 Erh? What? Denmark was never part of the Holy Roman Empire (the first reich) - so if he had mentioned that, he would've been completely wrong!

[@petermages9482]

@@KimDabelsteinPetersen even better! Denmark was also a member of the German Bund and had its seat in the first German parliament in Frankfurt Pauls Kirche. Denmark was indirect a member of the first Reich, because it had a piece of Germany. Given to the King by a Kaiser.

[@KimDabelsteinPetersen]

@@petermages9482 We were also not part of the German Bund - i think you are confusing Denmark with Holstein. Holstein _was_ part, Schlesvig and Denmark were not! The Danish King was a part - but only because was in his role as Duke of Holstein.

[@petermages9482]

@@KimDabelsteinPetersen But Holstein represented Denmark in Germany.

[@andrewheggie6553]

Amazing video, really. One of the best i've seen on youtube.

[@oskardelitz5651]

Very nice topic and video. Love those historical niche videos! Keep it up

[@ekaski1]

Thanks for this video! I have always known that my family was German from Schleswig-Holstein, but we have had some long-standing family legends that we are "actually Danish." This clears up a few things.

[@heinzriemann3213]

After watching this I was sure that this channel would have tens of thousands of subscribers. I'm sure you're getting there.

[@BradleyGearhart]

Thank you! I hope you’re right.

[@heinzriemann3213]

@@BradleyGearhart Just keep it up, it was so well executed. As a proposal: Split more complex issues like this one into multiple chpters in the same video. So it becomes a bit easier to digest and take the main points out.

[@holgerfritz4819]

The German population of this area didn’t speak high German, they spoke low German (Plattdeutsch) this dialect is actually closer to Dutch and Friesian than to High German. It is also closely related to old English.

[@Slank141ify]

Its not a dialect, but an own regional language

[@monkey_8227]

@@Slank141ify which is dying :c

[@schusterlehrling]

Well, at that time most Germans did not speak High German. Remember that this was before the German Unification.

[@hardwing]

Brilliant video! Never thought of such a scenario.

[@MarcosSoni]

Excellent distillation of this portion of history.

[@pinkomoore]

Absolutely fascinating

[@derkommentierer4160]

I read about it 2 years ago. You are the first one making a video about it. Great Work!

[@BradleyGearhart]

Thank you!

[@anamationmax]

Wow, I wouldn't have thought of this being possible. Great video, taught me something new!

[@bacebulgarianmapper1186]

Damn, very professionally made! Good job!

[@Tom-yu7gz]

I live in a small town right on the border between Schleswig and Holstein. Just a few blocks away from me we have a danish school, where children grow up learning danish since kindergarten, and every summer on the town square, the flags flown from lamp posts are: Schleswig-Holstein and Denmark. Danish culture is still somewhat present here, not to mention up north in one of the regions biggest cities, Flensburg, 90% speak both German and Danish. I myself have spent at least a few weeks every year across the border in Denmark and decided to start learning Danish to embrace multi-culturalism! Edit: I think we certainly have more in common with Denmark than we do with say for example Bavaria.

[@igorbrille8222]

You can even not write 'your' town Flensburg proper. 50 000 people are called danish minority

[@joesmith323]

One of my grandfathers came from somewhere in Schleswig-Holstein. His step brother served in the German Army in the first world war. My grandfather was in the Danish underground in the second world war.

[@ThorrorkAirsoft]

Wow, I knew there where some Danes in Schleswig, but not all the way down by the Holstein border! I don't know why, but people living and having historical ties with their culture even though they live in another country fascinates me. Recently saw a video about a town in Ukraine, Gammelsvenskby where Swedes have been living since the 18th century!

[@joesmith323]

@@ThorrorkAirsoft The "Baltic Germans" lived as a distinct cultural group in the Baltic countries from about 1300 until the end of the Second World War.

[@nilsmuller4698]

Wo lebst du In schleswig-holstein haha, das hört sich an wie Kiel.

[@StillRooneyStarcraft]

Amazing video!

[@thecouncilofthirteen2943]

Very Nicely done. My North-Frisian ancestors fought in the Schleswig-Wars for Prussia.

[@PatrickBergersen]

Great video!

[@ashleycroydon9743]

Its amazing that one minor historical miss could have impacted the future in many ways. Thanks for this clip awesome 100

[@handsken1234]

Great video 👏👍

[@crazyman8472]

"...but Bismarck had a plan; Bismarck *always* had a plan." 😎

[@jaimeogas]

So is the focus of this channel Danish history? Sounds interesting. I'm up with that.

[@BradleyGearhart]

At this point I guess you could say it’s a focus. The Channel isn’t dedicated solely to that though

[@Lauris-1887]

As a guy from Schleswig Holstein it`s really interesting. Good Video!

[@BradleyGearhart]

Thank you very much!

[@cluricaun78]

I found it to be an informative and interesting video, you have a new subscriber! Thanks Bradley :)

[@Andre-pe9mm]

Thx well enjoyed your video.

[@ErininCopenhagen]

I love learning about this stuff; you present it in a really easy to understand way too. Thanks for a great video!

[@BradleyGearhart]

You’re welcome!

[@marcus9605]

Its not so often you find a video on the topic of the Schleswig-Holstein wars. Apart from the '1864' tv series from a while back, and a few YT channels, its nice to see someone actually touch on this with this quality and indepthness (srry my English lol). Huge kudo's to you man! Look forward to more of your stuff :D

[@BradleyGearhart]

Thank you! It’s an important part of history for Northern Europe- I’m surprised it’s not talked about more.

[@GodBless423]

Good Work!

[@BradleyGearhart]

Thank you!

[@mouseinahouse4670]

Great Video

[@josephc9963]

Cool video!

[@Bikerbug2020]

Very informative, never knew about this.. curious what this small change in history would have had on WW1 and then WW2.

[@valdemarjuel1267]

Excellent video! If this topic interests you I highly recommend the danish documentary “Grænselandet”. The first two episodes explain the personal and cultural conflicts surrounding the German-danish relations in the area really well.

[@Zanator1]

Great choice of music

[@pm71241]

The background story for this is really not complete without going back to Danish King Abel and the history behind the Danish borderland of Slesvig and the German county of Holstein and "Riberbrevet". In general, the power struggle of individual noblemen around the position of Hertug (Duke) and marriages of Slesvig ended up with some rather inflexible treaties demanding that Slesvig and Holstein would never be separated ... leading to a border based on culture (like the contemporary) not being possible.

[@elizabethmiller7918]

Op ewig ungedeelt.

[@pm71241]

@@elizabethmiller7918 Yeah... given that the whole thing was based in personal power struggles between the nobility makes that a rather unfortunate obstacle against pragmatic solutions centuries later. The whole idea of Slesvig even being a duchy and not a part of Denmark proper was also just based in personal rivalry with the duchy created by King Niels putting Knud Lavard in charge of border security and then later Abel trying to break the duchy away from Denmark in internal rivalry with King Eric IV. Had it not been for a lot of nobles not being able to get along due to personal ambitions there would be no reason for those words.

[@anjalipriya4144]

Thanks for this video...due to this video i understand very well.....its really helpful for my study.

[@ragomonkey]

good work man

[@BradleyGearhart]

Thank you!

[@grahamturner1290]

Thanks for this! May I recommend the longer versions of The Battle of the Danevirke on the Northworthy Sagas and Stories channel.

[@wg1751]

Well done good sir

[@kenhart8771]

Thank you from Denmark 🇩🇰

[@citizenVader]

True they used to say the church spoke French/latin, the court and the nobles talked German and you spoke Danish to your dog.. This expression was probably from the conflict.

[@dazidazu1476]

I was told this as a kid, being a german minority from Denmark. havent heard it in awhile living in copenhagen now haha

[@noobster4779]

Pretty sure the original is: I speak spanish to god, Italian to women, French to men, and German to my horse - Charles V.

[@citizenVader]

@@noobster4779 I believe there are similar word plays in almost every language

[@abrahamwilberforce9824]

@@noobster4779 I know it as "I speak Latin to God, French to noblemen, Spanish to soldiers, Italian to women and German to my horse." by Karl V of Spain and Austria. This Danish saying probably comes from that.

[@paulohagan3309]

Old joke in English: "Heaven is where the cooks are French, the police are British, the mechanics are German, the lovers are Italian and everything is organized by the Swiss. Hell is where the cooks are British, the police are German, the mechanics are French, the lovers are Swiss, and everything is organized by the Italians."

[@ringwraith1984]

I think my 3x great-grandfather fought in this war. I know very little about him except that he was a German soldier who was captured by the Danish and then chose to remain in Denmark and marry a Danish girl after being released. What little family history I have on him indicates he would have been military age around this time.

[@Tacitus-qd3ev]

I was always curious just how the Danish government could be so reckless.... The first Slesvig war happened when the German states were in upheal, but taking on Prussia and Austria at the same time while their attention was undivided was just suicidal.

[@napolien1310]

I think it was Prussia alone but Bismarck invited the Austrian so they won't bother him if he annexed Holstein, and the Austrians were the only ones who would bother of arguing since the other powers were busy elsewhere.

[@Rabauke84]

The danish prime minister thought, that the other european powers would come to aid Danmark....but because his actions violated the London Protocol, that ended the first Schleswig-War, Danmark was seen as the aggressor! So no help for them, from the outside.

[@someopinion2846]

The alternative, to do nothing, would have made all of Schleswig slowly turning German-speaking, eventually German-minded and subsequently part of Germany, making the border of 1920 permanent.

[@napolien1310]

@@Rabauke84 wasn't he insane? Or has been into an asylum hospital for a time then got out and became prime minister?

[@23GreyFox]

@@napolien1310 He was.

[@averagebohemian5791]

I love how you put together such a nice video and the people commenting only care about a mispronunciation. Don't mind them, they are nitpicking minor details, this video is great!

[@curiousmonster8221]

Best explanation of this subject you are likely to find in 15mins.

[@curiouscatlabinc5035]

Thank you, Algorithm and oh ... thank you, Bradley! I had no idea! :D

[@AriesDragon888]

Fascinating 🤨 and extremely interesting. Thank you very much. You answered many questions on this that I have always been interested to know about. If you can add more information about the subsequent reunification where Denmark 🇩🇰 got approximately one third of the landmasses lost in 1864 back.

[@majcorbin]

My Maternal Grandmother (1899-1989) Her Father w/ his Bother & Parents, immigrated From this area to SE Iowa around this time German language newspapers were still being published, in Davenport, IA, up to 1915

[@kylej741]

My G-Grandmother with her parents and siblings moved from Lauenborg to a town near Kolding DK in 1862. Ten years later both G-Grandmother (with Danish fiancé, my G-Grandfather) and her sister immigrated to USA. I found copies of their census reports through the years. G-Grandma listed her birthplace as Germany while her sister listed her birthplace as Denmark. Both were right.

[@Riftrender]

I learned about this weeks ago.

[@kaiserslavaniaashur1623]

Denmark might be a small country today. But the will of the people have kept this country on the map throughout history. And being able to survive several invasions and conquests is not something every nation can do.

[@dazidazu1476]

I see Denmark simply as the first true Kingdom of the Germanic people. A hight Note to put them on yes, but true nonetheless.

[@Maridun50]

@Sjakalen As is happening all over western Europe as we speak, Hopefully the peoples will wake up in time to stop this disaster.

[@lohfert86]

@Sjakalen Jammen hvad med at du boller noget mere?

[@scottscottsdale7868]

Recall the Vikings.

[@jantschierschky3461]

@@dazidazu1476 as a German I would seriously disagree, mentality, language is so different. Don't forget cities like Hamburg is over 2200 years old and it was always a German city

[@Gwenhwyfar7]

My ancestors came from this region, and their DNA is about 15% more Danish than it is German. Very interesting video, thank you!

[@christiankastorf1427]

You are right in that comparison to the situation in Austria-Hungaria. The Danish "Stamtstaten" or "Gesamtstaat" as we say in German, had the same problems the Austrians had and the revolt against Danish rule from March 1848 till 1850/51 had the same reasons as the revolt of the Hungarians and Italians aganst Habsburg rule: independence and political liberty.

[@daniel-oc6pp]

Hey man, awesome video. A year and a half ago or so I did a little research into the history of German influence in Denmark. It's an interesting subject which I could write an essay on myself. I do have a question for you, and you kind of touched on this in the video. Bismarck obviously held final authority over the Danish entry proposal. However Christian's correspondence was initially with Kaiser Wihlehm I. What was the Prussian Kaiser's initial opinion? and which other influencial figures came to hear of the proposal, and what were their thoughts? Thanks for the video. Very nicely done. :)

[@christiankastorf1427]

Small remark: Wilhelm I. was the King of Prussia, not the Kaiser and Bismarck was his Prime Minister. There was no "Kaiser" before 1871. And then Wilhelm continued to be the Prussian King, he was Emperor only as head of all the German states with far less power than is generally anticipated. The "Deutsches Reich" from 1871 was a strictly federal state with very limited power for the monarch. That is often overlooked because people still believe a lot of that pro-Bismarck propaganda. The "real" Bismarck had to fight for support by the people he might have hated most: the elected members of the all-German parliament.

[@petermages9482]

A German Kaiser gave those lands the Denmark 600 years ago and Denmark became therefore a member of the First Reich. After Napoleon ended the First Reich, Denmark was a member of the Deutsche Zollunion. Denmark also had its representatives in the first German Parliament in Frankfurt in 1848. But Denmark killed Germans with every uprise, so the Democrats, Communists and socialists wanted to declare war on Denmark. The Nationalists, Royalists and Religionists said no, no war. Denmark threatened with a two front war with GB and Russia. That happened in the Frankfurter Paulus Kirche in 1848, the first elected German Parliament and Denmark was present. So, Denmark was part of German Politics for more than 6-700 years more or less.

[@trashman5018]

Interesting 🧐

[@davidking3089]

IT WAS DRY BUT I LEARN SOMETHING FROM IT I LOVE WORLD HISTORY I LOVE KNOWING EVERY THING ABOUT DIFFERENT COUNTRYS. THINK U FOR THE INFORMATION IT HELPED.. 🙂

[@maxwalker1159]

Cool

[@haydenarias]

Excellent, high-tier video. I didn't know about the proposal to join the German Confederation until watching this. Just out of curiousity, what is your personal connectioin to DK? Family ties? I see you are a fellow American, but share my fascination in Scandinavian culture. Greetings from a Georgian living in Spain.

[@BradleyGearhart]

Glad you enjoyed it! I have no familial connections to Scandinavia (although I am part Swedish). I traveled to northern Europe a few years ago and just fell in love with the history and culture.

[@kimjones600]

Wow. Thanks very much for doing this. I'm a genealogist researching my half-brother's Danish grandfather, who at age 3 was emigrated from Schleswig, apart from his mother, to Perth Amboy, NJ, one of the numerous Danish/Scandinavian enclaves around the US. Because this migration, possibly involving a surname change, obscures his parentage, but we do know he was from Schleswig & culturally, linguistically, & nationalistically Danish, I'm hoping that learning about the political, social, economic, and ethnic/cultural environment in Schleswig, preceding and at the time he was born (1889), will at least bring us closer to understanding why he was disrupted in this way, as this disruption eventually had its own consequences. I'll use yr bibliography. Thanks again.

[@BradleyGearhart]

Glad I could be of help. I wasn’t familiar with Scandinavians settling around Perth Amboy. Interesting!

[@sandreid87]

For any non-danes, who wants a bit more context, as to what happend next (A sort of bridge between then, and now): These wars were ultimately (At least in large parts) what made Denmark, it's culture, and it's mindset what it is today: Denmark, in just about a hundred years lost Norway, all of it's African colonies, Schleswig, Holstein, and Lauenborg, and had it's capital, Copenhagen, bombarded by the British fleet (For siding with Napoleon). The population, as stated in the video, has been crippled and so had all of it's European dominance. Denmark went from being a big power house economically, politically, and culturally, to being almost gubbled up by it's neighbours. All this loss of land and power, made the Danish people fall in love with the small things remaining in Denmark - It lead to the Danish Romanticism, and nationalism. And ironically, it made Danish authors, sculptors, and artist travel to Rome (among other places in Europe), for inspiration and tranquility. Danes learned to look at the very small and newly constitution-based Denmark, in a very humble and peaceful way - A new, yet shaky chapter, for the old country. The Danish people essentially had to redefine, what it meant to be a Dane. We fell in love with values like tolerance, peace, pacifism, and humility, with a big love for the Danish nature - Especially it's forest, and the most common tree in Denmark: The Beech Tree, which is now, together with the Swane, a big national symbol, of our small but proud nation. Denmark would however regain Schleswig in 1919, democratically, with the Treaty of Versailles... Which we all know was a perfect document, that didn't lead to anything bad, at all!

[@VitalMusic217]

Thank you. They only teach us the german side of the story on university.

[@siggi3712]

As a Dane I am quite happy that Denmark did not become part of Germany I am happy that we could keep our national identity and culture. I am also happy we did not have to experience the humiliation of WW1 and WW2

[@Askhat08]

Yeah, because you surrendered within an hours.

[@siggi3712]

@@Askhat08 Yeah because we had no military compared to the germans and because the germans threatened to bomb our capital

[@ueks69]

@@Askhat08 Denmark had 2 divisions 15000 men, 8000 conscripts, No tanks and planes, Germany had 9 divisions a modern army of 150000 men just south of the border.

[@billburrcorner2727]

what humiliation? the shame lie entirely on the Germans

[@Schampu4000]

And yet at the same time you try to destroy the national identity and culture of Schleswig-Holstein.

[@Christian_Bagger]

It’s a huge topic. The huge fortifications Dannevirke stretching the border and was in function for like a century probably ensured that Denmark could keep it sovereignty throughout the history. If you really wanted to, you could dedicate your whole channel to the topic, that’s how huge, comprehensive and complicated it is. Wish there were more videos on the border dispute.

[@KelloggsDigga]

But Dannevirke is in Germany now, didn’t really help in the end

[@Christian_Bagger]

@@KelloggsDigga It stood for like 1000 years, but sadly; in the end, it doesn’t even matter.

[@ueks69]

@@Christian_Bagger more than that the earliest parts are from around 600 AD ironage.

[@auxiliarkorpset2428]

This is one of the best "short" explanations of the whole Slesvig question I ever heard. Great job. One thing Iam not sure if you mentioned. The 1863 constitution also threw out Lauenburg and Holstein of the whole state. Since this would have removed any argument for germen meddling in what was seen as internal Danish affairs.

[@hennobrandsma4755]

The German influence on the Danish language in the 19th century is quite evident if you read the texts: spelling was more German like (capitals in nouns, no å, but aa, also to be purposefully different from Swedish, and lots of literally translated German words (coins), especially in scientific and philosophical domains). To me it felt more German than Danish sometimes.. As a West Frisian (from NL) I’ve long been interested in the North Frisian spoken in Schleswig-Holstein (and Helgoland), which are very interesting varieties, all influenced (to differing degrees) by Danish, Jutlandic, Low German and German at different times, and language history can tell us a lot about the history of the area.

[@someopinion2846]

The introduction of the letter å for aa and the elimination of capital letters in nouns was done by the spelling reform of 1948; a faction had been advocating for it for decades but the war made it possible. Now the Jutland cities of Aarhus and Aalborg have readopted the aa in the ir names.

[@christiankastorf1427]

The Oldenburg family still reigns in Denmark. The House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg is a branch/sideline of them.

[@bigredmed]

There was a huge percentage of Danes who left and moved to the central US. Much of the German immigration into Nebraska was from Schleswig Holstein. The rest was from the other Platdeutsch states. I have often wondered about the cultural drivers that pushed all those people into Nebraska and western Iowa.

[@Lucaeus]

I've been wondering that as well. My grandma's family came from Schleswig-Holstein to Nebraska as you say, later settling in Saskatchewan. I'm curious what their lives were like before emigrating.

[@bigredmed]

@@Lucaeus so I was looking at the history of that part of Germany from 1850 to 1900. They start getting oppressed by the Danes. The German language was banned and that tripped off the first war between Denmark and Austria and Prussia. The war was fought in Schleswig Holstein. The next year's were cultural issues with Austria and the next war with Denmark. Prussia takes over. Once they took over, they oppressed the ethnic Danes and the people who were in the border regions (like my ancestors) were squeezed out by Prussian racial purity against those who had both ethnicities and the Prussian social structure that resulted in people who weren't landowners to be squeezed down the social ladder. Farmers were especially hard hit and the prospect of free land was worth the gamble.

[@ottosaxo]

The reason was usually quite simple, just poverty and no chance to ever achieve some property, mostly because there were too many heirs on too little land. Today they would be called economic migrants. What they were looking for in America was a place where they could understand their neighbors and a soil and climate that would allow them to use their agricultural knowledge just like before. Of course there were some exceptions, too, like those people from northern countries who dared to make a new start in Texas or even in South America.

[@alfredvondrachstedt7129]

Great insight into a topic which is more important than many think. Who knows how and if German unification before the end of the century would have happened. The 1920 referendum would be another chapter worth looking into. Newspapers from the time show a growing tension and harsher tone during the referendum campaign, like a herald for 1930´s Germany.

[@darjuz96]

Talk about also that Voralberg nearly became a swiss canton in 1918

[@llkdk]

I wish you would also have mentioned the movement for an independent Slesvig-Holstein inside the german confederation, the indivisibility of Slesvig-holstein via "Ribebrevet", and the democratic vs autocratic tension inherent in the national tensions. For instance how, after the London peace, The kingdom of Denmark was ruled as a democracy while the duchies were ruled as absolute monarchies. Some details on the various attempts to danify or germanize the the duchies would also have been good to mention, but perhaps it would be too detailed. An examination of the broader cultural "war" over Danish identity, were some German intellectuals tried to define Danes and Danish, as a subdivision of the German identity, would perhaps also help explain a scenario where Denmark was incorporated into the German Confederation. All in all, this is a very good video for a 15min presentation of the Slesvig-Holstein question. Lord Palmerston would be impressed I should say.

[@christiankastorf1427]

Right. That embittered even the German loyalists in Schleswig-Holstein who had had no sympathy for the 1848 revolution and wanted their home to stay as part of the Danish "Gesamtstaat". But when they were laughed upon because Germany was "no country", when they were banned from having German and German literature as a school subject after 1851, when they felt a sense of vengeance everywhere, they changed sides.

[@llkdk]

@@christiankastorf1427 the loyalties of the various subjects in the duchies and their relationship with the royal family is something worth its own video. Very complex, but also hugely important in explaining the conflict. The essentially pro German culture but anti Germany, stance of the danish royal family in the duchies, perhaps best exemplified by the choice to administer even the danish speaking area from "the German chancellery", led to many German speaking loyalists, while the danish speakers were more loyal to the danish parlament filled with fellow national liberals. Most of these German speaking loyalists were then lost when the king, under pressure from danish nationalist, switched to a pro danish stance in the duchies with the implementation of policies such as "sprogrreskripterne" in Slesvig.

[@christiankastorf1427]

@@llkdk The fact that the "Deutsche Kanzelei" or "Cantzelley" as it was sometimes written in those days, administered even the Danish speaking people in the area had a very simple reason. All of Schleswig and Holstein were administered from Gottorf Castle by the Stateholder of the King and the Chancellery in Copenhagen. And Schleswig in its original shape went up till the "Königsau" (Kongeaa??). To my knowledge the cementation of German as the language of the people has to do with the c church after the reformation. Up to Flensburg and even a bit further north German was used in the church and in the village schools. The northern part of Schleswig spoke Danish. Another name for the "Deutsche Kanzlei" was "Schleswig-Holsteinische Kanzlei" which was more precise. The staff of the chancellery were mostly Germans who may have studied law at Kiel or another German university. I was quite surprised to learn how effective and quick they worked and how fast the mail was. A letter from a town in Schleswig-Holstein reached Copenhagen within to to maximum three days. In winter the mail was sailed across the Baltic and the Sounds in boats with skates under their hulls to be used on flat ice. Flensburg, where I was born, was surely more loyalist than pro-German during the 1848/51 war, but that had to do with the fear of the local merchants that in some united Germany Flensburg would have to compete against Lübeck or Altona and even Hamburg. The loss of the connection to Denmark meant the loss of its sugar and rum supply, too. But after 1851 the policy of the Danish state made them feel as if they lived under foreign occupation. There was still hope to get a state of Schleswig-Holstein on its own ( within Germany), but Bismarck saw to it that this would not happen. There was some anti-Prussian sentiments after 1866, but they calmed down when the daughter of "their" not-to-be-Duke Friedrich of Sonderburg-Augustenburg, Auguste Victoria, and the heir to the Prussian throne, the later Wilhelm II. ,fell in love with each other. The toughest opposition was among farmers in the area west of Flensburg towards the Northsea. They bred a pig that had reddish and whitish bristles and called it "Husum protest pig". Danish-minded farmers would paint the doors of their farms not in the usual green with white frames but red with white frames. Sadly the Prussians behaved in no other way than the Danish policy after 1851 had been. There is a story that a girl got arrested for wearing a red dress with white trims and a white belt. That reminds directly of the incidents that three young ladies were in similar trouble when they walked side by side in red, white and blue; the banned colours of Schleswig-Holstein. May I ask if you are a historian?

[@N0031inq]

@@llkdk unfortunately that was inevitable going to happen. People sometimes forget that this time period saw the end of the monarchy all over Europe. And after WW1 you had nearly no monarchies left in Europe besides constitutional limited ones. The royal family in Denmark had to do quite the dance to prevent being removed and was actually close to it doing the early 1900s. If it had not been for WW2 and Christian X's actions doing that period I firmly believe that you would not have a monarchy in Denmark anymore. Nationalism and rule by the people were steamrolling through and you can view the weird pro German culture and anti Germany stance of the danish royalty to be just a futile attempt to navigate this mine field.

[@llkdk]

@@N0031inq indeed. The clash between democratic and autocratic was just as important as nationalism in the period, and quite often the the two cannot be unentangled. Which is why I argue that this situation democracy vs autocracy under one roof in the post 1 Slesvig war Helstat was untenable and could only result in further conflict. This important factor is often forgotten in more popular depictions of the conflict, which see it as only a matter of nationalistic tension, which might have been prevented in a more cosmopolitan society.

[@perakselpetersen3593]

As a Dane with some interest for history I would like to say that your story is both interesting and pretty close to reality - and certainly Denmark might with the blessing of her King have been integrated into Germany and a little later the Reich. However you make a small but significant error. King Christian IX did not want the new constitution (the November constitution). He was more or less forced to sigh it by the government. This lead to war, defeat and strangely also to the presevation of the kingdom in its present mono-national form.

[@qwertz7637]

That's why the Schleswig-Holsteiner proclaimed that they were fighting for the King not against him. (Sry for grammar mistakes)

[@HUNVilly]

It's Schleswig, not "Schelswig"

[@philipbruhn6144]

It triggered me a bit too, but tbh this video was so informative that i could actually ignore it. What triggered me more was that he pronounces jylland (jütland) as chetland

[@morriskaller3549]

@@philipbruhn6144 because it's jutland in English

[@thyscott6603]

he said Sholswick

[@Yora21]

It's whatever language you are writing in. I don't see you complaining about "Denmark".

[@psyduckpsy8726]

I can already hear bokoen being happy that this could have happened

[@geoffreycharles6330]

Where do you come from? Your in depth knowledge is remarkable.

[@BradleyGearhart]

US of A. And thank you :)

[@N0031inq]

Great informative video! Also by the time of 1864 the Danish monarch did no longer have the power to actually do this (also a reason it was rejected by Bismarck) as in 1849 the Danish constitution was made. And you are 100% correct that have this been done, however unlikely, it would have let to open revolt and possible revolution and end of the Danish monarchy. Danish nationalism and anti-German sentiment was very high in the northern parts of the kingdom. Its quite interesting to see the weird dynamic with Danish-German relations doing the 1800s-1900s. I personally remember how my grandparents absolutely despised Germans and called them actual subhumans (mainly because of the invasion of Denmark doing WW2) while my parents did not care much for Germans in general. Then there is my generation were Germans and Germany is again viewed in a positive light. My grandfather was angry that Slesvig was not given back to Denmark after WW2 while someone like me never even considered that to be danish at all.

[@kenhart8771]

Be course you’re a historical ignorant like the rest of the younger generations. You’re excused.

[@N0031inq]

@@kenhart8771 I am not that young and I am most definitively not "historical ignorant".

[@someopinion2846]

@Schwainer mit ai A neighboring people not wanting to be part of Germany is a case of racism against Germany?

[@ryanjuguilon213]

@@someopinion2846 The fact that tiny Denmark own huge tracks of German territory smacks hypocrisy on your parts, German neighbors were quite happy taking bits and pieces of German territories, most notably the French. Love how you people cry when the tables were turned. Perhaps the Germans in Holstein, Lauenburg and Schleswig does not want to be part of Denmark and Danish people trying to force their culture and language that caused the war no?

[@someopinion2846]

@@ryanjuguilon213 What are those huge tracts of German territory Denmark supposedly owns that you're talking about?

[@sprites75]

oh i misread the title , but nice to learn about history ... what happened and what didn't happen

[@PetriW]

I think that lost of Finland was the most dramatic event in Skandinavia, in the 19th century.

[@kaiserschmarrn260]

🇩🇪❤️🇩🇰

[@TheFekke100]

God video!

[@HebrewHakaishin]

The helmet says it all

[@freebeerfordworkers]

I think it's remarkable the Denmark is half the size it was in 1600 and people have somehow learned to live with it. As to the Slesvig and Holstein question I think the British Prime Minister Palmerston summed it up at the time saying; Only three people ever understood Slesvig and Holstein, the first was the Prince Consort who is dead, second was a German professor who went mad and I am the third and I have forgotten.

[@freebeerfordworkers]

@Slavko Begić Yes

[@billburrcorner2727]

No one actually cares. Still one of the best nations in the world. Denmark is actually the 12th largest country in the world as well

[@someopinion2846]

One reason the king's proposal would never have gone through is that there was already considerable animosity in Denmark between the Danish majority and the various German components of the state. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Friedrich_Struensee 'Critics of Struensee thought that he did not respect native Danish and Norwegian customs, seeing them as prejudices and wanting to eliminate them in favor of abstract principles. He also did not speak Danish, conducting his business in German. To ensure obedience, he dismissed entire staffs of public departments, without pensions or compensation, and substituted with nominees of his own. These new officials were in many cases inexperienced men who knew little or nothing of the country they were supposed to govern.' In short he fired Danes and Norwegians in public office, replacing them with Germans. That didn't go down well, and ended badly. The fate of Struensee was incomprehensible to the general European audience, who didn't know of any separate Danish traditions worth preserving.

[@stevenleslie8557]

My Great Grandmother was born in schleswig/Holstein and her death certificate says birthplace Germany. She was born there in the late 1800s. But her last name was Tobiasen. Still confused if she was German or Danish?

[@Yora21]

In practice it might be hard to tell. It's not like we have ethnic segregation here in the area. At least, we don't anymore.

[@billburrcorner2727]

Sounds Danish

[@jakinfoto1]

Very interesting and good vid on a very complex history. My G-grandfather fought the Preussians and Austrians in 1864 at Dybbøl. He miraculously survived the Germanic storm, but was shot in his right hand. My father fought the Germans as a partisan during the WWII German occupation of Denmark. I have been on Four missions in the Balkan and Middle Eastern theaters, where I fought TOGETHER with extremely fine German soldiers and colleagues. No more war, Thank you for this vid. 🇩🇰 🎗 🇩🇪

[@danishcommander4dk]

Fortæl det til de tyske højreekstremister, der mener, at Sønderjylland hører til Tyskland og at man skulle invadere Danmark for at få det tilbage

[@Schampu4000]

​@@danishcommander4dkOh, so you don't like when we claim your territory? *Ironic that you claim ours then.*

[@janchristiansen7008]

You could have chosen some more accurate music from that time. Check it out of you like. Really cool video. From a Dane!

[@patmacken5130]

The fall out of this would be interesting by itself considering the Danish Possession of Greenland in some :what if " senarios.

[@jevinliu4658]

Greenlandic U-boat pens

[@patmacken5130]

Or Greenland Bomber bases, what little natural resources Denmark has or can be claimed from Greenland going to Germany in both world wars. Greenland bomber base perhaps. Denmark also had Iceland and the same would apply. One thing that would also be potential fall out is if WWI and the aftermath played out the same if Iceland would still become independent. If not would German-Denmark Union remain together and if so would it still have Iceland and Greenland or be stripped of them along with the other colonies. If they were stripped who might lay claim to them. If it were not the battle of the Atlantic and even the war in Europe could be very different. And post WWII Lots of potential fall out post war especially if Iceland and Greenland were Poseidon’s of a WWI victor even up to today with claims on arctic oil…..

[@emptysvoid]

Me, living in Schleswig-Holstein: I love history...

[@JakobSanvig]

The Schleswigian Wars took place when romantic nationalism was the main cultural and political ideology in western Europe. Meaning that every nation and its people was seen as being unique and as a result of a common spirit, language and history. This was also true in Denmarks case. The declining power of the nobility (with the king) was perhaps willing to consider joining the German Confederation. But the dominant political and economical power at that time - a time where absolute rule of the monarch recently where abandoned - was the National Liberals. They consisted of the new class of educated urban men - the bourgoisie - and they were the champions of romantic nationalism in Denmark I think it is fair to say, that it is most unlikely that Denmark would have vouluntairily joined the German Confederation. No matter what. And as you mentioned, Bismarck - though definately not a liberal - also believed in romantic nationalism and therefore turned down the Danish kings suggestion. Afterall Danes were not germans.

[@reschi56]

I don't think the "German" thing mattered that much for Bismarck. At first Bismarck didn't even want a unified Germany because he valued Prussia over it. So he was a Prussian monarchist at heart, not a German nationalist so i don't think he had nationalistic thoughts when it comes to keeping out Denmark.

[@fallout44454]

I would have loved for Sweden to become a part of the German Empire, hell German was our second language back then.

[@weepingscorpion8739]

So, what would happen to the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Greenland? German Atlantic Empire? Or returned to the Norwegian part of Sweden-Norway?

[@janefelix3821]

It would be moot today. Even if Germany got all of these possessions, France and Great Britain would have returned them to Denmark, even if they ceased to exist in 1864, via the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, just as they created Poland from Russia, Germany, and Austria-Hungary, and took away all of Germany's overseas possessions.

[@Chrischi3TutorialLPs]

I do think history can be inevitable. Like, look at the Punic Wars. Two political and military powerhouses neighbouring each other and having interests in the same regions. What exactly did you think would happen?

[@jokuhunaify]

Get over your shit and create something new. Like the EU or something... ;-)