Turn of the Tide: Nordic Ideological Change

Abstract

During the German occupation of Denmark the arch-rivalry on the football field between Denmark and Sweden was transformed into an atmosphere of fraternal neighbourliness from 1940 to 1943 because of the pressure of occupation and war. However, the intense Swedish-Danish sports cooperation during the first years of the Second World War was not just a neutral exchange but was embedded in a close triangular collaboration with Germany. Attempts by the Danish Sport Federation (DIF) to avoid sports encounters with Nazified Norwegian sport were not effective, as the DIF would not challenge the German authorities by issuing an outright ban on collaboration with Norwegian sport. After the war sport was again heavily politicized, but now to demonstrate Danish inclusion in Allied circles. The DIF now permitted unrestricted politicization, with marches on the pitch by resistance fighters, sabotage team matches, English military bands, the exclusion of German spectators and Danish competitions against foreign soldiers – but of English, not German origin this time. The political symbolic value of the Danish encounter with world-famous British players was evidenced when a select team of British professionals would play at the national stadium in Copenhagen against a select Danish team in July 1945 in the presence of the British commanding officer, Major General Dewing.