Who is “the true Dane” in Modern Denmark? The Danish language within “Danishness (Dankhed)” concept

Abstract

This article is dedicated to the role of the Danish Language in the Kingdom of Denmark, Faroe Islands and Greenland, in the light of Denmark’s ethnic composition changes throughout the latest 200 years. Initially, this issue was raised in the 19th century, after Denmark encountered tragic occasions: the defeat in the Napoleonic and the Second Schleswig Wars, and the dissolution of the Denmark-Norway Union. The loss of the territories led to the development of cultural, educational, and patriotic programs in Denmark, in order to overcome the comprehensive national crisis. The core question was: “Who can be considered as a Dane?” Up to 1814, there was 25 % of German population in the Denmark-Norway Union. After Norway separated, the percentage of Germans in Denmark rose up to 40 %. Then, Danish national self-identification was based on the formula: “Everyone who’s not German is Dane”, and knowledge of the Danish language became the key factor. The Danish teacher and pastor N. F. S. Grundtvig developed the concept of Danish nationality – “Danishness” (“Danskhed”). According to it, the national unity was built upon native language, common national culture and common national history. This concept is still widely acclaimed in modern Denmark. Various political parties while performing tough debates in the parliament, media and social networks, are reviving the same question: “Who is the true Dane in Denmark today?” The problem of the Danish language status is the most important for Danish society, since the number of people who migrate to Denmark and carry “alien” culture and “alien” values is constantly increasing. This article is based solely on the Danish informational sources: official websites, encyclopedias, media, discussion boards, and social networks.