Tonight is Sankthans Aften - The Evening of Saint Hans = John the Baptist.
It's marked with communal bonfires and communal singing all over the country.
The Midsummer-song being a must.
Traditionally the weather is rainy, windy and cold - but tonight is almost ideal for bonfires.
It's actually a summer solstice ritual, no doubt pre-Christian, but very much adopted by the Christian church. - If you can't eradicate a heathen custom, adopt it...
Beforehand, in medieval times it was a celebration that involved a lot of drinking! (Those of you who have read about the Danish Christmas ritual won't be surprised!) It was also a magic night where all sort of strange things happened and all sorts of omens may be seen.
And for young women there was a particular risk: If you got bitten by the Sankt Hans snake, you became pregnant!
Even today we have a somewhat macabre ritual in connection with the bonfire. A doll depicting a witch is placed on top of the fire, usually sitting astride of broom. (Witches actually flew the broom with the sweeping part in front.) And often a few howling firecrackers are placed inside the witch, so when the crackers howl, off she goes to Bloksbjerg = Mount Brocken in Germany where witches gather, especially on Walpurgisnacht, but Danish witches are apparently late-arrivals.
A reminiscence of the witch-burnings of in particular the 1600's.
Sankt Hans in it's present form started around the 1730's and really took off in the decades after the traumatic Second Schleswigan War, where Denmark withdrew into itself and celebrated nationalism.
In the late evening, you can from vantage points see several bonfires in the horizon.
At this time of year dusk starts around 22.30. And it's really only dark for about 4 hours or so.
Here are a few bonfires:
https://www.ostbv.dk/media/1201/baa...&width=1200&height=630&rnd=131087450930000000
https://media.lex.dk/media/62652/article_topimage_20190623-214653-5-1920x1277we.jpg
https://www.carlsbergfondet.dk/~/me...st-i-middelalderen_top.jpg?h=627&la=da&w=1844
https://danishamerica.org/resources/Pictures/BD17E53E-C772-4FC1-A89E-D4A416C4B451.png
And a video with the midsummer song:
I mention this here, because it is such an old Danish custom, that the DRF members are also familiar with and no doubt - quietly - have attended several times.
I recall that PH, with Frederik and Joachim once made a surprise visit to such a bonfire.
And each year I hope we will see the DRF make another appearance somewhere.
And since M&F and family now reside at Fredensborg I think it's not unlikely we may see them this year - or next year.
Not least because the locals around Fredensborg are pretty protective in regards to the DRF, they leave them alone.
Fascinating history. Glad to hear the Soviets behaved themselves (after initial bombing). The picture of the Russians presenting arms to, at the time, Crown Prince and Princess Frederik and Ingrid is precious!
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The figures from the article are:
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