Queen Margrethe II, Current Events Part 1: February 2018 - June 2020

[Tarlita]

Is the Dannebrog moored very far away from Marselisborg? Is this a usual time of year for the Queen to visit? I thought she mainly spends summers either at the Chateau near Cahors then to Graasten.

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by Tarlita

Is the Dannebrog moored very far away from Marselisborg? Is this a usual time of year for the Queen to visit? I thought she mainly spends summers either at the Chateau near Cahors then to Graasten.

Dannebrog is moored about 4 km from Marselisborg, as the crow flies. That's right next to the center of Aarhus, which is the cathedral.
Marselisborg is located to the south, but still very much inside Aarhus city. To the east is a view of first a large park, then a beach and a marina. To the north is a view over the center of Aarhus, to the south and west the manor is surrounded by a forest.
It's one of the best locations in Aarhus, in regards to location and view over the bay.
QMII always visit first Marselisborg, then Gråsten and finally Cayz.

But let us look at her arrival.
She was received by an honor guard from the various branches of the Home Guard as well as representatives of various organizations, including veterans.
When she leaves Dannebrog and just before she walks down the phalarope, she is piped off board and everyone salutes.
The mate at the end of the phalarope stand to attention with a shouldered cutlass. Normally the mate stands at ease with the cutlass worn comfortably across the torso.

There is an interesting detail you may care to notice the next time you see say Frederik, in uniform, boarding Dannebrog.
When he reach the top of the phalarope, he will first salute the flag at the stern. - There are some claims that the salute is to the quarterdeck. That may have been the case many years ago, but certainly in the Danish navy it's the flag you salute.
Then Frederik will return the salute of the honor command receiving him, while he is being piped aboard.

Another detail you may like to notice another time is that in the navy the highest ranking enter the boat as the last, but leave the boat as the first.
On other words: QMII is the last to enter the chaluppe from Dannebrog. But when the chaluppe returns to Dannebrog, she is the first to leave. - Unless there are grandchildren around...

- And for your general information. I'm a little behind in regards to writing summaries from last weeks issue of BB. I will, because it's interesting, but right now I'm on semi-holiday. And the weather is great! So...

[polyesco]

article and video
https://www.billedbladet.dk/kongelig...gelse-i-aarhus

thanks for the extra info Muhler, Frederik in uniform on the Dannebrog is always a nice sight : D

[Tarlita]

Thanks for that Muhler. Do you realise that - I - and possibly we on these boards are learning a heck of a lot about Danish History because of your wonderful detailed posts. Denmark has a rich history which also opens our minds to other places/countries as well.
Before Mary married her Viking Prince Frederik I knew nothing about Denmark nor about your wonderful Royal family. (Except that visiting the little mermaid was on every tourists wish list.) Now I have a deep love and respect for Queen Margrethe and her sister Princess Benedikte.
I have also learnt a fair bit about the family from King Christain IX and Queen Louise and their wonderful family down through the generations.

Enjoy the warm weather and your holiday.

[Archduchess Zelia]

Looks like she'll have to make her way back to Copenhagen tomorrow to receive Denmark's new PM

[gerry]

Originally Posted by Archduchess Zelia

Looks like she'll have to make her way back to Copenhagen tomorrow to receive Denmark's new PM

And lets hope Muhler gives his views of Denmark's youngest ever PM, once the weather turns and he has enough of well earned leisure.

[Archduchess Zelia]

Originally Posted by gerry

And lets hope Muhler gives his views of Denmark's youngest ever PM, once the weather turns and he has enough of well earned leisure.

Well, if you needn't wait for views on her if you're curious She's intelligent, responsible and strong. Alone the fact that she has managed to get the furthest left party in the parliament and the Social Liberals to agree to a deal they're both satisfied with speaks volumes of her qualities as a leader. (Not exactly something her European counterparts have excelled in doing ).

And one thing's for sure, we'll see no gang-banging of any type of hammer from this PM

[iceflower]

.

Queen Margrethe attended the Life Guards' Anniversary Parade today, June 28, and handed out the Queen's Watch:



** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 **


** kongehuset gallery ** tv2.dk video **


** BB article: Rasmus fik dronningens ur lige inden sin fødselsdag **

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GdLKBQ9wGY

[iceflower]

.

Today, June 29, Queen Margrethe attended a service for the 75th anniversary of the Hvidsten Group's execution in Ryvangen:


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** Pic 4 ** Pic 5 ** Pic 6 **


** bt: Dronningen fik blomster af frihedskæmpers tipoldebarn **


** tv2ostjylland: Frihedskæmpers 13-årige tipoldebarn gav dronningen blomster **

[Muhler]

https://politiken.dk/incoming/img727...ng%20Margrethe

Thanks, Iceflower.

Here is a photo of the traditional dress the flowergirl wore.
The staff serving at Hvidsten Inn, wear that dress as well.
Located in north-eastern Jutland, we have been there several times.

The Hvidsten group was basically the men in an extended family centered around the family who owned the inn.
It wasn't so much sabotage they were involved in, but picking up, hiding and distributing weapons and explosives dropped with parachute by SOE flying in from Britain.
Many areas in that part of DK is still pretty remote and undisturbed, even more so back in 1943, when it all started. Well suited for picking up weapons, and sometimes SOE-agents.

What happened was that at 18.15 the BBC radio would send "special announcements" during the Danish programme. Say: "Aunt Olga has polished the chandelier." That was a message that a flight would come in that night.
The group would head out to a drop-point, set up lights, indicating the direction of the wind and the aiming point.
Containers with weapons would be dropped and quickly dug down in the marshy ground. - It is still marshy today. And the group would head home to return a few days later, where the containers would be dug up and the weapons transported by anonymous people to other groups.

However, in early 1944 an SOE-agent was arrested and brought to the Gestapo-HQ in Aarhus (it was later bombed by RAF, witnessed firsthand by a relative of mine, who worked literally next door to the HQ.) where he was tortured and revealed what he knew about the Hvidsten-group. German agents put the inn under observation and in March 1944 the whole group was rounded up.
They were eventually brought to Copenhagen to the Gestapo HQ there for further interrogation and sentencing. Eight were sentenced to death and executed, the rest were sentenced to either life or long prison sentences.
When that fact emerged during the summer of 1944 it directly led to civil unrest and a general strike, which is significant in the sense that it was the first time the Occupiers backed down in the face of civilian protests.
There were several reasons for that. First and foremost the German governor saw it as his main objective to keep Denmark in good working order and keep his soldiers safe. So if a general uprising could be prevented by withdrawing a few draconian measures, reducing the number of executions and not least keep Danish HIPOs off the streets, especially in Copenhagen where they were a true menace to the population, so be it.
HIPO = HilffsPolizei =Auxiliary Police were Danish hardcore thugs and Nazis, a number of them disillusioned veterans from SS units on the Eastern Front, were initially tasked with terrorizing the population into submission. Like shooting indiscriminately in the streets. It had the exact opposite effect, incensing the population even more.
Not to mention that the German Wehrmacht, and the individual German soldiers hated their guts! Apart from their indiscriminate shooting was a real danger to German soldiers walking the streets (unarmed, when off duty) they also angered the Wehrmacht units who had a cozy time in DK, where they could walk the streets safely (due to a peculiar arrangement between the Wehrmacht and the Resistance) and as such sure had no interest in that to end!
Combined with the Allies breaking out from Normandy and a Russian advance through Poland and Hungary and Warsaw brewing up, no one were interested in the 200.000+ German soldiers being tied down in putting down yet another uprising in Denmark, which might lead to the Allies sending troops to Jutland. Aided by the population (and this is interesting) perhaps some Wehrmacht units as well. One old regiment stationed in the north central town of Viborg had an officer corps who was openly anti-Nazi - to the shock of a private German soldier serving there. Those officers and NCOs who did not agree, were "volunteered" to the Eastern front...
So the Germans backed off and the situation eventually calmed down even though the number of sabotage action rose massively during late 1944.
It's interesting to speculate what quiet agreements were made behind the scenes between the Resistance, the Wehrmacht and Danish civil servants to avoid the situation escalating. They knew perfectly well how to get in touch...
But some papers are still classified, if they even exist.

But far from all the new members of the Resistance were equally patriotic and by early 1945 the Danish Resistance was basically rolled up.

Until 1943 Resistance members were sentenced by Danish courts under Danish legislation and placed in Danish prisons.The Germans could be involved in the investigation and some arrests but otherwise it was handled by the Danish police.
By the late summer of 1943 the collaboration policy broke down. Among others due to German pressure of reintroducing the death penalty for major sabotage actions. The Danish government resigned and DK was now run directly by a German governor, via the civil servants and personified in Christian X. - Formally speaking all legislation in DK is authorized and carried out in the name of the Monarch.
So on a day to day basis, civil servants ran DK, and apart from a few modifications the legislation remained Danish. Since there was no government, the death penalty for sabotage was not reintroduced. It could not. There was no Danish Parliament to pass the necessary legislation, and as such no bill for the King to (no doubt refuse) to sign. Instead the Germans took over the investigation and sentencing and handling of saboteurs.

The Germans taking over, led to the attempted rounding up of the Danish Jews in October 1943 - where most were evacuated to Sweden.
The Wehrmacht showing a level of incompetence in those days that would have impressed the Keystone Cops!

But by mid 1944 even that "civil-service rule" was breaking down. The Danish police was rounded up and interned. (A member of my family avoided internment, because he was out of town on assignment on that particular day.) HIPO stepped in and tried in their most heavy handed manner to restore order - alienating everybody, as mentioned previously. - There were several cases of German patrols firing at HIPO, whom they believed to be saboteurs in German uniforms...
It was infuriating enough for the population that Danish citizens were charged and imprisoned, sometimes executed, under German legislation in Denmark but executing eight members of what was basically the same family and imprisoning basically all the rest of the adult males (and one daughter) of the same family, that was the final straw that culminated in the general strike in DK in the summer of 1944.
Which is why the Hvidsten-group is symbolically so significant and why QMII honored the 75th anniversary of their execution today.

[HereditaryPrincess]

Interesting. Thanks for the background explanation, Muhler.

[gerry]

Originally Posted by Muhler

https://politiken.dk/incoming/img727...ng%20Margrethe

Thanks, Iceflower.

Here is a photo of the traditional dress the flowergirl wore.
The staff serving at Hvidsten Inn, wear that dress as well.
Located in north-eastern Jutland, we have been there several times.

The Hvidsten group was basically the men in an extended family centered around the family who owned the inn.
It wasn't so much sabotage they were involved in, but picking up, hiding and distributing weapons and explosives dropped with parachute by SOE flying in from Britain.
Many areas in that part of DK is still pretty remote and undisturbed, even more so back in 1943, when it all started. Well suited for picking up weapons, and sometimes SOE-agents.

What happened was that at 18.15 the BBC radio would send "special announcements" during the Danish programme. Say: "Aunt Olga has polished the chandelier." That was a message that a flight would come in that night.
The group would head out to a drop-point, set up lights, indicating the direction of the wind and the aiming point.
Containers with weapons would be dropped and quickly dug down in the marshy ground. - It is still marshy today. And the group would head home to return a few days later, where the containers would be dug up and the weapons transported by anonymous people to other groups.

However, in early 1944 an SOE-agent was arrested and brought to the Gestapo-HQ in Aarhus (it was later bombed by RAF, witnessed firsthand by a relative of mine, who worked literally next door to the HQ.) where he was tortured and revealed what he knew about the Hvidsten-group. German agents put the inn under observation and in March 1944 the whole group was rounded up.
They were eventually brought to Copenhagen to the Gestapo HQ there for further interrogation and sentencing. Eight were sentenced to death and executed, the rest were sentenced to either life or long prison sentences.
When that fact emerged during the summer of 1944 it directly led to civil unrest and a general strike, which is significant in the sense that it was the first time the Occupiers backed down in the face of civilian protests.
There were several reasons for that. First and foremost the German governor saw it as his main objective to keep Denmark in good working order and keep his soldiers safe. So if a general uprising could be prevented by withdrawing a few draconian measures, reducing the number of executions and not least keep Danish HIPOs off the streets, especially in Copenhagen where they were a true menace to the population, so be it.
HIPO = HilffsPolizei =Auxiliary Police were Danish hardcore thugs and Nazis, a number of them disillusioned veterans from SS units on the Eastern Front, were initially tasked with terrorizing the population into submission. Like shooting indiscriminately in the streets. It had the exact opposite effect, incensing the population even more.
Not to mention that the German Wehrmacht, and the individual German soldiers hated their guts! Apart from their indiscriminate shooting was a real danger to German soldiers walking the streets (unarmed, when off duty) they also angered the Wehrmacht units who had a cozy time in DK, where they could walk the streets safely (due to a peculiar arrangement between the Wehrmacht and the Resistance) and as such sure had no interest in that to end!
Combined with the Allies breaking out from Normandy and a Russian advance through Poland and Hungary and Warsaw brewing up, no one were interested in the 200.000+ German soldiers being tied down in putting down yet another uprising in Denmark, which might lead to the Allies sending troops to Jutland. Aided by the population (and this is interesting) perhaps some Wehrmacht units as well. One old regiment stationed in the north central town of Viborg had an officer corps who was openly anti-Nazi - to the shock of a private German soldier serving there. Those officers and NCOs who did not agree, were "volunteered" to the Eastern front...
So the Germans backed off and the situation eventually calmed down even though the number of sabotage action rose massively during late 1944.
It's interesting to speculate what quiet agreements were made behind the scenes between the Resistance, the Wehrmacht and Danish civil servants to avoid the situation escalating. They knew perfectly well how to get in touch...
But some papers are still classified, if they even exist.

But far from all the new members of the Resistance were equally patriotic and by early 1945 the Danish Resistance was basically rolled up.

Until 1943 Resistance members were sentenced by Danish courts under Danish legislation and placed in Danish prisons.The Germans could be involved in the investigation and some arrests but otherwise it was handled by the Danish police.
By the late summer of 1943 the collaboration policy broke down. Among others due to German pressure of reintroducing the death penalty for major sabotage actions. The Danish government resigned and DK was now run directly by a German governor, via the civil servants and personified in Christian X. - Formally speaking all legislation in DK is authorized and carried out in the name of the Monarch.
So on a day to day basis, civil servants ran DK, and apart from a few modifications the legislation remained Danish. Since there was no government, the death penalty for sabotage was not reintroduced. It could not. There was no Danish Parliament to pass the necessary legislation, and as such no bill for the King to (no doubt refuse) to sign. Instead the Germans took over the investigation and sentencing and handling of saboteurs.

The Germans taking over, led to the attempted rounding up of the Danish Jews in October 1943 - where most were evacuated to Sweden.
The Wehrmacht showing a level of incompetence in those days that would have impressed the Keystone Cops!

But by mid 1944 even that "civil-service rule" was breaking down. The Danish police was rounded up and interned. (A member of my family avoided internment, because he was out of town on assignment on that particular day.) HIPO stepped in and tried in their most heavy handed manner to restore order - alienating everybody, as mentioned previously. - There were several cases of German patrols firing at HIPO, whom they believed to be saboteurs in German uniforms...
It was infuriating enough for the population that Danish citizens were charged and imprisoned, sometimes executed, under German legislation in Denmark but executing eight members of what was basically the same family and imprisoning basically all the rest of the adult males (and one daughter) of the same family, that was the final straw that culminated in the general strike in DK in the summer of 1944.
Which is why the Hvidsten-group is symbolically so significant and why QMII honored the 75th anniversary of their execution today.

Thanks for this fascinating background info, Muhler. I have been watching a
German series on Netflix called Charité at War, that also shows the resistance of normal, everyday German citizens in their daily lives to the Nazi regime. Not all Germans were Nazis but all had to follow Hitler's rules under fear of death. Clearly, your story corroborates this fascinating insight into Germany during WWII

[JR76]

Originally Posted by Muhler

https://politiken.dk/incoming/img727...ng%20Margrethe
It's interesting to speculate what quiet agreements were made behind the scenes between the Resistance, the Wehrmacht and Danish civil servants to avoid the situation escalating. They knew perfectly well how to get in touch...

The Germans taking over, led to the attempted rounding up of the Danish Jews in October 1943 - where most were evacuated to Sweden.
The Wehrmacht showing a level of incompetence in those days that would have impressed the Keystone Cops!

That climate of mutual agreements are probably what saved the Danish Jews from the fate of their European brethren. Today we know that the Jews and the resistance were tipped off about the impending roundups by sources connected to the very top of the occupying authorities and also that most Jews could make their way to Sweden relatively unbothered.
Even the few hundreds Danish Jews who were captured were sent to Theresinstadt where they had a hard time but still a privileged one compared to their fellow inmates in that they could receive food parcels from Denmark and were exempted from the regular transports to Auschwitz.
Why did the Germans decide to look away as the Jews fled to Sweden? The main reason is probably that, as Muhler said, the Germans had more to gain by keeping the situation in Denmark calm and the population to stay reluctantly cooperative than to have the country in open rebellion as happened in other parts of Europe and eventually on a smaller scale even in Denmark.

[Muhler]

Last evening QMII visited our backgarden - almost.

https://www.billedbladet.dk/kongelig...ten-dronningen

She visited Møllerup estate, where her close friend and former LiW, Lena von Lüttichau, hosts an outdoor ballet each year.
QMII and the other 1.700 spectators were lucky, the evening yesterday was lovely. Neither too warm nor too cold.

This is Møllerup Estate:
http://www.kulturarv.dk/1001fortaell...cn2554-jpg.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped..._Juli_2014.jpg
http://www.pigeonairphoto.dk/wp-cont...oellerup_1.jpg
https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/C4...bFrcNP_XXURk8w

[iceflower]

Here are a few more photos of yesterday evening:


** stiften.dk gallery: Verdensballet: Dygtige dansere gæstede Møllerup Gods **

[Muhler]

Summary of a Q&A in Billed Bladet #29, 2019.
Where a Margit Laursen would like to know some of the details about where and how a certain Henri proposed to a certain Princess Margrethe back in 1966.

Jon Bloch Skippers responds.
It was very much QMII's close friend and then also LiW to Princess Margrethe, the Comtessa Wava Kitty Amfeldt.
Actually Henri proposed twice, informally and formally.

The first, informal, proposal took place in Comtessa Amfeldt's apartment in downtown Copenhagen, after a dinner - and while Amfeldt was doing the dishes in the kitchen...
Here Henri popped the question, sitting in a couch. He wasn't down on his knees though, told QMII in a biography of PH many years later.

The formal proposal, where Henri formally asked for Princess Margrethe's hand, took place on Sankt Hans Eve 1966. That's the big bonfire evening here in DK, as you may recall.
And that took place at a party at Rosenfeldt Estate, hosted by the sister and brother-in-law of the good Comtessa Amfeldt.

Rosenfeldt Estate/manor:
From various angles and times of year. The formal proposal took place almost on the longest day of the year at Sankt Hans.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...t_gods_001.JPG
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d0/24...09233f4533.jpg
http://denstoredanske.dk/@api/deki/f...senfelt_03.JPG
https://filweb.arkibas.dk/filer/visn...9516bb4721a814

Not the most unromantic place to propose, eh?

Especially in the light of the bonfires and songs of Sankt Hans:
https://i0.wp.com/www.netavisengribs...00%2C800&ssl=1
https://www.visitfyn.dk/sites/defaul...hans_aften.jpg
http://www.c4.dk/files/images/0000/0...ns_2012__1.JPG

Their engagement was announced on 5th October 1966 and they were married for 50 years.

[eya]

Queen Margrethe visited the new district of Byens Havn in Sønderborg today 26 July


H.M. Dronningen besøgte Byens Havn i Sønderborg | Kongehuset


https://kendte.dk/dronningen-nyder-havn-i-heden/


https://www.jv.dk/soenderborg/Tiden-...rtikel/2739132

Queen Margrethe visited the new district of Byens Havn in Sønderborg today 26 July

https://images.jv.dk/74/1806874_1280_854_0_0_0_0_2.jpg
https://scontent.fath3-4.fna.fbcdn.n...1a&oe=5DE5037A

[iceflower]

More photos from today can be found here:


** tvsyd: Se billederne: Dronningen besøger Byens Havn **


** sonderborgnyt gallery: Billeder: Dronningen ser Byens Havn **

[iceflower]

.

Queen Margrethe was seen on the market in Cahors, France, today, August 14:



** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** profimedia gallery **

[Muhler]

Thanks, Iceflower

Seemingly followed by a camera crew considering the microphone she is wearing.