{"id":1765,"date":"2022-05-02T12:31:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-02T10:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/?p=1765"},"modified":"2023-03-29T15:03:20","modified_gmt":"2023-03-29T13:03:20","slug":"livet-paa-de-smaa-oeer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/en\/denmark-and-life-on-small-islands\/","title":{"rendered":"Denmark and Life on Small Islands"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you want to understand Denmark and Danish culture, it is almost impossible to overstate the importance of the sea. Copenhagen has never been able to match the great historic cities, such as Rome, Paris or London. When Denmark really appears in world history, it is not for the splendour of its towns and royal palaces - instead the viking longboats are the reason Danes are talked about in the early middle ages.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting off with a Song<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In my dreams I see the green grove\/ with light beech trees<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My true love lives \/ In the small realm near the glittering sound<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a rough translation of an old song from a classic Danish movie called \u201cThe Barge Margaret of Denmark.\u201d\n\nIf you want to understand what shaped Danish identity through the centuries, a good place to look would be on some of the small and minor islands, where sailing wasn\u2019t just an integral part of daily life, it was vital for survival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sailing for Survival<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With a position between the Baltic and the North Sea, and with many minor and small islands, Danes were forced to go to sea. Things simply could not be managed in any other way.\n\nIt is no coincidence that, in 1911, the largest and most modern oceangoing ship in the world with a diesel engine was launched in Copenhagen. Likewise, it is no coincidence that one of the largest shipping companies in the world has its HQ in Copenhagen. This is MAERSK, you can find the name all over the world, painted on an incredible number of blue containers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps, the majority of sailors on the more than 600 MAERSK ships are not Danes anymore. However, this doesn\u2019t invalidate the basic fact that knowledge of the sea and seamanship isn\u2019t just a convenient skill, it was a question of survival. It made it possible to live on small islands that otherwise could not provide a decent living without the income from fishing, sailing and trading. Copenhagen was once a big port. Not anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tradition and History - Whaling on the West Coast<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Not all Danish islands have been able to adapt to the modern world. Or more closely, it is about the fact that the world has changed. The sources of wealth and income that once existed dried up and ceased to exist. The Islands in the Wadden Sea are a good example. On R\u00f8m\u00f8, you will still find a rich legacy from the time of the whalers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kommand\u00f8rerne og det de efterlod sig…<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Headstones of the Commanders on the Saint Clement's churchyard are a visual reminder. Over three centuries many Captains spent the best years of their life sailing in the icy waters near Greenland, Spitzbergen and Jan Mayen, hunting whales and bringing back the valuable whale oil. With the money brought by this trade, many of the so-called Commander\u2019s Mansions were built on R\u00f8m\u00f8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/
R\u00f8m\u00f8 Church<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The name of the church was no coincidence. Since the middle ages Clement was the patron saint of sailors. And when they had been to sea for a year or more, no wonder they were homesick, longing for the green and fertile Denmark. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christmas Service in Sct. Clemens is on December 23rd. It was difficult and took a long time to walk in the sand across the island to church and it became very difficult to prepare a proper dinner on time afterwards. So around the year 1700 it was decided that the Christmas service should take place on December 23rd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"R\u00f8m\u00f8
R\u00f8m\u00f8 Beach<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A Harsh Nature<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The detail about the beech trees does not apply to R\u00f8m\u00f8. The climate is much too rough and the soil too barren. R\u00f8m\u00f8 isn\u2019t a real island, you see. It didn\u2019t rise out of the water, stubbornly refusing to be swallowed by a rising sea. This island was born from the sand and silt deposited here through the millennia. Gradually plants took root and prevented the wind from eroding the land. Sand and silt is still being deposited at a faster rate than the rising sea levels resulting from climate change. Consequently, R\u00f8m\u00f8 is still growing, albeit slowly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will look in vain for fertile soil, moraine or clay. The highest point on R\u00f8m\u00f8 is called H\u00f8stbjerg, it is a dune created by the wind, rising all of 19 meters above sea level. In the 21st Century, sheep breeding and fishing will not cause you to be rolling in money. Maybe that is why only 5-600 people live on R\u00f8m\u00f8 all year round. There are a few fishermen but the biggest sector is now tourism. And it is very seasonal. During the tourist season, things change. R\u00f8m\u00f8 changes from grazing and wilderness - quite a civilized wilderness, but still - into one of the best beaches in Northern Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bornholm – Danmarks klippe\u00f8<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you want to see beech trees and get a glimpse of the glittering sounds you must go somewhere else. Go east across Jutland. Visit Kattegat, the Baltic or the little Belt. The islands you will find here are real islands. And at the opposite end of Denmark, far into the Baltic, almost halfway to Poland, you will find the only rocky island in the Kingdom of Denmark, Bornholm.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Opals\u00f8en,
Opals\u00f8en, Opal Lake, on Bornholm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Bornholm has a special position in other respects too. The easternmost island. A rocky island. Bornholm was a seaside resort before 1880, international tourism being a growing source of income. Well off Germans wanted to go a bit further than Bad Doberan on the Baltic. After all, Bornholm is in the Baltic. Bornholm is definitely worth exploring.<\/a> The natives of Bornholm speak a dialect that is all but incomprehensible to most other Danes. That is when the Bornholmers show their patient smile and start talking in a way we mortals can understand. After all, they are a friendly bunch and in a way Bornholm might be the most Danish of all the Danish islands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Story of the Loyal Subjects<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is how it happened. After a number of disastrous defeats on the battlefield, the Danish king was forced to cede large areas to Sweden in 1658. Bornholm was part of the deal, but the Bornholmers weren\u2019t happy about this. They overwhelmed the occupiers, killed their commanding officer and sent a delegation to Copenhagen. On arrival they declared that the loyal subjects were back to join their king. Perhaps some details have been left out, but this is fundamentally correct. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Til minde om begivenheden er den danske f\u00e6rge, som sejler mellem Sj\u00e6lland og Bornholm, opkaldt efter Jens Kofoed. Men frihedstrangen og identiteten p\u00e5 Bornholm er meget \u00e6ldre. Der er en overlevering om, at \u00f8en havde sit eget flag allerede i 1120. Det lignede det danske med den forskel, at korset var gr\u00f8nt i stedet for hvidt. Den tradition har nogle mennesker p\u00e5 Bornholm grebet og der er s\u00f8gt om eget flag, men ingen selvst\u00e6ndighed, intet flag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00c6r\u00f8 in the South with a Strong Maritime Tradition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the more interesting of the Danish islands is called \u00c6r\u00f8. You find it in the western Baltic between the Danish island of Funen and the German Mainland. This island does not have a connection to the mainland. There are a number of ferries of course, all taking around one hour to reach their destination on Als or Funen and after crossing them you need to travel across water one more time, and use the bridge to the mainland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/
\u00c6r\u00f8sk\u00f8bing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With its 30 kilometers in length and an area of about 90 km2, there isn\u2019t a basis for any major towns on \u00c6r\u00f8. The second largest town is the nicest to visit.<\/a> With less than 1000 inhabitants, \u00c6r\u00f8sk\u00f8bing isn\u2019t bigger than many villages, but the town has a long history and many well-preserved latticework houses from the time when trade meant small sailing ships zipping across the Baltic and seamen\u2019s wives used porcelain dogs in the windows to signal if their husband was at home or had gone to sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Porcelain Dogs, Seamen and their Wives<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Looking outward, the porcelain dogs were symbolically watching out for his return. When he returned, the dogs were turned with their back to the street. This was a symbol of the worries and the longing that were and still are an integral part of being a seaman\u2019s wife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sailing tradition was so strong on \u00c6r\u00f8, that the largest town, Marstal has a navigation school. Marstal has about 2000 inhabitants and you can train to become a ship\u2019s officer.\n\n\nFor a visit to \u00c6r\u00f8 on foot, use the ferry from Svendborg to \u00c6r\u00f8sk\u00f8bing and back. If you have time, bus services on \u00c6r\u00f8 are free of charge. You could go to Marstal at the eastern end of the island or you could go to S\u00f8by. Until the middle of the 18th century, \u00c6r\u00f8 was a rather small duchy with the duke residing In S\u00f8by. There wasn\u2019t much splendor here to begin with, and very little is left of it today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are happy to say visit the Danish islands with Guide Service Denmark and our guide service throughout Denmark.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photos<\/strong>
Strandbyen Harbour. Photo: Erik Christensen<\/a>. License: CC-BY-SA-3.0
R\u00f8m\u00f8 Church. Photo: Malene<\/a>. License: CC-BY-SA-3.0
R\u00f8m\u00f8 Beach. Photo: Bente J\u00f8nsson<\/a>. License: Pixabay
The Opal Lake on Bornholm. Photo: Stefan Asp<\/a>. License: VisitDenmark
\u00c6r\u00f8sk\u00f8bing. Photo: Niklas Jessen<\/a>. License: VisitDenmark<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

K\u00f8benhavn har aldrig kunnet matche de store metropoler som Rom, Paris eller London. Det er ikke byerne men vikingernes langb\u00e5de, der sikrer, at Danmark for alvor dukker op i verdenshistorien. Og vil man forst\u00e5 hvad der gennem \u00e5rhundreder har formet den danske identitet, s\u00e5 er det et godt sted at begynde hvis man kigger p\u00e5 livet p\u00e5 nogle af de sm\u00e5 og mindre \u00f8er, hvor sejlads ikke kun var en del af \u00f8konomien men livsn\u00f8dvendig for overlevelsen.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":218,"featured_media":1766,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[32,74,68,34],"ppma_author":[39],"class_list":["post-1765","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dejlige-danmark-category","tag-danmark","tag-guidede-ture","tag-sightseeing","tag-sommerferie"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Ommel_Strandbyen_Havn.jpg",2560,1704,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Ommel_Strandbyen_Havn-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Ommel_Strandbyen_Havn-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Ommel_Strandbyen_Havn-768x511.jpg",640,426,true],"large":["https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Ommel_Strandbyen_Havn-1024x682.jpg",640,426,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Ommel_Strandbyen_Havn-1536x1022.jpg",1536,1022,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Ommel_Strandbyen_Havn-2048x1363.jpg",2048,1363,true],"trp-custom-language-flag":["https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Ommel_Strandbyen_Havn-18x12.jpg",18,12,true],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Ommel_Strandbyen_Havn-406x270.jpg",406,270,true],"nisarg-full-width":["https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Ommel_Strandbyen_Havn-1038x576.jpg",1038,576,true],"sow-carousel-default":["https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Ommel_Strandbyen_Havn-272x182.jpg",272,182,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Ellen","author_link":"https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/en\/author\/ellensofie\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"K\u00f8benhavn har aldrig kunnet matche de store metropoler som Rom, Paris eller London. Det er ikke byerne men vikingernes langb\u00e5de, der sikrer, at Danmark for alvor dukker op i verdenshistorien. Og vil man forst\u00e5 hvad der gennem \u00e5rhundreder har formet den danske identitet, s\u00e5 er det et godt sted at begynde hvis man kigger p\u00e5…","authors":[{"term_id":39,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"lars","display_name":"Lars | Historiker","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&r=g","1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1765","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/218"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1765"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1765\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7366,"href":"https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1765\/revisions\/7366"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1766"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1765"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1765"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guideservice.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=1765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}