Denmark–Germany relations

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Denmark–Germany relations

Denmark and Germany are close neighbors and both are members of NATO and the European Union. They share a border in the Schleswig region, and the frontier was finally set by referendums in 1920. The border area is known for its cooperative spirit and has sizable minority communities on both sides.

History runs deep. The lands in northern Germany and Denmark were settled by early Germanic and Norse peoples. In the Middle Ages, parts of what is now northern Germany were Danish, with towns and fortifications that reflect this history. The Schleswig-Holstein questions led to wars, including the Second Schleswig War of 1864, after which Denmark ceded Schleswig, Holstein, and Lauenburg to Prussia and Austria.

Christianity arrived in Denmark in the Middle Ages and became Lutheran after the Reformation; the Church of Denmark remains connected to the state. In 1920, following World War I, the Southern Jutland/Northern Schleswig area was divided by plebiscites, with most people in the north choosing to join Denmark and the south remaining with Germany.

During World War II, Germany invaded Denmark in 1940 and the country capitulated quickly, leading to a relatively lenient occupation. After the war, Denmark and Germany worked to improve their relationship, culminating in the Bonn-C Copenhagen declarations of 1955, which protected minority rights and promoted cross-border cooperation, including education exchanges.

In recent decades, cross-border programs and joint initiatives have strengthened ties, with ongoing cooperation in the EU and NATO. During the European migrant crisis, Denmark briefly reintroduced border controls on its German border, a policy that has continued to evolve, reflecting a focus on security and cooperation rather than confrontation.