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A History of Denmark
Clean copy in good condition.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
274 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 8, 2023
Très bon livre, informatif, cependant je ne peux pas m'empêcher de penser que les dernières pages défilent bien trop vite et qu'il manque des détails au sujet des changements societaux les plus modernes qui auraient pu être cités dans les derniers chapitres (au moins jusqu'à l'époque de parution du livre). Des pistes de réflexions sur le sujet, même subjectives, auraient été bienvenues. Hormis cela, il reste relativement exhaustif et donne un excellent aperçu des événements qui ont forgé ce magnifique pays qu'est le Danemark.
September 6, 2021
The main purpose of Lauring’s book is to present a favorable picture of Denmark to England and to elaborate on the historical ties between the Danes and England. One of the appendices is a listing of English and Danish monarchs so the English reader can frame Danish events from an English perspective. Lauring also points out that the Danes settled in large numbers in England and many English have some Danish ancestry in their background, even though Danish immigration ended around 1000 CE or so.
Lauring addresses the development of the Danes from the bronze age onward. He focuses on the close relationship with the sea and the use of longboats in the Viking raids of the early Middle Ages. He also points out how England at one point fell under the Danish monarchy under Canute the Great.
Lauring provides interesting background into key developments in Danish history such as how for a number of centuries, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden were a combined monarchy, usually under a Danish ruler, even though the nobles in each state were unique. Although Sweden eventually broke free and became a relatively important power on its own, Denmark and Norway remained united in a combined monarchy until 1901. The Napoleonic Wars were quite influential to Denmark as Sweden gained the territory across from Denmark on the strait between the two countries in the Baltic Sea. Denmark gained a lot of wealth by charging tolls for ships passing by Elsinore, but also created a lot of harsh feelings towards Denmark. In the Congress of Vienna, Sweden had to give up Finland to Russia, but maintained control of the Danish lands in southern Sweden (Scania). Also, during the Napoleonic Wars, England ended up destroying the Danish fleet to prevent it from falling under French control. Danish military power never recovered from that event.
An interesting aspect of Danish geography was that most Danes live on several islands in the Baltic (for ex., Copenhagen is on a large island) but they also shared a border with German territory, which meant it had to protect itself from both a land and sea invasion at the same time. On at least two occasions that led to Copenhagen being left unprotected during wartime. The Danish navy was usually quite powerful, only surpassed by England.
During the wars of German unification, Denmark lost the provinces of Schleswig and Holstein, the former being mainly Danish, while the latter was completely German. In the Danish War with Prussia and Austria, Denmark lost nearly all of both provinces. In the aftermath of WWI, Schleswig was returned to Denmark.
During WWII, the Danes decided not to put up a fight, but the Danish Ambassador turned over Greenland and Iceland to the U.S. instead of Germany, which was a key base during the battle of the Atlantic. Iceland later gained independence from Denmark after the war. Greenland remains a Danish possession. Denmark also turned over the Virgin Islands, their only overseas colony, to the U.S. after the war.
Lauring’s writing often mentions seemingly irrelevant and unconnected facts, which are confusing to the reader. He also goes into a lot of extraneous detail on specific events and does not provide a lot of overall analysis and discussion of the significance of various actions. Lauring also makes some unsubstantiated assertions about Danish characteristics without much evidence. His book needed the service of a good editor. Overall, I thought it was a helpful book in understanding some key events in Danish history.
Lauring addresses the development of the Danes from the bronze age onward. He focuses on the close relationship with the sea and the use of longboats in the Viking raids of the early Middle Ages. He also points out how England at one point fell under the Danish monarchy under Canute the Great.
Lauring provides interesting background into key developments in Danish history such as how for a number of centuries, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden were a combined monarchy, usually under a Danish ruler, even though the nobles in each state were unique. Although Sweden eventually broke free and became a relatively important power on its own, Denmark and Norway remained united in a combined monarchy until 1901. The Napoleonic Wars were quite influential to Denmark as Sweden gained the territory across from Denmark on the strait between the two countries in the Baltic Sea. Denmark gained a lot of wealth by charging tolls for ships passing by Elsinore, but also created a lot of harsh feelings towards Denmark. In the Congress of Vienna, Sweden had to give up Finland to Russia, but maintained control of the Danish lands in southern Sweden (Scania). Also, during the Napoleonic Wars, England ended up destroying the Danish fleet to prevent it from falling under French control. Danish military power never recovered from that event.
An interesting aspect of Danish geography was that most Danes live on several islands in the Baltic (for ex., Copenhagen is on a large island) but they also shared a border with German territory, which meant it had to protect itself from both a land and sea invasion at the same time. On at least two occasions that led to Copenhagen being left unprotected during wartime. The Danish navy was usually quite powerful, only surpassed by England.
During the wars of German unification, Denmark lost the provinces of Schleswig and Holstein, the former being mainly Danish, while the latter was completely German. In the Danish War with Prussia and Austria, Denmark lost nearly all of both provinces. In the aftermath of WWI, Schleswig was returned to Denmark.
During WWII, the Danes decided not to put up a fight, but the Danish Ambassador turned over Greenland and Iceland to the U.S. instead of Germany, which was a key base during the battle of the Atlantic. Iceland later gained independence from Denmark after the war. Greenland remains a Danish possession. Denmark also turned over the Virgin Islands, their only overseas colony, to the U.S. after the war.
Lauring’s writing often mentions seemingly irrelevant and unconnected facts, which are confusing to the reader. He also goes into a lot of extraneous detail on specific events and does not provide a lot of overall analysis and discussion of the significance of various actions. Lauring also makes some unsubstantiated assertions about Danish characteristics without much evidence. His book needed the service of a good editor. Overall, I thought it was a helpful book in understanding some key events in Danish history.
October 4, 2021
This is the kind of history book that gives history books a bad name. Page after page of discussion of battle after battle. Ugh!!
I would hate to be the author's wife. This guy can't communicate clearly, and it was very frustrating to read his statements, on page after page, that weren't explained. Examples:
"After this there could be no doubts as to where Denmark stood. The Crown Prince joined up with Napoleon. This was doubtless stupid of him..." (Why?)
In a discussion of 1808, the author refers to [Denmark's] tiny, distant, tropical colonies, without explaining to which colonies he's referring. He's never mention colonies before, yet he refers to them, as though we should know what he's talking about.
[Christian's] "language degrees" were an attempt to pacify the unrest prevailing in Slesvig..." - what language decrees? What was their purpose? What impact did they have?
"Denmark was able to perform the feat of exacting these irritating dues long after the justification for their introduction had ceased to exist." What justification was that?
"During the first years of the 20th century, the union between Norway and Sweden was dissolved." By whom? Why? How? That's all he says about it!!!!
"In 1916, the West Indian islands were sold to America." Why?
"Despite everything that could be explained, the difference in the reactions of the two countries [Switzerland and Norway] on April 9 gave rise to bitterness." On whose part? Why? Towards whom?
"These incredible days [discussion of another battle] cost several hundred human lives." Whose? Denmark's? Germany's? Both? Soldiers only?
'...when the importance of the Baltic to the maritime trade of the world began to dwindle, the struggle ceased to have any meaning." Why was it dwindling? What factors were at play here?
In Denmark, the government resigned and a new one was formed." Why? By whom?
"The Danish colonies and trading posts managed to exist and trade, but they never became very big. Sweden had tried too, but had been obliged to give up." What? Where had they tried? Why had they been obliged to give up?
Not to mention these pronouncements that he made, without explaining where his judgements came from. Examples:
"The competition became harder as several other European countries now concentrated determinedly on agricultural production". Which countries? Why?
"Sweden had lost Finland to Russia, and that was of course a matter with which it would be inadvisable to meddle." Why is that?
"Denmark and Norway could not maintain the same interests forever." Why is that? They had done so for hundreds of years.
"Continued exports must be ensured by efficient marketing, and by products of the highest quality"
And this rather nasty statement: "A happy-go-lucky welfare state blessed with quite a large measure of self-confidence was suddenly faced with difficulties which became greater because the rich little family had been living beyond its means, or, to put it bluntly, had made dispositions as if Denmark already held a patent for eternal salvation here on earth."
The best part of the book was the discussion of World War II's impact on Denmark. I found it interesting, and enjoyed reading that section. It's the only time, in my reading of the book, that I wasn't frustrated by omissions in the story.
I hope there are better books on Danish history out there, because this one is a sad example of a country's history.
I would hate to be the author's wife. This guy can't communicate clearly, and it was very frustrating to read his statements, on page after page, that weren't explained. Examples:
"After this there could be no doubts as to where Denmark stood. The Crown Prince joined up with Napoleon. This was doubtless stupid of him..." (Why?)
In a discussion of 1808, the author refers to [Denmark's] tiny, distant, tropical colonies, without explaining to which colonies he's referring. He's never mention colonies before, yet he refers to them, as though we should know what he's talking about.
[Christian's] "language degrees" were an attempt to pacify the unrest prevailing in Slesvig..." - what language decrees? What was their purpose? What impact did they have?
"Denmark was able to perform the feat of exacting these irritating dues long after the justification for their introduction had ceased to exist." What justification was that?
"During the first years of the 20th century, the union between Norway and Sweden was dissolved." By whom? Why? How? That's all he says about it!!!!
"In 1916, the West Indian islands were sold to America." Why?
"Despite everything that could be explained, the difference in the reactions of the two countries [Switzerland and Norway] on April 9 gave rise to bitterness." On whose part? Why? Towards whom?
"These incredible days [discussion of another battle] cost several hundred human lives." Whose? Denmark's? Germany's? Both? Soldiers only?
'...when the importance of the Baltic to the maritime trade of the world began to dwindle, the struggle ceased to have any meaning." Why was it dwindling? What factors were at play here?
In Denmark, the government resigned and a new one was formed." Why? By whom?
"The Danish colonies and trading posts managed to exist and trade, but they never became very big. Sweden had tried too, but had been obliged to give up." What? Where had they tried? Why had they been obliged to give up?
Not to mention these pronouncements that he made, without explaining where his judgements came from. Examples:
"The competition became harder as several other European countries now concentrated determinedly on agricultural production". Which countries? Why?
"Sweden had lost Finland to Russia, and that was of course a matter with which it would be inadvisable to meddle." Why is that?
"Denmark and Norway could not maintain the same interests forever." Why is that? They had done so for hundreds of years.
"Continued exports must be ensured by efficient marketing, and by products of the highest quality"
And this rather nasty statement: "A happy-go-lucky welfare state blessed with quite a large measure of self-confidence was suddenly faced with difficulties which became greater because the rich little family had been living beyond its means, or, to put it bluntly, had made dispositions as if Denmark already held a patent for eternal salvation here on earth."
The best part of the book was the discussion of World War II's impact on Denmark. I found it interesting, and enjoyed reading that section. It's the only time, in my reading of the book, that I wasn't frustrated by omissions in the story.
I hope there are better books on Danish history out there, because this one is a sad example of a country's history.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews