Have you noticed this stone’s inscription? It says: “Intet Danmark uden Slesvig, intet Slesvig uden Danmark”. This is Den Skandinaviske Sten. It stands as a testament to a powerful shared history.
Den Skandinaviske Sten marks the bond between Southern Jutland and Denmark. The stone commemorates two significant visits by people from Southern Jutland. These visits occurred on July 30, 1861, and September 5, 1865. The mention of the 1865 visit was added later.
Let me tell you about the initiative behind Den Skandinaviske Sten. In September 1861, stonemason H.A. Klewing spearheaded the project. But there was already a stone here. Back in 1842, another memorial stone stood here. It honored Norwegian and Swedish students. These students had visited Copenhagen during the wave of Scandinavianism in 1842.
In 1861, 400 people from Southern Jutland visited Copenhagen. They gathered at this very spot. By 1865, Southern Jutland was under Prussian rule. Around 2,000 people from Southern Jutland attended a large public meeting. N.F.S. Grundtvig spoke at this gathering.
Jens Christian Hostrup wrote a poem for the occasion. It is titled “Velkommen – ej til fremmed Jord”. This translates to “Welcome – not to foreign soil”. The poem captures the feeling of unity.
Den Skandinaviske Sten also has significance for the labor movement. In 1871, political open-air meetings were banned at Fælleden. So, in 1872, a socialist constitutional meeting was held here. This is considered the workers’ first constitutional meeting.
The writer Georg Brandes was deeply involved in the Schleswig question. When he died in 1927, his ashes were scattered in Dyrehaven. The location was near Den Skandinaviske Sten. As recently as 2002, Dansk Samling held a meeting by the stone. Adam Wagner gave a speech.
In spring 2020, Den Skandinaviske Sten was renovated and rededicated. This marked the 100th anniversary of the Reunification. The stone stands here. It symbolizes a region’s enduring connection to its homeland. It connects people across borders and time.