On February 1, 1864, the war between Denmark, Prussia and Austria for the national affiliation of Schleswig and Holstein begins. It ends in the same year.
by Carina Werner
While Hans Christian Andersen fears that all of Denmark will fall under German rule, Theodor Fontane celebrates the battles won by his German compatriots:on February 1, 1864, Prussian and Austrian troops invade Schleswig. A war breaks out over the state affiliation of the Schleswig-Holstein region, the traces of which are still visible today.
Schleswig-Holstein, the eternal "apple of discord"
The history of Schleswig-Holstein is eventful - not to say complicated. Among other things, it is the strategically favorable location between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea that makes this region an eternal "apple of discord". In 1815, the Congress of Vienna declared the Duchy of Holstein, which was already part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation that had been dissolved in 1806, to be a member of the newly founded German Confederation, but not the Duchy of Schleswig. However, both duchies will continue to be ruled by the Danish king in personal union, and will be part of the Danish state as they have been for centuries. After 1815 Denmark tries to tie Schleswig more closely to Denmark again, which means a stronger separation from Holstein. However, the other side demands the inclusion of a united Schleswig-Holstein in the German Confederation.
The London Protocol of 1852
The fronts hardened until the "Schleswig-Holstein War" broke out in 1848. Numerous states of the German Confederation fight on the side of the Schleswig-Holsteiners against the Danes. When the troops of the German Confederation withdrew, Denmark won the war in 1851 and retained sovereignty over Schleswig, Holstein and Lauenburg. However, under the London Protocol of 1852, Denmark is obliged to recognize the duchies as independent states within the state. It is expressly forbidden there to incorporate Schleswig into the kingdom.
November 1863:The situation is coming to a head
The strategically important location between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea repeatedly caused wars over Schleswig and Holstein.But tensions persist. How are you supposed to do justice to all parties, especially in Schleswig? Danes are the main residents in the north and Germans in the south. The Danish "National Liberals" want to integrate the duchy into the Danish national state, the Germans demand a free constitution and integration into a future German Reich alongside Holstein, which is completely German-speaking. Three days after the sudden death of the Danish king Friedrich VII. Denmark's new king Christian IX. on November 18, 1863 the so-called November Constitution, which excludes the Duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg from the overall state constitution, which effectively means a merger of the remaining Schleswig with the Kingdom of Denmark, and thus breaks with the "London Protocol".
This is not entirely inconvenient for Prussia:Otto von Bismarck, then Prussian Prime Minister, uses the outrage of the Germans and wins Austria as a partner in the conflict with Denmark. At the beginning of December 1863, the two great powers jointly pronounce a "federal execution" against Denmark, which legally means that the German Confederation can now take military action against Denmark, since it is breaking federal rules. From December 23 to 31, German troops marched into Lauenburg and Holstein and advanced to the Eider Line near Kiel. On January 16, 1864, Austria and Prussia gave Denmark a 48-hour ultimatum to repeal the November Constitution, but Denmark didn't respond.
War breaks out on February 1, 1864
"In God's name on it" - that is the order of Field Marshal Friedrich von Wrangel on the evening of January 31st. On February 1st, Prussian and Austrian troops crossed the Eider and marched into Schleswig. They are moving in different directions:the Prussians are supposed to cross the Schlei near Missunde, which initially fails, the Austrians are supposed to march towards the "Danewerk" (Danish:Danevirke). This huge, medieval fortress has so far been considered insurmountable by the Danes. The Danish army retreats in front of the Austrians in Danewerk. But due to snow and ice, the Danes have to give up their position and move on to Düppel - they give up the Danewerk without a fight. Many Danes are shocked.
The storming of the Düppeler Schanzen
Today a history center on the Düppeler hill in the Danish town of Sonderborg commemorates the war.The decisive battle takes place at the Düppeler Schanzen, also a famous Danish fortification, located on the Flensburg Fjord and Alsensund. The Danish army holed up behind it and was besieged by the Prussians for weeks. On April 18, the Prussians succeed in storming the Düppeler Schanzen. A short, bloody melee with bayonets, rifles and cannons follows.
The Danish soldier Diderik Johansen describes in his war diary, which was published under the title "From the War of 1864" that the hatred between Germans and Danes by no means affected everyone. Johansen describes, among other things, an encounter between Danish and Prussian soldiers during a pause in the fighting:"It was quite friendly" and they ate from each other's supplies. In the end, the Danish troops are defeated. The war is basically decided.
Danish troops surrender
In 1864 Danish units win a naval battle off Helgoland.Nevertheless, the fighting continues. The Austrian troops storm the Danish fortress of Fredericia. A naval battle begins off Helgoland, which the Danes win. An armistice occurs on May 12, because the seven powers that signed the London Treaty in 1852 are meeting in London. They don't come to a conclusion. Prussia proposes the division of Schleswig at the language border, Denmark rejects this. The war goes on. At the end of June the Prussians managed to cross over to Als. They occupy the entire island, the Danes withdraw from there. The Austrian and Prussian troops advance to the north of Jutland. The Danish troops surrender.
Peace agreement in Vienna - Denmark has to cede territories
On October 30, 1864, Prussia, Austria and Denmark sign a peace treaty in Vienna. Denmark has to cede Schleswig, Holstein and Lauenburg to Prussia and Austria. As a result, Denmark will lose almost a million inhabitants and a third of its area. In the Treaty of Gastein of August 14, 1865, Prussia received the duchies of Saxony-Lauenburg and Schleswig, and Holstein fell to Austria. However, Prussia repeatedly provoked its former partner Austria, triggering the "German War" in 1866, which was quickly decided in Prussia's favour. Austria then renounced its rights to the duchies in August 1866 in the "Prague Peace Treaty". The three areas became the Prussian province of Schleswig-Holstein - contrary to the hopes of many Schleswig-Holsteiners to form their own small German state.
Schleswig-Holstein in the 20th century
After the First World War, Schleswig is still divided:after a referendum in 1920, North Schleswig becomes part of Denmark, South Schleswig goes to Germany. The border that was drawn at that time still exists today - only interrupted by the occupation of Denmark by German troops in World War II. In 2004 the news came as a surprise that German and Danish soldiers were rebuilding hill 14 at Danewerk together. However, most residents of the German-Danish border area consider the situation to be peaceful today.