How to Be Danish: A Journey to the Cultural Heart of Denmark (19 page)
Read How to Be Danish: A Journey to the Cultural Heart of Denmark Online
Authors: Patrick Kingsley
2025
- year by which Copenhagen hopes to be the world’s first carbon-neutral capital
40%
- percentage of the Danish population who watched the first series of
The Killing
7314
- kilometres of Danish coastline
I'm aware that I'm about to thank a lot of people – but the truth is that, directly or indirectly, a lot of people helped me write this book.
In particular, I want to thank my publishers, Aurea Carpenter and Rebecca Nicolson – and their colleague Dave Isaacs. I wouldn't be anywhere without my parents, Jenny and Stephen, and my brother Tom. I am also indebted to Tom, Daniel Cohen, Emma Hogan, Lars Hinnerskov Eriksen, Karoline Kirchhübel Andersen, Anne-Lise Kjaer, Sarah Parkes and Elliot Ross – all of whom read significant chunks of the manuscript at various stages.
I'm equally grateful to my Danish teacher, Alette Scales, and her husband Alan. Before I left, I received some great advice from Kasper Fogh, Lone Britt Christensen and Kirsten Syppli Hansen. In Denmark itself, I was amazed by the generosity of Mouns Overgaard, Dorte Lec Fischer, Troels Leth Petersen, Astrid Lindhardt, Bi Skaarup, Susanne Hoffmann, Jørgen Halskov, Annemarie Zinck, Winnie and Thomas Kongshaug, Steen Sauerberg, Sandra Hoj, Charlotte Rye, Martin Kirchhübel, Gitte Lehrmann, Carl Valentin, Søren Witte, Rikke Bech, Nancy Frich, Kanar Patruss and Chris Scales.
At Short, I thank Catherine Gibbs and Clemmie Jackson Stops – and Katherine Stroud, who publicised the book. Karoline Kirchhübel Andersen drew the splendid illustrations.
Elsewhere, I doubt I'd ever have written this book without the faith and guidance of so many people at the
Guardian
. Thank you: Suzie Worroll, Malik Meer, Emily Wilson, Clare Margetson, Ian Katz, Jane Martinson, Sarah Phillips, Sarah Hewitt, Kira Cochrane, Stephen Moss, Jon Henley, Will Woodward, Maxton Walker and Aditya Chakrabortty.
The friendship of the following means a lot: Natasha Lennard, Jacob Goodwin, Olivia Sudjic, Lizzie Crarer, Bethan Bide, Imogen Walford, Ed Blain, Hugo Gye, Michael Derringer, Jim Kitchen, Ed Kiely, Dave Allen, Stuart McPherson, Nick and Sally Welsh, Jenni Russell and Jessica Lambert.
Ralegh Long, Jonathan Sebire, David Story, Alex Clatworthy, Jessica Riches all helped with transcription. Laura Pauling gave me some great economics know-how.
A special shout-out to Troels Leth Petersen's company, Running Tours Copenhagen. Highly recommended to all Copenhagen visitors who like to mix culture and fitness.
To everyone I've forgotten: sorry. And thank you.
Patrick Kingsley is a foreign correspondent for the
Guardian
, and was a feature writer for the newspaper for three years. He now lives in Cairo and this is his first book.
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Aamanns
32
Adscription
83
-84
Alcohol
20
Alev, Fatih
97
-98,
100
-102,
106
-107,
111
,
113
,
116
Andersen, Erik
171
Andersen, Hans Christian
90
Andersen, Mikael
130
-131
Arla
34
-35
Around coffee table
67
-68
Askov, Lasse
51
Asplund, Gunnar
58
Avirkic, Damir
170
Bakeries, high-end
33
Baltic empire, loss of,
117
Bauhaus movement
57
Bendixen, Michala Clante
110
,
112
,
115
Bentzen, Thomas
63
Around coffee table
67
-68
Bernth, Piv
142
,
144
,
148
-149,
151
,
152
Birkkjaer, Mikael
152
-153
Blood taking, robot for
75
Blumenthal, Heston
39
Borgen
11
,
16
,
22
,
60
,
86
,
88
,
144
-145,
152
-153
Bosnians
169
-170
Bread making
42
-43
British Muslims
109
Bundgaard Rützou, Peter
69
Camre, Mogens
97
-98
Cekic, Özlem
80
Cheese-making
33
-35
Children, independence
19
Children's Chair
64
Christian VII
83
Christiania
133
-135
Christianity
118
-119
Circusrevy
102
Clausen, Sven
149
Climate change, tackling
173
Colvile-Andersen, Mikael
120
,
122
-124
Continuation schools
21
Co-operatives, agrarian
26
Copenhagen
car-free days
127
-128
carbon neutrality, aim of
173
crisis, in
129
cultural revival
130
culture
128
cycle lanes
126
cycling in
120
-124
decisions made in
167
demonstrations
133
distinct districts
128
galleries
130
-132
green spaces
130
Karriere bar
131
new neighbourhoods
129
open-plan streets
125
pedestrianisation
126
-127
public spaces
125
-126
smallness of
135
subway system
129
tram, last
125
unemployment
129
Dairy farming
43
-45
Danish architecture
136
-141,
174
Danish cinema
35
Danish dramas
11
Danish empire, loss of
24
Danish flag, Dannebrog
117
Danish Folkeparti (DFP)
97
-98,
104
-105,
179
Danish Islamic Centre
107
Danish language, difficulties of
77
-79
Danish Muslims
native
108
-110
origins of
103
Danish People's Party
82
Danish television
143
-161
Denmark
class in
16
-18
conservative and tolerant place, as
133
deficit
92
-93
democracy, campaign for
24
-26
EU, vote against joining
86
historical context, in
116
international outlook
135
-136
map of
162
multi-culturalism
115
poverty, absence of
80
religion
118
taxes
81
-82
Dickson, Thomas
69
-71
Distortion Festival
132
-133
Early retirement scheme
93
Education
continuation schools
21
democratic approach to
23
folk high schools
21
-22,
26
-28,
84
free
80
nurseries
18
-19
private schools
15
-17
school disco
14
-15
teachers, use of first name
15
university education, free
20
Egg chairs
54
-56
Eliasson, Olafur
131
Engell, Hans
105
Enhedslisten
82
European Union, presidency
11
Farming cooperatives
43
-44
Faroes
155
-156
Fleurquin, Thomas
132
Folk high schools
21
-22,
26
-28,
84
Food culture, transformation
32
Frevert, Louise
101
Fruensgaard Øe, Jacob
71
-72
Furniture design
54
-75
Gini index
17
Graham, Dan
131
Grundtvig, Nicolai
23
-26,
84
,
116
-117,
119
Gubi
63