EU passes watereddown energy plan
Kids in charge at the Children’s Fair
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Marrying the Danes: Guess who got hitched
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Denmark’s only English-language newspaper | cphpost.dk
22 - 28 June 2012 | Vol 15 Issue 25
PETER STANNERS
NEWS
China critics say they were silenced during visit of President Hu
3 NEWS
Out of the camp New deal will allow asylum seekers to live among us, but only if they agree to go home
Weeding out crime
5 CULTURE
A small community garden in Nørrebro is raising spirits and pushing out drug dealers
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Scandinavia’s secret: What’s the British attraction with our shows?
18 CULTURE
PETER STANNERS
Polar poster boy Peter ‘the Great’ Freuchen was a legend of the Arctic revered as an adventurer, resistance fighter and even a film star
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Ambitions for sustainability conference in jeopardy Danish ministers attending the global sustainability conference may have to lower their expectations as concern is voiced over ‘weak’ commitments to global sustainability
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HE ENVIRONMENT Ministry is pushing for a ‘green GDP’ and a global commitment for sustainable development at the United Nations Earth Summit. Thousands of participants from governments, NGOs and business have gathered at the conference, more commonly referred to as Rio+20, with the aim of creating a global vision for tackling the stress on resources brought about by climate change and an expanding global population.
Ahead of the conference, the environment minister, Ida Auken (Socialistisk Folkeparti), said there was a need for growth and development that can lift people out of poverty. “But if there are to be enough resources for everyone, we need to move toward a green economy,” Auken wrote in a press release. “We need businesses to integrate environmental concerns into the core of their work. That is what we will achieve at Rio+20 through concrete decisions and a transition to a green economy.” The development minister, Christian Friis Bach (Radikale), was a key player in bringing together 105 countries to make a joint declaration last week calling for global goals on sustainability and a green economy, and to ensure stronger global organisations.
“The common declaration underlines that more and more poor countries no longer see the development of a green economy as a limitation, but rather as an opportunity to create sustainable growth and new workplaces,” Bach said in a press release. Bach also stated earlier this week that Denmark would donate 10 million kroner for research into how to integrate environmental costs into calculations of GDP. Denmark will also be a trial country for the new ‘green GDP’ measurements. Global leaders flew into Rio on Wednesday to discuss the final draft text that was released on Tuesday night by the Brazilian hosts after weeks of negotiations. But alarm was immediately raised on Wednesday morning by a number of or-
ganisations, who say the text is so weak that it would be useless in the transition to a more environmentally sustainable global economy. “Nobody in that room adopting the text was happy. That’s how weak it is,” the EU’s climate commissioner, and former Danish environment minister, Connie Hedegaard, tweeted. “Rio cannot afford not to have concrete results. Rio must get it right,” Hedegaard added in an opinion piece for EurActiv, an EU news website. Concern focused on the lack of timetables, financing and environmental monitoring. Aspects of the text that were welcomed included commitments to eliminate fishing subsidies that contribute to overfishing, phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, and strengthening the UN environment agency, UNEP.
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Week in review
The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk
22 - 28 June 2012 Scanpix/Martin Rosenauer
Pedal to the metal
THE WEEK’S MOST READ STORIES AT CPHPOST.DK Still adjusting | Summertime odds and (rear) ends Luck runs out for smarty pants European Parliament lambasts Denmark over border control A super, if not perfect, alternative Danish companies reaping Chinese contracts
FROM OUR ARCHIVES TEN YEARS AGO. Leaked report from the Council of Europe’s Torture Committee blasts Denmark’s treatment of imprisoned asylum seekers at the Sandholm Detention Camp. FIVE YEARS AGO. Moving with the times? Political party the Social Liberals announce plans for a MySpace profile. ONE YEAR AGO. Popular nightclub Celsius becomes a crime scene after a 19-year-old punches another teenager to death. The flames licked the head-bangers at Refshalehallen last weekend at another successful edition of the Copenhell metal festival. The festival, which was launched in 2010, serenaded metal heads with bands such as Slayer, Marilyn Manson, Lamb of God, Anthrax, Immortal and Mastodon.
as children whose mothers had not drunk any alcohol during their pregnancy. Despite the results, health authorities have no plans to change their recommendation that pregnant women abstain from drinking alcohol, pointing out that the study does not investigate the neurological aspect of the children’s health.
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People’s congress
The island of Bornholm became the political centre of Denmark for four days last week during the second annual Folkemøde. Bornholm hosted the inaugural ‘People’s Meeting’ last year and the event is billed as an arena for political debate for politicians, NGOs, companies and voters. Among the
President and Publisher Ejvind Sandal Chief Executive Jesper Nymark Editor-in-Chief Kevin McGwin Managing Editor Ben Hamilton News Editor Justin Cremer Journalists Jennifer Buley & Peter Stanners
20,000 people taking part in the event were PM Helle ThorningSchmidt (Socialdemokraterne), former-prime minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen (Venstre) and Pia Kjærsgaard (Dansk Folkeparti), who all spoke on behalf of democracy in Denmark. Next year’s Folkemøde will be held 13-16 June.
Editorial offices: Slagtehusgade 4 – 6 DK 1715 Copenhagen V Telephone: 3336 3300 Fax: 3393 1313 www.cphpost.dk News Desk news@cphpost.dk 3336 4243 The CPH Post welcomes outside articles and letters to the editor. Letters and comments can be left on our website or at: comments@cphpost.dk
Scanpix/LISELOTTE SABROE
A new study from Aarhus University suggests that pregnant women need not fear moderate alcohol consumption. The data stems from 1,600 five-year-olds whose mothers drank up to six alcoholic beverages a week during pregnancy. Children born to mothers who drank one or two drinks a week were just as healthy
Scanpix/Jens Nørgaard Larsen
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Drink rethink
Gay banns
On June 15, Stig Elling and his partner Steen Andersen became one of the country’s first same-sex couples to walk down the aisle to the chiming of church bells. The pair, who have lived as registered partners for the past 27 years, wed on the first day it became legal for same-sex couples to do so. Parliament recently voted
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in favour of a new law allowing same-sex couples to get married in Danish churches, following in the footsteps of Scandinavian neighbours Iceland and Sweden. The law permits vicars to decline to marry same-sex couples. In such cases, couples would need to find another minister to perform the ceremony for them.
Layout and design Justin Cremer Aviaja Bebe Nielsen Logo by Rasmus Koch The Copenhagen Post accepts no responsibility for the content of material submitted by advertisers. The Copenhagen Post is published weekly by CPHPOST.DK ApS Printed by Dagbladet, Ringsted. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited by law.
News
The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk
22 - 28 June 2012
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The darker hu(e) of Chinese investment Scanpix/Preben Madsen
Christian Wenande The visit by President Hu brings economic prosperity, cultural cooperation, environmental agreements and ... suppression
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Peaceful prayer at Højbro Plads square was targeted by the police
and said: “What are you going to do, Mr Dictator” in Chinese and Danish. “Denmark shouldn’t ignore freedom of speech simply because a top politician from China visits,” Peter Skaarup, a spokesperson for Dansk Folkeparti (DF), told Berlingske news-
paper. “I know that things are different in China, but Denmark is a free country and here you are allowed to criticise the Chinese regime. It’s unheard of that someone gets arrested for hanging up a poster.” Another sight and sound that Hu
Loan ensures Christiania survival But despite the commune securing 55m kroner from mortgage lender, burgeoning lawlessness may derail the deal
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he future of legendary Copenhagen commune Christiania seems to be safe after Fonden Fristaden Christiania, the organisation charged with managing the settlement, secured a 55 million kroner loan from mortgage lender Realkredit Danmark that it will use to pay the state to purchase the disused naval base. Christiania has until July 1 to raise enough money to purchase the waterfront property its founders occupied in 1971, and things looked glum after considerable fundraising efforts had yielded just over 8 million kroner. That loan, which will be paid off with interest over 30 years, allows the fund to
pay the first instalment of the total sum of 76 million kroner that is required to pay the state for self-ownership. Knud Foldschack, the lawyer representing Christiania and a member of Fonden Fristaden Christiania’s board, was thrilled that the commune was on the threshold of owning the 34 hectare property and the buildings that stand there. “On July 1 we will be ready with a cheque of 55 million kroner for the state,” Foldschack told public broadcaster DR. “After 40 years of uncertainty in Christiania, and the failure by over 20 governments to agree to a deal, we have finally managed to sort it out.” However, there are still issues present that could derail the efforts. A recent escalation of violence stemming from a thriving drug trade that nets gangsters roughly one billion kroner a year, has provoked MPs to threaten to pull out of
the deal. Peter Skaarup, the justice spokesperson for the right-wing Dansk Folkeparti (DF), indicated that the party would only support the deal if enough order is restored to Christiania to allow police to patrol there. Opposition party Venstre (V) has also voiced its concerns over the violence and the flourishing drug trade. “We can’t promise to vote for the document when the situation in Christiania is as lawless as it is,” Skaarup told TV2 News. “We must ensure that the police have the necessary resources to stop the disorder and uphold the law against the gangster stronghold in Christiania.” Recently the police announced it had given up on making raids in Christiania in the wake of the recent escalation of violence that included attacks on a journalist and on several parking attendants. (CW)
scanpix/marie hald
s Danish business interests walked away from last week’s visit by China’s president, Hu Jintao, with lucrative contracts, critics were accusing the government of bending over backwards to ensure that the visit was not disrupted by protesters. Blue chip Danish companies including Carlsberg, Novozymes and Arla negotiated business deals during the three-day visit to the tune of 18 billion kroner that could help hoist Denmark from a recessive economy, but the cost of those contracts, protesters claim, was their freedom of speech. First, a Danish journalist was arrested by the police and detained for several hours because he had attempted to hang a poster on the Little Mermaid, which was on Hu’s route as he toured Copenhagen. The poster depicted a Tibetan monk burning himself to death in protest over China’s policies in Tibet
missed was a demonstration at Højbro Ministry was that the situation was a Plads square, where a small group of communication error. “I thought it was a joke,” NTD’s people from the Falun Gong spiritual movement, which is outlawed in Chi- Corole Gustavsson told TV2. “We were very surprised and shocked. Is it na, gathered to meditate. In order to prevent Hu, who was possible that in Denmark, a free counmeeting with government officials in try, we couldn’t get accreditation?” Opposition MPs have already the nearby parliament building, from seeing the demonstration, the police warned the government that it can parked buses in front of the group, and expect to be told to account for the measures it took to accommodate the their music was promptly turned off. “It is completely un-Danish, and Chinese during the visit. “I guarantee that the government Falun Gong are a peaceful group,” will show every litspokesperson Benny tle note and demand Brix told TV2 News. sent from communist “And still the police China about their harass us by preventing President Hu from see- We were very surprised visit,” Søren Espersen, the DF foreign ing or hearing us. We’ve affairs spokesperson, been asked to turn off and shocked. Is it wrote in Jyllandsour music so he doesn’t possible that in Posten newspaper. “I hear it.” can also guarantee Another incident Denmark, a free that the government involved the Chinacountry, we couldn’t will have to present critical NTD TV station every little instrucbeing told its reporters get accreditation tion sent by the Jusneeded to get accreditatice Ministry to the tion through the Chinese Embassy in Copenhagen, despite police in connection with the visit.” being based in New York and having already been approved for it earlier. The accreditations never materialised, Related item: and the explanation from the Foreign Facing the democratic stress test, page 8
Knud Foldschack, the lawyer representing Christiania and who is a member of Fonden Fristaden Christiania’s board, is thrilled the commune has secured the 55 million kroner loan
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COVER STORY
The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk
22 - 28 June 2012
peter stanners
All photos from www.facebook.com/TheTestTubes
Green-fingered volunteer group reclaim park from drug dealers
Sandra Høj’s Test Tube was a success in its test run
It’s a dirty job … and the city is going to help do it Claudia santos Rubbish vigilante Sandra Høj gets the city to commit to putting her anti-littering idea to the test
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“This project is as much about community power as it is simply planting stuff,” Pedersen said as he liberally distributed seeds in a raised bed. “It’s about what we can create when we get together and when we don’t let the City Council decide everything.” Both Jensen and Pedersen seemed to view the garden as serving as a symbol for an alternative and less materialistic lifestyle. Pedersen spoke out against the current global order and its fixation on wealth, while Jensen talked about the threats of peak oil and the need to take better care of the planet. But to Peter Damsgaard, a Nørrebro resident of 25 years, the garden was just another step in the right direction for the district. “I’ve lived here when the park was still full of bunkers from the Second World War and when it was just somewhere people took their dogs to shit – it was really just a shit park,” Damsgaard said, flashing a gold tooth. “But this garden is great, and I hope that it will be a permanent fixture.” It may well be. The association running Byhaven 2200 will soon sign a three-year contract with the council with an option to extend. With 30,000 kroner in funding and no shortage of free labour, the garden will soon be producing food that will be used to feed the local community at a harvest party.
fter reporting last month that the Copenhagen officials had curbed one woman’s efforts to tackle litter, it appears the city has finally agreed to adopt Sandra Høj’s specially-designed tubes for disposing of paper coffee cups. The city has agreed to set up 16 aluminium tubes on Dronning Louise’s Bridge and other popular hangouts later this month. Once they are in place, their effect on rubbish will be evaluated over the course of the summer before deciding whether they should be adopted permanently and rolled out citywide. Høj came up with her idea after becoming “fed up with litter in Copenhagen”, particularly with the discarded paper cups around the bridge. Her solution: Test Tubes – two cardboard tubes capable of holding cups, which she screwed to two separate rubbish bins located on the bridge. Although the tubes Høj’s work has been noticed abroad had a noticeable effect on the amount of litter, the city this month,” she explained. “It’s initially removed them. It did going to be on the front page!” express interest in the idea, and But even with the internaupon further review the city has tional attention, Høj said her primary concern remains keepdecided to adopt it. While Høj called the devel- ing her city tidy. opment “exciting”, she hopes “Copenhagen truly is wonthat if the city chooses to make derful and deserves to be treated with respect,” she said. “It is all up to the people of Copenhagen now. I hope they play along. Fingers crossed.”
Anyone interested in volunteering can attend one of the group’s work sessions from 12-6pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To stay updated, find the Facebook group ‘Byhaven 2200’.
Read Høj’s blog at classiccopenhagen.blogspot. com. Check out Høj’s test tube Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ TheTestTubes.
Slowly, thanks to the work of the volunteers, the park is being reclaimed by the community
Peter Stanners An area of land once used by drug dealers is now a thriving community garden in the heart of Nørrebro
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peter stanners
hat Nørrebro possesses in cultural diversity, it lacks in open green space. Other than the vast enclosed cemetery, Assistens Kirkegaard, the district’s 70,000 inhabitants’ only other green area is a strip of land, Nørrebroparken, half of which has now been lost to the construction of the Metro extension. But a group of volunteers are putting the space to good use and have established an urban garden in an area of the park adjacent to Stefansgade that was formerly occupied by gang members openly selling cannabis. Known as Byhaven 2200, the Danish words for ‘city garden and the area’s postcode, the first soil was only turned on the garden two weeks ago, but it
has already attracted dozens of volunteers and hundreds of supporters to the Facebook page. Raised beds constructed using sandbags and donated soil are formed in odd shapes while a colourful makeshift fence separates the garden from the rest of the park. During The Copenhagen Post’s visit, a family sat in the shade of a tree, a dozen architecture students were building a structure out of wood, while at a table a few volunteers took a break. Among them was Mia Helmer Jensen, one of the founders of the project. She has a history of volunteering, particularly with the food co-operative Københavns Fødevarefællesskab. After approaching the council, she was told that it was possible to rent an area of the park. She then established Byhaven 2200 and is now growing both edible and non-edible plants. “There’s not enough of this sort of thing in the city,” Jensen said. “That’s why I wanted the project to be in a public park be-
For a while the sign should have read ‘BYHASH’
cause I wanted to inspire people. Most of these projects in Copenhagen are hidden away, and I want to reach out and inspire people who wouldn’t seek out this sort of activity.” Byhaven 2200 receives money from the City Council and the local political committee, Nørrebro Lokaludvalg, and is run by volunteers that can number as many as 40 on a good day. “Some people build a lot, others bring material, others are part of the social bit and play music or bring food,” Jensen said, adding that people have shown up and offered free plants and material. The location of the garden seems not to be an accident. Drug dealers – members of the Hells Angels and its support group AK81 – who used to maintain an overt presence on nearby Jægersborggade moved into the park this winter as a result of the gentrification of the street and the popularity of the small businesses located there. Even though only a few dealers ever used to occupy the area, it was enough to scare people off from using it. But now dozens of people work and relax in the same area while the drug dealers have moved off to another part of the park. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this is where the council decided to place us,” Jensen said, adding that the dealers add their dynamic to the project. “It spiced up the project a bit. We had some customers who came by, and we pointed them in the right direction.” Steffen Pedersen, a local resident and volunteer, was attracted to the project for its inclusivity.
them a permanent fixture, that they make them out of a sustainable material such as plastic. She added that during this summer’s trial, she would be experimenting with the Test Tubes herself, tinkering with their design and coming up with the best way to get people to understand why they are there. “It’s going to be an interesting challenge to try to figure out how to deliver the message: should I use text, images or both? I’m already playing with different concepts and ideas and can’t wait to put them into practice.” City officials, though, won’t be the only ones watching over the tubes as foreign companies and cities have also expressed an interest in her idea. “I have been contacted by a British trade magazine [Boughton’s Coffee House] and they are running the tube story
The mess that inspired Høj to create
news NEWS
The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk
22 - 28 June 2012
Co-operative asylum seekers to be granted more rights Government Sweeping changes made to improve the lives of hundreds, but many argue the demand on failed seekers to co-operate in their repatriation is unnecessary
not incapable says think-tank
PETER STANNERS
Peter Stanners
Peter Stanners Another report shows the government is doing a far better job than its media image suggests
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SYLUM SEEKERS should be allowed to live and work outside of asylum centres after six months, a government committee has officially recommended. The recommendations were laid out in the committee’s 200-page report that was published last week on Wednesday by the Justice Ministry. It includes proposals for some of the most sweeping changes to the asylum law in the past two decades. The proposals support a government pledge to allow asylum seekers to work after six months. Failed asylum seekers who refuse to co-operate with their repatriation will not enjoy the same privileges, however. “All asylum seekers will be allowed to work and to move out of centres after six months, if they co-operate in the handling of their case and the planning of their return journey if their application is rejected,” the Justice Ministry stated in a press release. The justice minister, Morten Bødskov, added in the press release that the government was not changing the conditions for granting asylum, but was acknowledging that asylum seekers needed to be better treated while they were in Denmark. “If they are granted asylum [the changes mean they] will be in a better position to become integrated, and if they are rejected and have to return home, they will have better conditions for starting a new life in their home country,” Bødskov said, adding that a functioning asylum system requires that rejected asylum seekers leave the country. “It is preferable that this is done voluntarily. The proposal therefore also contains suggestions on how to strengthen the voluntary repatriation of rejected asylum seekers.” Some 286 million kroner has been set aside to fund the new measures, which also include improved programmes for education, training and healthcare. Better lives outside centres OF THE 4,300 asylum seekers in Denmark as of January 2012, the Justice Ministry estimates that about 1,850 could benefit from the new rules. Currently asylum seekers are excluded from working and are only required to check in at asylum centres fortnightly to pick up their cash allowance. But without any significant income, the asylum centres, often located in hard-to-reach areas, are the only viable housing option for most. Many remain trapped in the centres, often for years, either waiting for the outcome of their asylum application or to be repatriated, which is often impossible due to instability in their home country or because Denmark has no agreement with their home country. Spending a long of time in the centres has been documented to be detrimental to both the physical and psychological health of asylum seekers, especially children. With the changes, asylum seekers
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Hundreds of asylum seekers will be allowed to live outside asylum centres such as Centre Sandholm
will be allowed to take on work on the Service can place a range of demands on failed asylum seekers same footing as Danes who refuse to sign repaafter six months, as triation agreements or long as they are paid provide information to competitive wages and the police. These range given good working from reducing their conditions. Employ- I’m pleased that the pocket money and forcers will therefore need ing them to sleep every to be pre-approved measures designed night in asylum centres, based upon whether to persuade asylum to imprisoning them in they have signed up to the Ellebæk Jail at the abide by the minimum seekers to repatriate Sandholm asylum centre. standards for working will change from There are about conditions outlined in 1,000 failed asylum the collective bargain- having punishment at waiting to be reing agreements. The the core, to an attitude seekers patriated in Denmark. report states that this The report argues that is to prevent asylum where more positive the motivational measseekers being taken measures such as ures imposed on these advantage of. failed asylum seekers Asylum seekers counselling and skills will become more tarwill also be able to live geted, with greater levels outside the centres af- building become the of counselling and more ter six months, either focus comprehensive economin accommodation that they have paid for or through sup- ic support in their repatriation. The report recognised that many ported living, in which case they will reasylum seekers feel apprehensive about main close to an asylum centre. returning to their home country as many sell all their possessions to finance their Significant changes journey and have nothing to return to. “I’m pleased that the measures deTHE CHANGES were received positively by the Red Cross in Denmark, signed to persuade asylum seekers to rewhose director general, Anders Ladekarl, patriate will change from being punitive told The Copenhagen Post that they at their core, to an attitude where more were the most significant to have oc- positive measures such as counselling and skills building become the focus,” curred in years. “We have been making these calls for Ladekarl said. Not all unco-operative asylum seeka long time so we are more than pleased that more asylum seekers will be allowed ers will be excluded from the offers of work and outside accommodation. to leave the centres,” Ladekarl said. However, not everyone is likely to Families will have special permission to benefit. “The proposal will still leave peo- live outside the asylum centres, while inple in asylum centres for more than one dividuals who refuse to sign co-operation year,” he contended. “This is significant agreements will be allowed to find work because we have evidence that children so long as the police have sufficient inforand vulnerable people are negatively af- mation about them to be able to begin repatriation proceedings. fected by long stays at centres.” Failed asylum seekers who cannot be Ladekarl was also pleased by the changes to the treatment of asylum seek- returned because of instability in their ers that do not co-operate with their re- home country, such as Syria, will also be patriation. Currently, the Immigration permitted to work and live outside the
centres even if they refuse to co-operate. This exemption ends, however, once it is judged safe to return. Finally, asylum seekers who are awaiting deportation after committing a crime will not benefit from the changes. Pointless co-operation CAMPAIGN group Out of the Camps! expressed disappointment that not all asylum seekers will benefit from the changes. “People flee for a reason, and simply because the Danish asylum system doesn’t recognise their need for asylum doesn’t change the fact that people fear being repatriated,” spokesperson Zach Khadudu said. “The government is knowingly offering people the choice of co-operating so they can be returned to somewhere they fear, or remaining in Denmark and being broken by an asylum centre. This is not a reasonable choice.” Johanne Schmidt-Nielsen, the spokesperson for far-left party Enhedslisten, also argued that the insistence on co-operation with repatriation served little purpose. “It’s completely reasonable to demand that asylum seekers co-operate with immigration authorities and show up to the relevant meetings, but not that they should sign an agreement to voluntarily leave,” Schmidt-Nielsen told Jyllands-Posten newspaper, referring to the 2009 case of failed Iraqi asylum seekers who were forcibly repatriated after taking shelter in a church in Nørrebro. “We know from the Iraqis that no matter how much we inconvenience them, they won’t leave voluntarily. Even putting them in Ellebæk Jail did not get them to leave voluntarily,” SchmidtNielsen said. “There are lots of good elements in the government’s proposal, but it was actually the rejected Iraqis who were the reason Enhedlisten and [governing parties] SF, Socialdemokraterne and Radikale joined forces to make the six-month demand.”
ince winning last September’s election, the government has not had an easy time keeping the electorate on its side. In fact, support for the leading coalition party, Socialdemokraterne (S), has dwindled to a historically low 16 percent, down from 25 percent at the election. Many have blamed the government’s slipping popularity on its inability to push through a number of key policies, including a congestion charge in Copenhagen. As a result, it was quickly branded the “government of broken promises”. But a study by the think-tank Mandag Morgen has shown that the coalition government has only abandoned a small portion of its election promises, leading it to argue that the reputation is a myth. Mandag Morgen found that out of 315 pre-election policy proposals made by S and Socialistisk Folkeparti (SF), who were campaigning together, in the run-up to the election, 270 were added to the government’s agenda after the formation of the coalition with the centrist Radikale party. Of the 270 remaining policies, 70 have been passed into law, 148 are being negotiated, while 52 have yet to be addressed. Only 45, or 14 percent, have been abandoned. Despite this, the opposition and media have presented the government as incapable, weak and unable to live up to its promises. The words “broken promise” have appeared in over 1,200 different articles, comments and editorials over the past eight months. The migration away from the centre-left government parties could be explained by the image the media has presented. According to a Rambøll/ Analyse Danmark/Jyllands-Posten poll, 71 percent of voters who supported the parties that formed the government (S, SF and Radikale) along with far-left support party Enhedslisten, do not think the government fought for the policies they expected them to before the election. Mandag Morgen explained that the problem the government faces is that the former Venstre-Konservative coalition was better able to find consensus on policy than the current three-party coalition. “The broken promises debate completely overlooks the fact that the conditions in parliament for the new government are fundamentally different, and as a minority government comprised of three parties it is by definition not able to fulfil the wishes of all three parties.” The think-tank identified a range of policies that the government has introduced or found financing for, including a fund for victims of violent crime, as well as 2.6 billion kroner worth of investment to improve public transport. “None of these cases raised the same intense level of coverage as the broken promises debate,” Mandag Morgen wrote.
News
The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk
22 - 28 June 2012
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Are there dark clouds on the horizon following an agreement that was held back by the feet-dragging of the UK and Poland?
Danes usher in weakened EU energy requirements Peter Stanners Reduction initiatives are hoped to both create savings and stimulate economic growth
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Majority Danish stateowned energy provider Dong Energy already works closely with 130 businesses to reduce their energy consumption. According to Lars Clausen, Dong’s executive vice president, the EED will help bring about significant savings for industry while also boosting job creation across Europe. “Our experience in Denmark proves that energy companies can build a business based on saving their customers money by implementing energy-efficiency measures,” Clausen said. “I was sceptical at first, but over the last five years we’ve helped large businesses and institutions, including helping Novo Nordisk to use around 30 percent less energy, saving it around 40 million kroner a year.” Dong is helped by a political climate in Denmark that firmly backs low-carbon and renewable energy solutions to stimulate economic growth. Creating green growth was a key ambition for Denmark when it took over the EU presidency in January. And the government this March agreed on an ambitious energy plan that hopes to end Denmark’s reliance on fossil fuels by 2050.
Pressure on energy companies
Not all countries share these ambitions, however, with both the UK and coal-dependent Poland providing considerable opposition throughout the negotiations. The UK was successful in reducing the ambition of the EED, according to Dave Timms, an energy campaigner for environmental group Friends of the Earth.
But while increased building insulation and more efficient technology will make a significant contribution, energy companies will be given a 1.5 percent annual efficiency target. Much of these reductions are hoped to be achieved by helping their customers reduce their energy use.
UK and Poland scupper talks
“The UK government played a particularly significant role in weakening the directive by opposing an overall binding energy-saving target and, at the last minute, insisting on loopholes so it could claim credit for old policies as a way of meeting its future obligation,” Timms told the Guardian. Timms was referring to a
late change insisted on by the UK in which energy companies could fulfil a quarter of the 1.5 percent annual energy reduction through energy-saving schemes that have already been introduced. After European ministers agreed last Thursday to adopt the directive, Greenpeace Denmark blamed Poland and its
dependence on coal for limiting Europe’s environmental ambitions. “The longer the Polish government drags its feet, the longer the EU’s residents and economy will miss out on the benefits of a green transition in our energy system,” Frauke Theis, a Greenpeace spokesperson said.
High court rules that Lisbon Treaty signing was not unconstitutional Scanpix/keld navntoft
commitment to reducing European energy consumption by 17 percent by 2020 is being seen as a partial victory for the Danish EU presidency that led the negotiations. Some groups argued, however, that the final commitments outlined in the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) were significantly weakened, particularly given that the initial 20 percent energy savings target the European Commission proposed last year could not be achieved. But the climate minister, Martin Lidegaard (Radikale), said that the commitment was ambitious, considering the tough negotiations. “Just a few months ago, the European Parliament and the European Council were so far apart that an agreement was unthinkable,” Lidegaard wrote in a press release. “But now we have taken another big step towards a more sustainable energy future.” “It’s only 17 percent because that was possible to get,” Lidegaard said according to EurActiv, an EU news website. “We fought like lions. We started at 13 percent, and now we have 17 percent, and that is actually something we are proud of.” The EED will cost 180 billion kroner a year until 2020, according to Danish calculations, but it will save companies and consumers 2.5 trillion kroner due to reduced fuel expenditures and reduced costs associ-
ated with energy generation and distribution. The EED is also hoped to stimulate the European economy by creating 400,000 jobs and raising European GDP by 255 billion kroner in 2020, while also saving every European household up to 7,000 kroner a year. These jobs will be created as European countries put the directive into practice, and as a result the EED will form a key part in the negotiations later this June over the creation of a European growth treaty according to the EU climate commissioner, Connie Hedegaard. “All the governments of Europe say they want growth, and they want something that can create jobs in the short term,” Hedegaard said according to Reuters. “No matter how hard they think about it, it will be very difficult to think of better ideas.” In addition to stimulating the European economy and creating jobs, the EED will also contribute to the EU reaching its target of an 80-90 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, which is hoped to reduce Europe’s dependency on imported energy – the cost of which rose from 630 billion kroner in 1999 to 3.6 trillion kroner in 2011, according to the International Energy Agency.
Peter stanners A class action lawsuit failed in the Eastern High Court after it found the government did not have to hold a referendum before signing the Lisbon Treaty
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he government did not violate the constitution when it signed the Lisbon Treaty in 2007 without first holding a referendum, five judges in the Eastern High Court ruled last week on Friday. The verdict was made in a class action lawsuit launched by 34 individuals against the former Liberal-Conservative government. They argued that the Lisbon Treaty handed sovereignty on a range of issues affecting Denmark to the EU, and would therefore require a referendum because it was not passed by a five-sevenths super majority in parliament. The Lisbon Treaty was ratified by parliament in 2008 and came into effect on 1 December 2009. It created the role of pres-
Those who attended reflect on the verdict outside the Eastern High Court
ident of the European Council, currently held by Herman van Rompuy, and also strengthened the powers of the European Parliament. After the verdict, the lawyer representing the 34 individuals, Ole Krarup, a former MEP for the anti-EU party Folkebevægelsen mod EU, said he was disappointed by the verdict but that it was expected. “This shows that the courts don’t dare to contradict the government,” Krarup said. Both the prime miniter, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, and
the foreign minister, Villy Søvndal – who were members of the opposition at the time the treaty was signed and ratified – said they were pleased with the verdict. “We have noted the Eastern High Court’s verdict with satisfaction, which states that parliament did not violate any laws when it implemented legislation regarding Denmark’s accession to the treaty,” the two ministers stated in a press release. Krarup said the decision would be appealed to the Supreme Court.
News
The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk
22 - 28 June 2012
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Psychiatric centre accused of dangerous over-medication
scanpix/Jeppe Michael Jensen
Peter Stanners Psychiatrists allege that the management at Psykiatrisk Center Glostrup ignored worries about the over-medication of patients, which was ordered by the managing director
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Greater Copenhagen psychiatric care centre is facing intense criticism from former employees and the Health Ministry over allegations of the over-medication of patients and poor management. Psychiatrists working at Psykiatrisk Center Glostrup have reportedly been concerned for several years that patients were receiving doses of anti-psychotic medications that exceeded recommendations. Michael Von Buchwald, a former centre psychiatrist, told public broadcaster DR that many patients were also receiving tranquilisers, which had resulted in some developing breathing problems. “I don’t think it’s defensible. It shouldn’t be happening,” he said. Buchwald is one of eleven psychiatrists who have resigned from the centre in recent years due to their disillusionment with the leadership. “The psychiatrists are partially dissatisfied with the working environment, leadership style and the way that they are medicating,” Buchwald said. Concern about the overmedication has now led to the Health Ministry launching an investigation and condemning the management for overdosing patients.
The centre has seen eleven psychiatrists resign in recent years due to disillusionment with the leadership
“We want to ensure that there is sufficient justification to treat patients in this way as we do not want to subject patients to further risk,” Anne Mette Dons, the head of the Health Ministry’s inspection authority, told DR. Psychiatrists who have spoken with the press indicated that high doses of an antipsychotic medication, Zyprexa,
The management knew the psychiatrists were dissatisfied with the doses that the chief psychiatrists ordered should be used
Joint custody kids fare better in divorce Ray Weaver
So long as parents co-operate, children in shared custody arrangements can thrive, report finds
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hared custody arrangements can work well for children of divorce between the ages of 11 and 15, so long as the parents are flexible and communicate with each other, a new report from social welfare research centre SFI shows. “Parents are generally good at getting together and making the set-up work,” Mai Heide Ottosen, a senior scientist and program manager at SFI, told science news website videnskab.dk.
The study shows that one in five children split living time equally between both parents, and that when parents worked together, those children fared better than children who lived primarily with one parent. Ottosen stressed that cooperation, not court imposed rules governing custody, was the most important factor for the well-being of the children. “First and foremost, parents need to work well together, and custody must be designed so that the young people themselves feel that they have a say,” Ottosen told videnskab.dk. The study also revealed that a lack of co-operation between divorced parents is detrimental to children. Situations where divorced parents either insulted each other or had little contact resulted in their children feeling
more like they were living two separate lives than those adolescents whose parents worked to make the joint arrangement function smoothly. “Parents who work on the arrangement so that they, for example, live near each other, create good conditions for a child’s or young person’s life to hang together,” Ottosen told Videnskab.dk. SFI’s child development study has followed 6,000 children since they were born in 1995. Data regarding the children’s health, recreational habits and other categories has been collected in five rounds, most recently in 2011, when the children were 15. Ottosen had previously examined the children’s custody arrangements during the early years of their lives up to age.
were ordered by Henrik Lublin, the psychiatrist who heads the centre. Lublin said he had reversed the decision after receiving an anonymous letter in March drawing attention to the problem. But a copy of minutes from a meeting in December 2009 reveals that Lublin had been made aware of the over-medication problem long before.
“The head clinician’s prescriptions of Zyprexa clearly exceed the instructed doses while also combining them with benzodiazepams [tranquilisers],” the minutes state. Psychiatrist Bent Rosenbaum, who was at the 2009 meeting, confirmed that the management had been aware of the problem. “It’s a high level of denial,”
Rosenbaum told DR. “The management knew the psychiatrists were dissatisfied with the doses that the chief psychiatrists ordered should be used.” Lublin, however, has denied any irresponsible behaviour. “I think we have been fully responsible and have used the medicines responsibly,” he told DR.
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OPINION
THE COPENHAGEN POST CPHPOST.DK
The feel good issue Articles about ordinary people doing good things are few and far between in these pages. The two we bring this week show there’s more than one way to make a change.
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ORMALLY, THe Copenhagen Post’s articles tend to fall into one of two broad categories: people (particularly cabinet members) telling us what we ought to do, or people (including cabinet members) getting in trouble for saying or doing things they shouldn’t have. That’s why this week is a breath of fresh air of sorts that we are carrying two articles about ordinary people doing praiseworthy things. And while the first (see page 4) – a community garden in an area once frequented by drug dealers – is a portrait of a project just getting underway, its organisers can be inspired by the second (also page 4), which shows that personal initiative and persistence can make a difference. We don’t expect that everyone will go to the lengths Sandra Høj has – that level of persistence is exceptional in every sense of the word – but if her enthusiasm can influence people to think twice about what happens to their rubbish after it leaves their hands, we would we be living in a cleaner city. It would also conceivably be a richer one. Over the course of a year, the cost of cleaning up Copenhagen adds up to 90 million kroner. According to the city, during the summer months, an extra 40 full-time employees are needed to clean up after visitors. And in 2008, it was calculated that the cost of cleaning up a single cigarette butt costs 2 kroner, while scraping off a wad of chewing gum costs 10 kroner. Take a look down next time you’re out on the pavement and start adding up how much money could be saved and instead spent on your programme of choice. Add to that the impression visitors get when they come to a city ranked in a poll a few years back as one of the messiest in Europe, and the price of littering starts to become unbearable. While Høj’s trash vigilantism is a testament to the power of personal persistence, the Nørrebroparken garden offers a model for how a community – whether geographical or social – can beat back blight. Without intending it, those involved in Byhaven 2200 have forced drug dealers away from their homes. But now that the lesson has been learned, it could easily be applied in other places where residents are committed to reclaiming their territory. Such measures would require the support of the community, but the rapid growth of Byhaven 2200’s membership underscores that people, given the opportunity, are willing to commit themselves to a project they can engage in with others. Whether it’s converting litterbugs or keeping drug dealers on the run, both projects will cost the city money, but few would argue that, even during a recession, keeping the streets clean of litter and criminals is a bad investment.
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WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
22 - 28 June 2012
Failing the democratic stress test and no Dane suffered because of the government failing to speak up. But, it’s another thing to implement restrictions that border on censorship, creating in essence a mild version of the situation faced every day by people in China. During the visit, while the Danish media were opting not to criticise China, other forms of public protest were being swept away from the view of the Chinese delegation. This meant that the independent broadcaster NTD TV was unable to get accreditation to cover the visit, and JACOB MCHANGAMA Jyllands-Posten newspaper reportedly has a recording of a ForVER THE past year or eign Ministry employee stating so, banks across Europe that Chinese officials determined have been given stress which Chinese media were given tests to determine how accreditation, even though NTD well they would fare should the TV is based in New York. It’s continent’s economic woes wors- understandable that the Chinese en. Last week, it was Denmark’s didn’t want a critical TV station democratic institutions that were to cover Hu’s visit, and denying put to the test during the visit its reporters accreditation was a of China’s president, Hu Jintao. favoured Chinese tactic. Being put to the test was how a In the words of the US State country that claims to be among Department in its most recent the freest in the world, and which human rights remakes human port on China: rights among its “The governmost important ment limited foreign policy attendance at priorities, would This isn’t the first official governdeal with a state ment press briefvisit by the head time you could ings to domestic of the world’s question whether a media; foreign second-largest media and dipeconomy, but Danish government is lomats were which is also an kowtowing to another only allowed to authoritarian attend briefings one-party state country when there is conducted by that has carried the Ministry of something big at stake out systematic Foreign Affairs human rights and a handful of violations. This government has press briefings held around spenever been one to criticise China, cial events.” and during the three day week, But, the situation was to go its “pragmatic” approach to Chi- from bad to worse. On Friday, na’s human rights violations was an Ekstra Bladet journalist was evident. arrested for trying to hang a But, it’s one thing to refrain placard criticising China’s Tibet from taking China to task about policy around the neck of the the way it treats its own citizens. Little Mermaid. It’s well possible Even though you could criticise that such an action would violate the government for lacking the some city ordinance, but if that fortitude to criticise China, it in had been so, the police could fact has no obligation to do so, just have removed the placard
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could question whether a Danish government is kowtowing to another country when there is something big at stake. Take, for example, the allegations that Copenhagen-based Kurdish TV station Roj TV supported terrorism. Despite being cleared numerous times by Radio og TV-Nævnet, the national broadcast watchdog, the trial against the station’s management began just as Turkey was using its growing economic prowess to put pressure on Denmark, and at a time when thenPM Anders Fogh Rasmussen was seeking to become NATO secretary general. Another example is the former government’s decision to reopen the case against Niels Holck, who had confessed to helping deliver weapons to Indian insurgents. Efforts to extradite him had been given up, but again, with India’s rapidly growing economy, the government decided to try again. These examples show that the West isn’t capable of dictating the terms in the same way it did before. It may be a good thing that the world no longer needs to do what the West says, but it’s a problem when it starts to limit the power of our democratic institutions and curtail our liberties. The Chinese stress test showed that even a staunchly liberal democracy like Denmark can be shaken, and that thanks to decades of increasing quality of life, we’re no longer so protective of our rights. Just like the bank stress tests led to slashed credit ratings, the way Denmark dealt with the Chinese visit should lead to a downgrade of the country’s ranking when it comes to respecting people’s civil and political rights. The author is the director of legal affairs for the Centre for Political Studies (CEPOS), an independent think-tank promoting a society based on freedom, responsibility, private initiative and limited government.
READER COMMENTS The 2012 Children’s Fair
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and told the reporter not to do it again or just to leave the area entirely. Arresting him was an utterly disproportional act, particularly if you argue that he was trying to exercise his right to free speech. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the only instance of the police placing Chinese sensitivities above Danes’ right to exercise a constitutional right. According to Jyllands-Posten, a woman was arrested when she tried to unfurl a Tibetan flag as Hu sailed past on his tour of Copenhagen Harbour. The police, according to the woman, told her that she was being charged for possession of narcotics, since it was the only charge that would allow them to search and arrest her. The charges have since been dropped. If her version of the story is correct – and all indications are that it is – then it’s a horrible example of the police’s random use of their powers. Just like the failure to accredit NTD TV, and the arrests of the Ekstra Bladet reporter and the demonstrator are standard Chinese procedures. Again, according to the US State Department’s human rights report on China: “Authorities heightened restrictions on freedom of movement periodically, particularly to curtail the movement of individuals deemed politically sensitive before key anniversaries and visits of foreign dignitaries and to forestall demonstrations … The authorities increased attempts to limit freedom of speech and to control the press, the internet and internet access ... Abuses peaked around highprofile events, such as the visit of foreign officials.” Can it really be true that Denmark adopts Chinese tactics on its own territory out of fear of how the Chinese would react? Unfortunately, these examples are just the latest in a long line that bear witness to the consequences the new world order will have on values such as freedom of speech and political pluralism. This isn’t the first time you
Just wanted to say congratulations for the event on Sunday. It was really well organised. I was very impressed and my kids loved it! I’ve had lots of positive feedback. Here is some feedback from one of my meet-up members that attended: “This was a well planned event. The fireman and police counters were a huge success with my kids. I had so much to learn from the Red Cross Counter. The other stalls like the meetup stall and the Job Centre stall (for example) had so much more information for me. My kids enjoyed every bit of the pony rides, face painting, balloon shapes, colouring, sticking, making masks, and playing activities. Nothing could be better for us and our kids. A huge
THANK YOU to the organisers, contributors, and helpers for making this happen for us. My kids were so very happy as were we.” Sarah Andersen New City Mums By email
Shalom Aliechem on the way to synagogue. Embarrassingly, he refused to take anything for returning the phone. So I’ve got his address and will send him something special. Andrew Casey By email
Copenhagen’s best taxi driver: Osman Kucuk
You may now kiss the groom
I lost my iPhone last Friday. The next Monday, I got a message on Facebook from the taxi driver who drove me to the synagogue – he found the phone in his car. Osmon doesn’t live in Copenhagen, and he wasn’t working Monday, so he promised to come to my hotel on Tuesday to deliver my phone. He said he remembered me because we were discussing the Arabic Sallam Aleikum and the Hebrew
Enough already with the gay marriage articles! The topic is all well and good, but five articles in two days is bordering on fetish – pun intended. The1youlove2hate By website Luther must be turning over in his grave. When a government commands the Lutheran Church to embrace unrepentant sin, the line that Jesus drew in the sand is all too clear. God’s Church is not subject to such law, and I
guess we will see if the Lutherans know that. Lrcumming By website Tits up, this is dead in the water Come on CPH Post. Colourful headlines are fine, but show some class while doing so. I expect a professional newspaper to know when it crosses the line from witty humour for literary sake and crass humour for sensationalism sake. The1youlove2hate By website Says the one using the Mensa logo as an avatar. Exactly what did you expect? A cinematic three-dimensional in-depth aquatic study of Serrasalminae by a narrator with a minor stutter? RexKbh2100 By website
OPINION
THE COPENHAGEN POST CPHPOST.DK
22 - 28 June 2012
9
To Be Perfectly Frank BY FRANK THEAKSTON Born in 1942 on the Isle of Wight, Englishman Frank Theakston has been in Copenhagen 32 years and is on his second marriage to a Dane. Frank comes from a different time and a different culture – which values are the right ones today?
Happiness … happiness …
The sandy beach of Paleochora, the bride (not the pride) of the Libyan Sea
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REETINGS from sunny Paleochora, ‘the bride of the Libyan Sea’ according to the official local website. The site is impressively informative and well put together, though the odd typo did make me initially think that they meant ‘the pride of the Libyan Sea’. Not so: the explanation is that the sun god Apollo, according to ancient mythology, was the loyal suitor of his beautiful ‘bride’ on the south coast of Crete and never left her side, even in the depths of winter. Ulla and I came to Paleochora for the first time last year on the recommendation of some friends and immediately booked a return trip this year. A three-hour flight from Kastrup to Chania and one and a half hours by bus or car and you’re there – a whole different world. I know that’s a well-worn cli-
ché, but in this case it’s entirely appropriate. It’s a small town surrounded by daunting mountains and basking by the side of a crystal-clear sea. It has a long sandy beach on one side of the peninsula, and a little harbour on the other from which the ferry sails once a day, providing a vital link to otherwise isolated communities further along the coast. Small fishing boats set out in the evening to lay their nets and by early morning have been out to retrieve the night’s catch of fresh fish for the local restaurants. No high-life here, unless you count walking to the top of a local peak and back. No late-night clubbing with the resultant rowdy behaviour. No unwanted noise at all in fact. Here you are immersed in the local community and you live by its conditions. There are
plenty of pavement cafés, bars and restaurants at which to while away the evening in good company or to sit in the shade with a cold beer in the heat of the day. And lots of possibilities for walking in the countryside
While Danes are currently squealing with indignation at the thought of giving up one of their myriads of public holidays, the people here are at work literally from dawn to dusk and beyond, seven days a week
with just the occasional meeting with like-minded souls and a brief ‘hello’. But why am I telling you this? The key to the answer lies in that clichéd phrase I mentioned above. This is not just a different world because it’s a couple of thousand kilometres south of Denmark and a lot sunnier. The mentality is also a world away. Just take the attitude to work. While Danes are currently squealing with indignation at the thought of giving up one of their myriads of public holidays, the people here are at work literally from dawn to dusk and beyond, seven days a week – at least during the long tourist season. As in most southern European countries, especially outside the major metropolises, work is not seen as the antithesis of leisure. There is no rush to get home at
three o’clock in the afternoon in order to have ‘quality time’ with the family and hygge sig. Note that I say they are ‘at work’, not necessarily ‘working’, since being at work is just a normal part of everyday life and includes family affairs and socialising as well as the work itself. Of course, this contrast in attitudes to work can generally be seen between the north and west of Europe on the one hand and the south and east on the other, though it is most noticeable in regard to the countries most influenced by the protestant work ethic. This of course includes the Calvinist countries of Scandinavia, whose peoples also claim to be among the happiest in the world. So how do we measure happiness? I would contend that we can’t. What is measured and compared is not happiness but
contentment with one’s lot. And then it’s quite clear that those who are materially better off are more content with their lot than those who aren’t. But then we come to the question of how we equate contentment with ‘happiness’. In order to make that shift we have to accept certain conditions; in other words, we have to sell our souls, if not to the Devil then certainly to Mammon. Which is precisely what the materialistic Western world has done, assiduously protecting its way of life from anything and anyone that might threaten it, building up a fear of anything ‘foreign’. Gated communities à la USA are appearing in Denmark, demonstrating the ghetto mentality so derided when practised by immigrants. All in the name of ‘freedom’, ‘democracy’ and, I suppose, ‘happiness’.
CPH POST VOICES
‘MACCARTHY’S WORLD’
‘THE LYNCH REPORT’
‘PERNICKETY DICKY’
‘STILL ADJUSTING’
Clare MacCarthy is Nordic correspondent for The Economist and a frequent contributor to The Financial Times and The Irish Times. She’ll go anywhere from the Gobi Desert to the Arctic in search of a story. The most fascinating thing about Denmark, she says, is its contradictions.
English-Australian theatre director Stuart Lynch has lived in Copenhagen since Clinton impeached his cigars and writes from the heart of the Danish and international theatre scene. He is married with kids and lives in Nørrebro. Visit his Danish theatre at www.lynchcompany.dk.
English by nature – Danish at heart. Freelance journalist Richard Steed has lived in Copenhagen for nearly five years now. “I love this city and want Copenhagen to be a shining example to the rest of the world.”
A proud native of the American state of Iowa, Justin Cremer has been living in Copenhagen since June 2010. In addition to working at the CPH Post, he balances fatherhood, the Danish language and the ever-changing immigration rules. Follow him at twitter.com/justincph
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CHILDREN’S FAIR 2012 THE COPENHAGEN POST CPHPOST.DK
22 - 28 June 2012
PHOTOS BY ASHLEY TUITE WORDS BY SHANDANA MUFTI
Once again, the Children’s Fair thrilled children and their parents, keeping everybody entertained for an afternoon in the park. Though rain and wind had volunteers wondering if people would show up, both the international and Danish communities were well represented at the event, with about a thousand visitors coming to see what Copenhagen’s various clubs and organisations have to offer
Balloon artist Kai Ahlberg was once again a huge hit with the kids, who had their parents queuing for ages for animals and flowers. Hopefully he recognised some faces from last year
THE COPEN
Jakob Andersen (right) tried out these weights, and learned how to lift them carefully, swing them around, and then put them back down gently. Watch out – he may be Denmark’s next bodybuilder
Jasper Hampson asked facepainter Thomas Vergo to turn him into a pirate – or else Vergo would have to walk the plank
Pilates was among the various activities that visitors to the fair could try out. We don’t know for sure, but we call this one the upside down bicycle
The Copenhagen Post would like to thank all the participating clubs, visitors and sponsors who helped make the 2012 Children’s Fair an enormous success. See you in 2013.
Denmark’s only English-language newspaper
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Like last year, the Capoeira Skolen Sanzala drew huge crowds all afternoon. Everyone gathered to watch their Brazilian martial art dance performances, and some spectators even joined in
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Teis Cremer became an officer of the law for a couple of minutes when he sat on a police motorcycle. We wonder if he stopped any crimes
The ballerinas floated around this area, impressing visitors with their carefully synchronised steps
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Jonathan Jungsberg showed off his street hockey moves in a secluded corner, whizzing around on his skates while others tried to steal the ball
These siblings were among the firefighters’ helpers, risking their lives to put out the flames threatening this house. Their mission was successful
THE COPEN
CHILDREN’S FAIR 2012 THE COPENHAGEN POST CPHPOST.DK
22 - 28 June 2012
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Brothers Ferdinand and Alexander Weiss looked somewhat relieved following their tour of a fire engine
The pony rides were probably the most popular activity for all the kids. Pictured here is Mia Lipscomb - a Zara Phillips in the making
Marie Tejsner Andersen was one of the hundreds who enjoyed the free snacks provided by Marriot. These portable cartons contained a cookie and some carrot sticks
Sofia Bussink joined her dad Pim in the police car. Seems like they lowered the driving age drastically
Martin Briggs Andersen enjoyed stirring things at the Montessori International Preschool table. Who says only women belong in the kitchen?
Maxim Weilert tested out his batting at the Gladsaxe Softball & Baseball Club stand
THE COPEN
The 2012 Children’s Fair would like to thank its sponsors: Copenhagen International Services, Maersk, McDonald’s, the Employment Ministry, the Marriott Hotel Copenhagen and DGI, and its partners: Expat in Denmark, Spousecare, the Copenhagen Public Library, the Danish Red Cross and Copenhagen Police and Fire Brigade. Denmark’s only English-language newspaper
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Is that Spiderman riding a pony with a cookie in his hand? No, that’s just silly – it’s Eshaan Mehmood after having his face painted
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Kristoffer Licht and Sander Mikelsen had us impressed with their football skills. The best part? Watching Sander score a goal against Kristoffer
The Copenhagen Post’s own Dima Paranytsia was one of the raffle winners (it wasn’t rigged, we swear), winning a three-course dinner for four – drinks included – at the Marriott Hotel
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This ladder would definitely come in handy if called upon to extinguish a fire in a skyscraper! Luckily, this was just for show at the fair
The KIF stand gave would-be athletes the chance to practice their standing long jump
THE COPEN
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COMMUNITY
THE COPENHAGEN POST CPHPOST.DK
22 - 28 June 2012
ABOUT TOWN PHOTOS BY HASSE FERROLD
(UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED)
PHOTO: DAVE SMITH
Japanese ambassador Toshio Sano hosted an event called ‘Tastes of Japanese Traditional Culture: NOH Drama and more’ at his residence in Hellerup on June 8. Pictured on the right (left-right) are Carsten Dencker Nielsen, the former CEO of the East-Asiatic Company, Ambassador Sano, and the daughter of Takio Oda, who in 1957 was appointed the first ever Japanese ambassador to Denmark
Luxembourg celebrated its national day last week on Tuesday with a reception at Sølyst in Klampenborg, which gave the city’s diplomatic corps the chance to bid farewell to its outgoing ambassador Pierre-Louis Lorenz (on the far right)
Croatia celebrated its national day last week on Wednesday. Pictured with his wife on the right greeting guests is the country’s ambassador Ladislav Pivcevic
German ambassador Michael Zenner (second from the right) gamely put on his country’s national football shirt to watch his country’s opening Euro 2012 game against Portugal at a meeting hall in Skt Petri Church. Not sure whether he was so bold for the game against Denmark!
Dating the Danes columnist Jessica O’Sullivan signs off this week with news that is bound to disappoint all her male readers. See below for more details
DATING THE DANES
True, the Antipodeans hate being mistaken for one another and rarely agree on anything, but they are well-known for speaking their mind, so who better to ask for an opinion on dating Danish men than New Zealand’s Emily McLean and Australia’s Jessica O’Sullivan, two tough-talking girls who might have to kiss a lot of frogs to find their prince. After all, nobody ever said Dating the Danes was going to be easy.
a group of friends. He started emailing me, and so began the extended online conversation. en the world over are After a month I was bored. He not that difficult to un- was clearly interested in me and derstand. They are bio- I in him, but he just never made the next move. So logically wired with I did what every the same instincts as dating book had their cavemen countold me not to do: I terparts: they spot their prey and hunt Danish men remind asked him out. While waiting it down, doing eve- me of hyenas. This for his reply the rything within their power to catch it. In explains why there following thoughts modern day terms is so much double- ran through my mind: “I’ve been this is known as ‘the dipping in this way too forward,” thrill of the chase’. “I’ve scared him Danish men, country. off”, “he will probthough, seem to be wired slightly differently to the ably lose interest now”, and “the rest of their homosapien coun- thrill of the chase is over”. But I really had nothing to terparts. They seem to have lost their inner-caveman instincts. I fear. My pro-activeness in initiatblame this on their uber-evolved society, which actually encourag- ing a date had the opposite efes the genders to go against their fect. He actually became even more intrigued. But from there natural hardwiring. Now I have no aversion on in, he assumed he never had to asking a man out. But it to lift a finger. He became a lazy seems Danish men almost ex- hyena and I the hunting lion. According to the Danish pect that. And here’s where my kingdom’s dating rules, this is story begins. I met a Danish man through completely within the realm of
EMILY MCLEAN
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the acceptable. Take one of my best friends for example. She hunted her husband for months before he finally cracked, and it was her that even initiated the first kiss! Danish men remind me of hyenas. They want to hunt their prey, but they’re either not too sure how to go about it or are just plain lazy. They therefore end up feeding off the dregs of a kill that another animal bothered to make (most likely their best friend). This also explains why there is so much double-dipping in this country. Danish women are ultimately the lions of the land: they spot, stalk and hunt their prey, stopping at nothing to get it. So much so that they have put the men in a passive role. Now, I’m not backward about being forward – never have been, never will be. If I like you, you’ll know about it, and if I don’t, you’ll know that too. But I won’t chase you all the way across the Pride Lands. Do you ever see a zebra chasing a lion? Exactly my point.
JESSICA O’SULLIVAN
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ife rarely ever works out like we plan, and my life in Denmark has been no different. I came here, rather naively I must admit, with a man I thought I was madly in love with. However, soon after arriving, I was forced back to reality when he declared his undying love for me had in fact died. Whilst I won’t bore you with the ups and downs that followed, I will say that alone and new to this country, I set out to do the only thing I could: move on. In the process, I started this column, and seeing as this is my last one, I think it only fair to finish the story. As many of you may know, in the process of moving on, I began dating Danish men, and throughout my time here, I’ve really had some shockers of a date. From wannabe bicycle-oiling Romeos, to line-crossing smooth talkers and straight-laced bores, I travelled the country, well at least Copenhagen, in pursuit of my own Danish prince. Overall, I’ve had some great experiences, as well as some lousy
moments. I bought bikes, only Danish men. Now don’t get me to have them stolen, met men I wrong. I’m not saying they aren’t thought were nice but weren’t, without their faults. But I guess, and I even had a visit from he- regardless of origin, no men are. What I do know now, after who-should-not-be-named: The Ex. Having drifted through Eu- writing them off months ago, is rope, including a visit to his ex- that I’ve had to eat my words. The girlfriend’s pants, he returned more men I’ve got to know here, to Copenhagen, supposedly a including my own Mr Normal changed man, and even asked for (yes, he’s the one), the more I’ve realised they are kind, sensitive, sexy my hand in marriage. I’ve also had my hopes set and actually a lot of fun. Now whilst high, only to have them I never would dashed again, but in spite have thought of all of this, I have learnt that ‘fun’ and that many things, includ- The more Danish ‘Danish’ are two ing people, are not always men I’ve got to words I’d put as they first appear. And with that I have know … the more together. I think I now know the a confession to make: I I’ve realised they secret to Danish am in love with a Dane. Despite having written are kind, sensitive, men, and that is that you’ve got to extensively about their sexy and actually approach them failings, unbelievably like a really good feminine dress sense, Q a lot of fun. & A style of dating and general candy bar. Good as it may look, cold demeanour, I must admit eat it all quickly and you’ll never be that they aren’t as bad as they first satisfied, but consume it bit by bit and you’ll learn to truly savour it. seemed. With that, I leave you to You see, most of these columns have actually been back- continue exploring this country, dated, so over my time here, I with my new Danish husband have learnt to actually appreciate by my side …
THE COPENHAGEN POST CPHPOST.DK
22 - 28 June 2012
13
Converted to the cause: Now they wish they all could be California JESSICA O’SULLIVAN AmCham event lifts the lid on how American’s golden state produces some of the best wines in the world
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HERE aren’t many occasions when you find yourself locked in a room, drinking wine, stripped of your worldly possessions and surrounded by futurists, auditors, CEOs, psychologists and a ballet dancer (to name a few) without thinking that maybe you’ve imbibed a few too many. Unless you were at last week’s Californian wine-tasting event at the American Embassy.
Organised by the American Chamber of Commerce in Denmark (AmCham), the event was designed to promote the Californian wine industry to Denmark, and what better way than by offering free wine samplings to the who’s who of the Copenhagen oenophile community who had gathered to learn, network and taste – and taste they did indeed. Stephen Brugger, the executive director of AmCham, jokingly kicked off the event by saying that “the day’s programme isn’t rocket science”, explaining that while Californian wines have tended to play a minor role in the minds of wine-consuming Danes,
this is slowly starting to change. The US ambassador, the highly personable Laurie Fulton, welcomed guests. An avid winelover herself, Fulton earned her grape credentials among the crowd by proudly saying that the first thing she does when going to a restaurant is look at the wine list, and if there are no American wines offered, she often considers going elsewhere. Fulton told The Copenhagen Post that she believes American wines “are among the best in the world” and reiterated how delighted she was to be part of an AmCham event that highlights the best of them. Those wielding the wine were
in high demand, of course, but when they weren’t busy topping up glasses, many distributors took the time to explain why they believe Californian wines are still struggling to make their mark in Denmark, despite their unbelievable drinkability. “Unfortunately, Californian wine isn’t yet as popular, but that’s simply because the quality is so high and therefore the price is also high,” said Pia Vodder, the Danish manager of California Wines. Not one to drown his sorrows unless it’s with a good Californian red, Claus Tang-Holbek, a wine distributor with Kjær & Sommerfeldt, asserted that the
news isn’t all bad for Californian wines. “Wines in this country tend to be easily drinkable like CocaCola. But for a wine with genuine taste, you have to be willing to spend around 100 kroner, and this is where Californian wines are going to find their niche in this country,” he said. Despite a general consensus that American wines still have a long way to go to gain a foothold in Denmark, most guests were too busy lapping up the vino to dwell on any negativities. For example, Alice Rasmussen from California Wine ApS proclaimed the event a “super-cosy, exciting and suc-
cessful event to be a part of ”. With so many great wines being offered, some found it hard to choose a favourite, but Ambassador Fulton’s picks of the day included the 2007 KendallJackson Camelot Highlands Chardonnay, the Hahn Pinot Noir and any of the Zinfandels, which Fulton cheekily suggested had a bit of spice that the Danes need. Helping to soak up the abundance of alcohol, the food was prepared by The Diplomat restaurant and included some much-appreciated Californian sushi rolls, Texan beef steak, New Mexican spareribs and seared Hawaiian tuna. PHOTOS: PAMELA JUHL
Ambassador Fulton raises a glass to proceedings
Fulton, Pia Vodder and Alice Rasmussen inspect the wares
“I’ll tell you when to stop,” Polly Fairchild tells Esben Brendstrup
Keld Johnsen and Peter Stakemann compare notes
Designs on the CTC prize DAVE SMITH Enter the theatre group’s competition to design it a new logo and win 7,500 kroner
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OPENHAGEN Theatre Circle (CTC) is the oldest English-language theatre company in Denmark, having produced high-quality drama for the general public in Copenhagen since 1968. That’s an impressive 44 years (just six years until their diamond jubilee – that’s going to be a big party), which might explain why its management feel it’s time for a change, starting with its logo. So calling all the graphic designers out there, here’s a chance to earn a little pocket money by designing the CTC’s new logo. “In recent years, the Copen-
hagen Theatre Circle has been expanding rapidly,” explained CTC chairman Frank Theakston. After seven productions in 1998 and 1999, the CTC hit a barren patch, producing just five plays over the following seven years. However, things began to pick up in 2007, and the group has produced six productions since April 2010. It now aims to produce at least three major stage productions a season, including a traditional British pantomime at Christmas. “We’re therefore commissioning a new design concept for its internal and external communications,” continued Theakston. “The designer’s task is to comprise the design of a new logo, together with a visual and typographical palette, with the aim of compiling overall style
guidelines for our communications.” The winner of the competition will receive 7,500 kroner. The CTC also organises play readings, improvisation courses and social events for its members, and is increasingly moving into ‘fringe’ activities such as staged readings, theatre sports, film projects, workshops and ‘happenings’. The CTC is fully self-supporting through membership fees and box office takings at public events. To enter the competition, please e-mail info@ctcircle.dk before 30 June and you will be sent more detailed information. The submissions deadline for the project is 31 August. For further information regarding the theatre group, visit www.ctcircle.dk or call Frank Theakston on 2812 3680.
Denmark’s Ulrik Fleischer-Michaelsen was among the converted
COMING UP SOON Book club in English Østerbro Library, Dag Hammarskjölds Allé 19, Cph Ø; Wed 27 June, 17:15; free adm; www.meetup.com The English book club provides an opportunity to discuss thought-provoking and topical books. This time they will be discussing JD Salinger’s ‘The Catcher in the Rye’. You can pick up a copy at the library. Food photography and dinner Check meetup.com for location; Sat 23 June, 18:30; free adm; www.meetup.com Food photography is very similar to photographing people in a sense that each person has their best side. Considering the variety of food out there, diverse cooking and presentation styles, the final results are endless. Everyone attending will bring a dish from their own country.
Volunteers for Para-motoring Championship The Baltic Open Para-motoring Championship, held in Latvia, is looking for volunteers and graffiti artists. Send your personal information to futurekulture@hotmail.com. Travel costs to Latvia will be covered. BCCD: Special Lunch with John Stuttart Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Hammerichsgade 1, Cph V; Thu 5 July, 11:45; free adm; sign up at www.bccd.dk John Stuttard is an English chartered accountant who was lord mayor of the City of London in 2006/2007. The talk will look at the reasons behind the City of London becoming one of the financial centres of the world, what the key success factors, opportunities and threats are, and what the role of lord mayor is.
Family Day at Skt Josef ’s Frederiksborgvej 10, 4000 Roskilde; Thu 21 June, 16:00; sign up at line@sktjosef.dk; 5339 4245 Skt Josef ’s International School in Roskilde is organising a Family Day. Meet in the school courtyard at 16:00, play the ‘Town Challenge’ game, and then head off for some icecream at event sponsor Paradis. Silver Spoon – The Clash The Royal Café, Amagertorv 6, Cph K; Fri 22 June, 18:30; 425kr, www.billetto.dk/theclash Visually, you will be transported to a location evoking a blend of London, Copenhagen, and Hong Kong. Gastronomically, you will be teleported to Japan by chef Frederik Jensen, exploring the cozy izakaya-kitchen style. Musically, you’ll find yourself swaying to the beats of Berlin, Jamaica, and Chicago. MIKE HOFMAN
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SPORT
THE COPENHAGEN POST CPHPOST.DK
22 - 28 June 2012
Danes wave ‘auf wiedersehen’ with chins up CHRISTIAN WENANDE Denmark crash out of the Euros after losing tough game against favourites Germany, but the future looks bright
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T COULD have gone either way on Sunday night. If only Jakob Poulsen’s effort had glanced the other side of the post, if only Nicklas Bendtner had been given the penalty, and if only the name on the big screen at the stadium in Lviv included an extra ‘t’ and an ‘n’. Bender, Bendtner, these are the fine lines by which games are won and lost. But the gods of football did not favour the Danes that evening in Ukraine, and an inspired performance against tournament favourites Germany was not enough to see them through. Michael Krohn-Dehli’s second goal of the tournament had equalised an early Lukas Podolski
strike, and with the Dutch leading against Portugal at the time, Danish hopes were high. But in a flash everything changed. Cristiano Ronaldo scored for the Portuguese and Denmark suddenly needed all three points. The match hung in the balance for long periods of the second half. Germany had the lion’s share of the possession, but couldn’t capitalise, while Denmark went desperately close when Poulsen hit the post. Then things got worse. Portugal took the lead against the Netherlands and Lars Bender put the Germans up after some unforgivable defending by Poulsen who let Bender stroll into the box and snuff out the Danish dreams. Agger was close with a header as time ran out, but there was no way Denmark would score two goals in the final ten minutes. As the ref blew the final whistle, the Danish players slumped to the ground with a mixture of disappointment and exhaustion. Before the tournament had even started, it was apparent that Denmark would have to
fire on all cylinders if they were to have any chance of progressing from the dreaded Group of Death. While some players rose to the occasion, flourishing in the Ukrainian sunshine, others, for whatever reason, failed to impress and lift the team. Three players that sparkled AN INJURY to the first choice keeper, the out-of-form Thomas Sørensen, in a pre-tournament friendly against Brazil proved to be a blessing for the team. His replacement, Stephan Andersen, rose masterfully to the challenge and has been one of the best keepers in the tournament thus far. His performance against the Netherlands in the first game was absolutely brilliant. There were few who predicted that Michael Krohn-Dehli, the little Brøndby left-winger, would score two goals and be one of the stars for Denmark at the Euros. But Krohn-Dehli became an unlikely hero and wrote himself into Danish football folklore with his stunning goal against the Netherlands and followed that up with an assist against Portugal and another goal against Germany. His career has been marred by injuries so the Danish fans could be forgiven for not counting on Daniel Agger lasting the three games in Ukraine. But the tattoo-ridden Danish captain not only lasted the distance, but marshalled the back four with a poise and passion perhaps not seen for Denmark since coach Morten Olsen was the libero in the 1980s. Agger’s crunching tackles, domination in the air and his abil-
ity to read the game kept the Danes in many games when they were on the back foot. A massive inspiration. Three players that fizzled CHRISTIAN Eriksen is considered one of the brightest talents in Europe, and there were high expectations that his creative spark would give the Danes a creative edge not seen since the Laudrup brothers. Alas, Eriksen seemed jaded and was virtually invisible throughout the tournament, barely even having a shot on goal. The young starlet was by far the biggest disappointment for the Danes. To be fair, Dennis Rommedahl did pick up an injury against Portugal and didn’t play against Germany, but the experienced winger with more than a century of caps offered little in terms of going forward. His crossing was especially dire, and defensively he was far too lethargic against Portugal, costing a goal early on. This tournament may mark the end of his international career. Of the five goals Denmark conceded in Ukraine, Simon Poulsen was directly involved in four of them. Despite playing well against the Dutch, lax defending allowed Portugal to score twice from crosses by the man Poulsen was marking, and then he oddly failed to close down Silvestre Varela when Portugal scored their winner. Against Germany, Poulsen again looked poor as he allowed Thomas Müller with his back to goal to turn and cross the ball to Lukas Podolski who promptly scored.
moments during which the games are decided and the three close games Denmark were involved in were no exception. In the first game against the Netherlands with Denmark clinging to a 1-0 lead and the Netherlands pushing forward, goalkeeper Stephan Andersen made a series of saves that kept the Danes ahead and allowed them to preserve the fragile lead. One sequence was particularly important as Andersen made a double save, first of all denying Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and then thwarting Ibrahim Affelay’s follow-up after a spectacular pass from Wesley Sneijder. Against Portugal, Denmark had come back from two goals down to equalise with ten minutes left, but then substitute Silvestre Varela was given far too much space to score the winner with five minutes remaining. Simon Poulsen did his best to disappear to allow the Portuguese forward to turn and power a shot home. With the game tied at 1-1 in the second half of the Germany game and Denmark needing a win to progress, Jakob Poulsen suddenly found himself free on the edge of the German box. But Poulsen’s effort clipped the outside of the post, denying the Danes an opportunity to win the game and send the Germans home.
Looking ahead BUT AS the Danes pack their bags and set off for home, they can hold their heads high knowing they have exceeded expectations. The bitter disappointment of coming so close to progressing to the quarter-finals will be washed away by the brilliant performance by the team picked to be the whipping boys of the Group of Death. And they can’t rest too long on their laurels either. Already in September, the quarter-final bound Czech Republic will visit Denmark in a match that heralds the beginning of the qualification campaign for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Italy and Bulgaria will also provide stern opposition in the group, but the future looks bright for the Danish football team. They may not have provided that miracle, but they’re young, hungry and have certainly won the hearts of all their fans.
Looking back IN MOST matches there are key
If only the name on the big screen at the stadium in Lviv included an extra ‘t’ and an ‘n’
SCANPIX
SPORTS NEWS AND BRIEFS Golfers disappoint
Smarty pants out of pocket
Woz can win – so she says
Laudrup’s historic first
Le Man comes second
Sad times on the sofa
ALL THREE Danish golfers missed the cut at the US Open, golf’s second major the season, which concluded on Sunday in San Francisco. Søren Kjeldsen shot the second worst opening round – an 85 that included a 12over outward nine – and finished sixth from last overall. Thomas Bjørn recovered from a poor first round to miss the cut by a stroke, while Anders Hansen slumped out of contention on day two.
NICKLAS BENDTNER has been fined 735,000 kroner and given a one-game ban by UEFA for revealing the name of a bookmaker on his “lucky underpants” after scoring an equaliser in Denmark’s 3-2 defeat by Portugal last week on Wednesday. UEFA rules ban all kinds of advertising. Furthermore, one of the Danish FA’s main sponsors is English bookie Ladbroke’s. Bendtner plans to appeal.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI is tenth favourite (Ladbroke’s: 40/1) to win Wimbledon, which starts on Monday 25 June. The draw will be announced on Friday. The Dane, who at the time of going to press was warming up in the grass-court AEGON International in Eastbourne, told English newspaper the Daily Mail: “I believe I can win Wimbledon this year,” adding she was hopeful Denmark would win Euro 2012.
MICHAEL LAUDRUP was confirmed as the new manager of English Premier League club Swansea City last week on Friday. The Welsh club has only been in the top flight for one season, but earned widespread plaudits for its tiki-taka style of play – an ethos the club said Laudrup is a perfect fit for. He has signed a two-year deal and becomes the first Dane to manage in the EPL.
TOM CHRISTENSEN failed to win his ninth Le Mans 24hour race over the weekend, finishing in second place – his 12th time on the podium. Audi took the first two places, with last year’s winners – Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer and Benoit Treluyer – again taking first, followed by their sister team, Allan McNish, Rinaldo Capello and Kristensen. The 44-year-old Dane last won Le Mans in 2008.
SOME 2.378 million people tuned in for Denmark’s 1-2 defeat by Germany on Sunday night – the most watched football game since the country’s 2-3 loss to Brazil in the quarter-finals of the 1998 World Cup. In comparison, 2.6 million watched the Euro 1992 final. While the figure exceeded the highest ever ‘X Factor’ audience (2.2 ml), it was a long way short of the all-time record: 3.6 million for the final episode of drama ‘Matador’.
Business
The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk
22 - 28 June 2012
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High oil prices a double-edged sword
Ray Weaver
Jyllands-Posten
While some economists say things are getting better, the statistics tell a different story
colourbox
Recovery? What recovery?
Drivers hate it, but expensive oil is best for both the economy and the government purse
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he financial crisis continues to swing a brutal scythe through the economy. The number of people in bad standing with the RKI credit agency has spiked dramatically during the recession. RKI now lists nearly 230,000 people as ‘bad debtors’ – those who are unable to pay what they owe. Between them they owe more than 14 billion kroner. That number increased by one billion kroner this year alone, and the average bad debtor is just over 64,000 kroner in arrears, as opposed to 40,000 kroner before the crisis began. “It is clear that the economic crisis has not missed the average person,” René Ostenfeld, an analyst at Experian, told Jyllands-Posten newspaper. “A steady stream of debtors is being added to the rolls, and each of them owes more than those that came before them.” Meanwhile, one in ten houses for sale in the country is on the market due to a courtordered foreclosure. There were 414 compulsory home sales in May, compared with 398 the month before, according to statistics bureau Danmarks Statistik. In the Copenhagen area, 27 percent of the houses on the market were foreclosures. Lise Nytoft Bergmann, a spokesperson for Nordea bank, saw no sign of improvement on the horizon. “The high number of home repossessions is due to the length of the crisis,” Bergmann told the media. “As the crisis drags on, families run out of
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For many, economic recovery is still a figment of the imagination
money and a compulsory sale is the only solution.” Danmarks Statistik’s numbers revealed that 40 percent of the repossessions last year involved houses or flats purchased during the boom years of 2005-2008. Fears are increasing that the government’s plan to reduce the tax deduction for interest paid on mortgages will increase the number of people losing their homes. Senior economist Mikkel Høegh from BRF Kredit, a mortgage lender, warned that any future combination of higher taxes and rising interest rates would send even more borrowers over the edge. “For those holding larger mortgages with a variable interest rate, the tax deduction acts as a shield against rising interest rates,” Høegh told Berlingske newspaper. Despite the fact that more people could lose their homes, the tax minister, Thor Möger Pedersen (Socialistisk Folkeparti), defended the proposal to reduce the deduction. “Interest rates have a far greater effect than a minor adjustment in the tax deduction,” Pedersen told Berlingske. “I think it is only fair that those
who could afford to take out big mortgages should be responsible for paying more of the interest on their own.” The situation is just as grim for businesses. Some 477 companies filed for bankruptcy in May, compared with 363 in April, according to Danmarks Statistik. That 23 percent rise is the largest one-month increase since 2008. The trade and transport sectors were particularly hard hit, accounting for 41 percent of all the bankruptcies in May. Although businesses across the country felt the pinch, Jutland was particularly hard hit, and more than 40 percent of the businesses going belly up were located in mid-Jutland. Nikolaj Pilgaard of Dansk Industri, a business lobby organisation, was concerned about the high rate of bankruptcies. “Companies are still feeling the effect of the fragile economy, and it’s difficult to see any sign of improvement in the near future,” Pilgaard told Berlingske. A particularly troubling sign was the age of the companies that went bankrupt. The businesses that closed were nine years old on average – the highest on record.
business news and briefs LEGO owner accused of playing badly with taxes Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, the owner of global toy colossus LEGO, has been avoiding Danish taxes for many years by stashing profits in a Swiss tax shelter. According to the tabloid B.T., Kristiansen has sent 375 million kroner into the accounts of a company named Kirkbi AG, which owns the LEGO copyright and earns a royalty whenever a LEGO brick is sold. The registering of intellectual prop-
Cash lost in the ethernet
erty like trademarks and patents into subsidiary companies in low-tax countries like Switzerland is the same tax loophole used by many multinational companies in Denmark. The government is trying to clamp down on the practice. If the LEGO profits had been reported as earned in Denmark, the tax rate would have been 25 percent compared to only 5 percent in Switzerland.
Conservative estimates claim that banks earned 1.1 billion kroner in interest in 2010 by dragging their feet when making transfers between accounts, according to Politiken newspaper. Although banks have been reluctant to increase the speed of transactions, in 2013 customers can expect transfers to be made on the same day they are requested.
Exchange Rates Australian Dollars AUD
Canada Dollars CAD
Euro EUR
Japan Yen JPY
Russia Rubles RUB
Sweden Kronor SEK
Switzerland Francs CHF
UK Pounds GBP
United States Dollars USD
Sell
5.68
5.59
7.33
0.07
0.17
0.81
6.08
9.00
5.79
Buy
6.20
6.04
7.56
0.08
0.19
0.85
6.28
9.36
6.06
igh oil prices are bad news for drivers, but for both the government and the country’s businesses they mean handsome profits. But as oil prices drop, the government’s income from North Sea oil has shrunk, while businesses in the energy sector also suffer. “Since the start of the financial crisis there has been a reduction in economic growth across the globe, which also reduced the demand for oil. That has lowered prices. OPEC also managed to reduce the price further, which is not good news for the economy,” Michael Stæhr, a Sydbank analyst, said. “We will soon run out of oil in the North Sea and so it is important to draw out as much money from the underground as possible.” Just before the economic crisis, North Sea Oil cost about $145 a barrel. The price then collapsed during 2008 as the financial crisis took hold, before rising again to $127 a barrel in March this year. The price has since dropped again – a barrel now costs about $96.
Part of the explanation for prices are high, such as alternathe drop in prices is that the Eu- tive energy and energy-saving ropean debt crisis has also sup- products. Secondly, Danish pressed growth in other global businesses are very energy efmarkets. The other part of the ficient compared with foreign explanation lies on the other businesses, so the higher the side of the Atlantic, where a energy price, the greater our new drilling technique known competitiveness.” as fracking has led to increased Among the companies output. that benefit from high oil “The price is affected by prices are Vestas, Velux, Rockwhat is happening in the US wool, Grundfoss, Danfoss and where they have discovered Novozymes. Many of them have how to extract both gas and oil signed contracts with Chinese through underground fracking. businesses that are interested in This has brought gas prices to sustainable energy solutions. their lowest level in 25 years,” Rasmussen from Danske Arne Lohmann Rasmussen, the Bank, however, does not think chief analyst at Danske Bank that increased oil and gas prowho is an oil duction in the market specialist, Americas are likesaid. ly to bring energy BP is expectprices down even ing that North This has brought gas further and South Amer“OPEC will ica will be able to prices to their lowest continue to be supply all of its powerful, and it’s level in 25 years own oil and gas worth rememberby 2030, which ing that while the many analysts believe will sup- American output rises, output press prices in the long term. from traditional sources will fall. But lower oil prices not That’s why we don’t think there only reduce the government’s will be much lower oil prices.” income, it also affects Danish For the time being, however, businesses, according to Klaus the varying energy prices do litRasmussen, the chief economist tle to benefit Danish businesses. with Dansk Industri (DI), a “When prices vary so much, business lobby organisation. businesses don’t have time to “Firstly, many Danish busi- change the price on their prodnesses produce products that ucts. This can cost both income are in high demand when oil and customers.”
BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN DENMARK
Reflections of a Lord Mayor of London on the Medieval Role in the Modern City John Stuttart Deputy Chairman, PWC Advisory board Lord Mayor of the City of London in 2006/2007 Sir John Stuttard is an English chartered accountant and was the Lord Mayor of the City of London in 2006/2007. He is also Deputy Chairman of PWC’s Advisory board. As the 679th Lord Mayor, John Stuttard attended nearly 2,000 engagements, including 466 formal lunches and dinners, 764 speeches and 133 media interviews. He hosted visiting foreign Ministers, businessmen and dignitaries and he spent more than 100 nights abroad in 23 countries promoting the financial, maritime and other business services industry of the UK. Every day was different; every day was special. The talk will look at the reasons behind the City of London becoming the Financial Centre of the World, what the key success factors, opportunities and threats are, and what the role of the Lord Mayor is as the champion of the City both ancient and modern. He is visiting Denmark as the organiser of a Rolls Royce Ghost owners tour of Northern Europe. 17 pre-War Rolls-Royces will participate in the tour, ranging from a 1913 Silver Ghost to a 1934 20/25. Of the 17 vehicles, 10 will be Silver Ghosts. The tour will start in Denmark and finish in Helsinki, travelling through Denmark, Sweden, Latvia, Estonia and Finland. The majority of the cars will be on display at Tivoli for the day but we will also arrange for one of these vintage cars to be on display in the hotel lobby. Date: Thursday, 5 July 2012 Time: 11.45 Venue: Radisson Blu Royal Hotel Non-members are very welcome. Please contact BCCD or go to www.bccd.dk for further information
If you would like to attend then please send us an email (event@bccd.dk) or call +45 31 18 75 58 Price in kroner for one unit of foreign currency
Date: 20 June 2012
• official media partner Denmark’s only English-language newspaper
THE COPENHAGEN POST SPOUSE EMPLOYMENT PAGE SPOUSE: Raffaele Menafra FROM: Italy SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: A degree as Prevention techniques in Work and Workplaces. EXPERIENCE: I worked 4 years in a rehabilitation clinic. LANGUAGE SKILLS: Italian (native), English, Danish (currently learning). IT EXPERIENCE: MS Office. CONTACT: menafra1@yahoo.it SPOUSE: Malgorzata Tujakowska FROM: Poland SEEKING WORK IN: Aarhus and the surrounding area QUALIFICATION: Masters in Ethnolinguistics with major in Chinese and English, Chinese HSK and Business Chinese Test certificates, 2-year long studies at Shanghai International Studies University and National Cheng Kung University,Taiwan. LOOKING FOR: Working for companies hiring Polish and Chinese employees, teaching Chinese, Polish, Business English, linguistics, translation and interpretation, proofreading, Chinese business and culture consulting, administrative work. LANGUAGE SKILLS: Polish (native speaker), Chinese – simplified and traditional (fluent), English (fluent), German(intermediate), Danish (intermediate-currently learning). IT EXPERIENCE: MS Office. CONTACT: Tel:+45 28702377, m.tujakowska@gmail.com SPOUSE: Ylenia Fiorini FROM: Italy SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: Post Graduate Master’s Degree in Peace Studies, Development Cooperation, International Mediation and Conflict resolution EXPERIENCE: I have ten years experience as social worker in Italy,and experience in various fields, in the social and third sector and I feel that my educational background combined with my campaign assistant practice in the Ngo Burma Campaign, in Barcelona, has been an excellent preparation. In the same way also my job experiences in the social field made me open to different situations and to see them as a source of knowledge. LOOKING FOR: Entry Level jobs in the third sector field, in international organization or NGO’s LANGUAGE SKILLS: Italian Mother tongue, fluent in Spanish, English, French, Swedish (basic) IT EXPERIENCE: Ms Office (Mac,Windows) CONTACT: yleniafiorini@yahoo.it
PARTNERS:
SPOUSE: Christina Koch FROM: Australia SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and Drama, 1997 University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. Experienced actor and voice coach for speakers, with parallel high level experience in written communications. LOOKING FOR: Voice coaching for corporate presenters and speakers, Writing and Communications work, work in theatre organisations. IT EXPERIENCE:Microsoft Office, Office for Mac. LANGUAGE SKILLS: English - Native speaker, excellent written and oral expression. German – good reading and listening skills. Spanish – fluent oral communication, good reading and listening skills. Danish – beginners level speaking and writing skills. CONTACT: Tel: +45 52 77 30 93 Christina@hermionesvoice.com, www.hermionesvoice.com. SPOUSE: Dolon Roy FROM: India SEEKING WORK IN: Sjælland QUALIFICATION: Masters in Science(Chemistry), BEd. (Teacher training course). EXPERIENCE: St. John Diocessan School February-May 2005, Kolkata, India. The Assembly of God Church School April-May 2006, Kolkata, India. Disari Public School June 2006-October 2007, India. Research project work Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Copenhagen University, March-July 2009. LOOKING FOR: Part time or full time work teaching in primary,secondary or higher school level (Chemistry, Mathematics, Science). LANGUAGE SKILLS: English, Hindi, Bengali, Danish (modul 3/modul 5). IT EXPERIENCE: Microsoft office. CONTACT: dolonroy2005@yahoo.com. Tel: +45 60668239 SPOUSE: Jik Boom FROM: The Netherlands SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: Teacher EXPERIENCE: CELTA (Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) see also Linkedin profile http://dk.linkedin.com/in/jikboom) LOOKING FOR: Work in the area of teaching (English), proofreading (English) and translation (English/Dutch - Dutch/English) LANGUAGE SKILLS: Dutch, English, French, German, Danish IT EXPERIENCE: MS Office (Powerpoint, Word, Excel) CONTACT: jikboom@yahoo.com, Tel: +45 42129175
SPOUSE: Sucharita Reddy FROM: India SEEKING WORK IN: Anywhere in Denmark QUALIFICATION: Bachelor in Technology (Electrical Engineering) EXPERIENCE: 4+ years of professional experience in SAP ABAP & OO-ABAP programming for Material Management(MM), Plant Maintenance(PM), Document Management and Record Management System(DM/RM), Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) , Sales and Distribution(SD) and Finance (FI) modules. LOOKING FOR: Job opportunities in IT(technical or Functional),Consulting,Management or Business Field. LANGUAGE SKILLS: Proficient in English & Hindi. Danish(learning Intensive course) IT EXPERIENCE: SAP ABAP/4 technical skills include ABAP Programs (Dialog Programming, Standard and Interactive Reports), ALV Reporting, Smartforms, User Exit and Field Exit Development, Interfacing Data with external systems, Data conversions, Programming using BDC, ABAP/4 Workbench, Data Dictionary ,Batch Job management ,Workflows, Adobe Forms, Webdynpro, ABAP Objects CONTACT: sucharita17.reddy@gmail.com, Tel: 0045-5271184.
SPOUSE: Lillian Liu FROM: Taiwan SEEKING WORK IN: Marketing/Public Relations. QUALIFICATION: Bachelor of Foreign Language and Literature (Major in English, and minor in French) EXPERIENCE: 5+ years of professional experiences in Marketing and PR. I am a dynamic and creative marketing communications talent with substantial international working experience in large corporation and in agencies, possessing Integrated Marketing Communication ability. Proficient in analyzing market trends to provide critical inputs for decision-making and formulating marketing communication strategies. Familiar with brand image build-up, channel marketing, media communication, issue management, etc. Possess in-depth understanding/knowledge of APAC market and Chinese culture. LOOKING FOR: Marketing jobs in Jylland. LANGUAGE SKILLS: Mandarin Chinese, English, Danish, French. IT EXPERIENCE: Familiar with Windows O/S and MS Office. CONTACT: sugarex@hotmail.com
SPOUSE: Mohammad Ahli- Gharamaleki FROM: Iran SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: Master degree in chemical engineering. EXPERIENCE: 5+ years as a chemical engineer in R&D oil/gas projects as a team leader or member in Iran. LOOKING FOR: A position in an Intrnational company to expand my experience and expertise. LANGUAGE SKILLS: Azeri (native), English (fluent), Farsi (fluent), Arabic (good), Turkish (good), Danish(beginner). IT EXPERIENCE: Professional (MATLAB, Hysys, Aspen plus, Auto Cad, others (Office, Minitab). CONTACT: mohammad_ahli@yahoo.com, Tel: (+45) 71 63 12 85
SPOUSE: Margaret Ritchie FROM: Scotland, UK SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: BA Business Administration majoring in Human Resource Management EXPERIENCE: Worked in the field of Education within a Scottish University. 12 years of experience. Administrating and organising courses and conferences and also worked as a PA to a Head of School. Great communication skills. LOOKING FOR: Administration work, typing, audio typing, data input. Can work from home. LANGUAGE SKILLS: Mother tongue: English, very basic Danish IT EXPERIENCE: A good user of Microsoft Office package, access to Internet CONTACT: megmagsritchie@googlemail.com Tel: 71182949
SPOUSE: Deepak Kumar Koneri FROM: India SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: M.Sc in Electrical Engineering specialization in Embedded Systems (Jönköping, Sweden), B.Tech in Electrical and Electronics Engineering (Hyderabad, India). EXPERIENCE: Worked as Electrical Distribution Design Engineer in Electrical Consultant company for more than 2 years. I was responsible from the start of design definition phase till the implementation phase of individual project. LOOKING FOR: Full and part time job opportunity in Energy, Robust Electronics design, PCB Design, Thermal Analyst, Design & Modelling of power systems, power optimization, simulation and also in constructional, architectural consulting organization. LANGUAGE SKILLS: English (Fluent), Hindi (Mother Tongue), Swedish (Basic) and Danish(Basic, Currently learning). IT EXPERIENCE: MS-Office (word, Excel, Power point, Visio), CFD (Mentor Graphics FloTHERM, FloVENT, Noesis OPTIMUS, Electrical CAD, Assembly Programming (PIC 16f77, 8086,8051), WireMOM, Telelogic SDL-99, C and VHDL. CONTACT: konerideepak@gmail.com, Tel: 71561151
SPOUSE: Munawar Saleem FROM: Pakistan SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: MBA logistics and supply chain management (Jonkoping University, Sweden) M.Sc. Computer Sciences (Punjab University, Lahore Pakistan). EXPERIENCE: 4 years, Lecturer in computer sciences. LOOKING FOR:Full time or part time job in Logistics and Supply. LANGUAGE SKILLS: English (fluent), Urdu (mother tongue), Swedish (Basic). IT EXPERIENCE: Proficient in MS Office (word, excel, power point etc.). CONTACT: libravision3@gmail.com, Tel: 71412010
SPOUSE: Pooja Nirwal FROM: New Delhi, India SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen and Capital region. QUALIFICATION: Masters (M. Sc) in Environmental Science, +2 yrs of Exp. as Env. Consultant in the field of Environmental Impact Assessment. LOOKING FOR: Positions in Consultancies/Organizations/NGOs working in the field of Environmental Science (Climate Change, EIA, Env. Compliance Audits, Solid Waste Management etc.). LANGUAGE SKILLS: Fluent in English, Hindi and Sanskrit, Started learning Danish. IT EXPERIENCE: MS Office (PowerPoint, Word, Excel). CONTACT: poojadahiya1@gmail.com Tel: +45 503 904 60 SPOUSE: Mayurika Saxena Sheth FROM: India/USA SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen & nearby areas, Greater Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: MCA, PGDMM(MATERIALS), B.SC (COMPUTERS) CERTIFICATIONS: CSTE, CSQA, GREEN BELT SIX SIGMA, TSP/PSP. EXPERIENCE: Eleven years of software development work/IT/BUSINESS experience with prestigious organizations (onsite and offshore): Microsoft, General Electric, Primus Telecommunications (AUSTRALIA), CitiFINANCIAL(USA), ISS and Imany. LOOKING FOR: Full Time Job in IT, Management, Consulting or Business/Financial Field. LANGUAGE SKILLS: ENGLISH fluent, HINDI fluent, DANISH AND SPANISH (Beginner). IT EXPERIENCE: Testing tools like Test Director, Quality Center, Access Server, Product Studio, Polyspace Analysis, .NET testing, Web Page testing, Electronic Appliances testing, development in Winrunner, ASP, HTML, JavaScript, VBScript, Jscript, Oracle, Cold Fusion, SQL, Access, COM/DCOM, MTS, Siebel as well as UNIX, Tuxedo, C, PL/SQL, VB.Net/ ASP .Net, VB.Net. C#. CONTACT: mayurika.s@gmail.com Tel: +45 7169 5401
SPOUSE: Fernando Carlos Cardeira da Silva FROM: Portugal SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: Accounting course from Danish Institution (Regnskabs medarbejder at Niels Brock), previous frequency of Accounting and Management courses in Portugal. EXPERIENCE: I have more than 5 years of experience in accounting. LOOKING FOR: Job as accounting assistant. IT EXPERIENCE: Microsoft Office (Excel, Word and Power point) and accounting software such as Navision C5. LANGUAGE SKILLS: I can read and write Danish, English, Portuguese, Spanish and French. CONTACT: fercardeira@gmail.com Tel: +45 50437588 SPOUSE: Simon Rigby FROM: United Kingdom (originally Scotland) SEEKING WORK IN: Jylland, Fyn or Sjælland (anywhere in Denmark). QUALIFICATION: Secondary High School - 8 ‘Ordinary’ levels & 3 ‘Advanced’ levels achieved. EXPERIENCE: Business Development, Sales & Marketing and Client Relationship Management specialist. 15+ years experience in securing ‘insurance and lifestyle benefits’ contracts with high volume and high consumer numbers within the Affinity Group Marketing sector from a wide variety of distribution channels including banks, financial institutions, large membership affinity groups and employers, credit card issuers and insurers. Highly accomplished and skilled at ‘low cost, high perceived value’ large scale marketing to B2B and B2C target audiences through both on-line and other direct marketing channels. Entire career spent in the banking, finance and insurance sectors the latter of which I have spent in the UK employment of 3 of the top 4 global insurance brokers. A team player and a ‘people person’ with the skills and abilities to easily and comfortably interact with individuals at all levels. Natural problem solver who sees opportunities rather than obstacles. Simplistic and structured approach to finding straightforward and practical solutions to problems. LOOKING FOR: A job within an organisation (financial services or otherwise) where my Sales & Marketing and Key Account managerial skills and experience are fully utilised and where I can provide a sustainable and tangible long term contribution to my new employer as well as to my new country within which I have chosen to permanently live. LANGUAGE SKILLS: English (mother tongue); German (very good); French (good); Danish (basic, but currently enrolled on a ‘Danskuddannelse 3’ language course). IT EXPERIENCE: Word - Advanced user. Powerpoint - Proficient user. Excel - Basic. CONTACT: simon040561@hotmail.co.uk Tel: +45 60 16 80 40.
SPOUSE: Debasmita Ghosh FROM: India SEEKING WORK IN: Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: Master of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Pharmachemistry specialization). EXPERIENCE: 4 years in Clinical Research (Pharmacovigilance/Safety and Medical Coding) in a leading CRO (Quintiles) and 6 months experience as a lecturer for bachelor degree students in Pharmacy College. LOOKING FOR: Job in pharmaceutical industry, CRO or any vocation suitable per qualification and experience. LANGUAGE SKILLS: English (fluent written and spoken), enrolled for Danish language classes, Indian Languages (Hindi, Bengali, Kannada). IT EXPERIENCE: MS Office Applications i:e Microsoft office word, excel, outlook, power point and tools, lotus notes, medical and drug softwares like micromedex and ISIS draw. CDM systems like ds Navigator-Medical coding tool and AERS database. CONTACT: ghoshdebasmita@gmail.com, Tel: +4571488438 SPOUSE: Rita Paulo FROM: Portugal SEEKING WORK IN: Great Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: Architect . EXPERIENCE: I am an architect and I have experience in Project and in Construction Supervision. In the past 7 years, I have worked mainly in housing, masterplanning and social facilities buildings. My last employer was a Project and Construction company where I had the opportunity to complement my experience in projects together with construction related tasks, developing myself as a professional. LOOKING FOR: Job in Architecture or Construction Company. LANGUAGE SKILLS: Native Portuguese, Proficiency in English, Basic user of Spanish and Danish IT EXPERIENCE: Strong knowledge of AutoCad and ArchiCad. Experience in Studio Max, CorelDraw, Photoshop, Office tools. CONTACT: rita.vaz.paulo@gmail.com, Tel: +45 2961 9694 SPOUSE: Megan Rothrock FROM: California-USA,Via SEEKING WORK IN: Toy Design, Games Design, or Photography (Syd Denmark Jutland). QUALIFICATION: Associate Arts Degree: Corporate Communication, Design, and Commercial Illustration, with a background in animation. EXPERIENCE: Former LEGO Product Designer, LEGO Universe: Level Designer, European Bureau Editor Brick Journal Magazine. I have a strong knowledge of Toy and Gaming Markets. I am driven, enjoy solving daily challenges and I’m a strong communicator wanting to join a creative team of colleagues. LOOKING FOR: Part/Full time work in an innovative and creative . LANGUAGE SKILLS: English: native - Dutch: Excellent - Danish (currently in): Danskuddannelse 3, modul 3. IT EXPERIENCE: PC and Mac - Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Flash, Dream Weaver, Director, Maya, 3D Studio Max, ML Cad, LD. CONTACT: megzter1@yahoo.com Tel: +4535140779 SPOUSE: Chia-Pei CHEN FROM: Taiwan SEEKING WORK IN: Business Chinese/ Tutorial Chinese teaching in corporations, institutions or International schools. QUALIFICATION: A certified teacher of teaching Chinese as a second language. A degree in Social Science discipline. Continuously participation in training program (organized by Beijing Hanban of CHINA and CBS) to teach Chinese to foreigners in western context. Enrolment to distance Chinese teaching education system that keeps professional Chinese teachers resourceful. EXPERIENCE: I am a certified teacher of teaching Chinese as a second language to foreigners. And I have started teaching Chinese with English in my class for 2 years. I design suitable materials to teach Chinese with different phonetic systems (PinYin for China and HongKong, and Mandarin Phonetic Symbols for Taiwan) as well as to interpret differences between simplified and traditional Chinese characters. My past positions were Chinese language-related, such as: reporter, translator and social science researcher. Students who I taught before regard me as a sincere, discreet teacher who helps learners to progress in short time. LOOKING FOR: Business Chinese/ Tutorial Chinese teaching. LANGUAGE SKILLS: Chinese (mother tongue), English (Fluent), French (basic), Danish (beginner). IT EXPERIENCE: Word Office, SPSS statistic software, Basic Video and Audio editing, Blog writing. CONTACT: teacherchen@live.com, Tel: 25 81 65 18 SPOUSE: Debjani Nandy Biswas FROM: India SEEKING WORK IN: Would like to join in kindergarten, School teacher in English, official work in English. QUALIFICATION: B.A., M.A in English literature and language (American, European and Indian). EXPERIENCE: Temporary school teacher in Bongaon, India and involved in social work (handicapped society). LOOKING FOR: A possibility in getting practical experiences in kindergarten or any international school, official work (administration) in English, voluntary work also. LANGUAGE SKILLS: English, Hindi, Sanskrit, Bengali, little Danish (currently learning). IT EXPERIENCE: Diploma in basic computer applications. CONTACT: debjaninb@gmail.com, Tel: +45 50219942. SPOUSE: Chao Wen FROM: China SEEKING WORK IN: Great Copenhagen QUALIFICATION: Language teacher (German, Chinese. EXPERIENCE: Teaching Chinese as a foreign language by offering company-course for 2 years, in Germany; teaching Chinese to native speaker in private school for 4 years, in Germany; teaching German as a foreign language by offering private course; exhibition interpreter; translator. LOOKING FOR: Part time or full time in Aarhus, Language teacher, translator or interpreter. LANGUAGE SKILLS: Chinese, English, German, Danish. IT EXPERIENCE: Windows, Open office, Powerpoint. CONTACT: wenlily80@googlemail.com, Tel: 48417526
Denmark’s only English-language newspaper
THE COPENHAGEN POST SPOUSE EMPLOYMENT PAGE WHY: The Copenhagen Post wishes to help spouses looking for jobs in Denmark. We have on our own initiative started a weekly spouse job page in The Copenhagen Post, with the aim to show that there are already within Denmark many highly educated international candidates looking for jobs. If you are a spouse to an international employee in Denmark looking for new career opportunities, you are welcome to send a profile to The Copenhagen Post at aviaja@cphpost.dk and we will post your profile on the spouse job page when possible. Remember to get it removed in case of new job.
employment
The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk
22 - 28 June 2012
17
Biotech Job Vacancies Lundbeck
Novo Nordisk
HR Assistant Research scientist Senior Project Coordinator Project Manager, GD Process Improvement Senior Business Controller Business Controller Advanced Business Analyst QA professional – Sourcing QA Research scientist In vivo research scientist for Translational Haemophilia Pharmacology Supplier Manager for Contract Manufacturing production activities Research Scientist, Pharmacokineticist Medical Specialist Medical Specialist
HR Assistant Research scientist Senior Project Coordinator Project Manager, GD Process Improvement Senior Business Controller Business Controller Advanced Business Analyst QA professional – Sourcing QA Research scientist In vivo research scientist for Translational Haemophilia Pharmacology Supplier Manager for Contract Manufacturing production activities
Leo-Pharma HR Assistant Research scientist Senior Project Coordinator Project Manager, GD Process Improvement Senior Business Controller Business Controller Advanced Business Analyst QA professional – Sourcing QA Research scientist In vivo research scientist for Translational Haemophilia Pharmacology
Ferring HR Assistant Research scientist Senior Project Coordinator Project Manager, GD Process Improvement Senior Business Controller Business Controller
Novozymes IT Service Manager Customer Supply Chain Manager Project & Development Manager Fermentation Scientist Project Leader
For more information, deadlines and other job vacancies visit our webpage www.cphpost.dk/jobvacancies Denmark’s only English-language newspaper
AW 139 QUALIFIED HELICOPTER INSTRUCTOR PILOTS & AW 139 QUALIFIED OPERATIONAL PILOTS National Academy for Professional Training currently requires a number of AW139 Aircrews for positions based in Qatar. CV’s are therefore invited from Ex-Military Aircrew who have the following experience. To be considered for these positions you will require have the following:
• CFS A2 QHI’s (or equivalent) AW139 type rating, 200+
hours on type, Instructional Experience on AW139 in a SAR/Military Role.
• CFS B1 QHI’s (or equivalent) AW139 type rating, 200+
hours on type, Instructional Experience on AW139 in a SAR/Military Role.
• Operational AW139 Captains: Min 2000 hours total rotary time with SAR/Military Experience, Min 100 hours on type.
• AW139 Type Rating . • Class One Medical . • NVG Experience preferred. • Helicopter Instrument Rating. • Immediate starters preferred.
Due to the nature of the role, applicants are required to speak fluent English. This is a fantastic opportunity for pilots looking to extend their experience and a very competitive tax free salary. Flights, accommodation and local transportation are provided. To apply for this position please email a copy of the following to: aw139qatar@gmail.com • CV/Resume • Copy of License / Certificate • Copy of Log Book • Copy of Medical • Colour Copy of Passport All applications will be treated as confidential. Please attach resume in MS Word or PDF format only. In subject line of email write “AW139 Pilots.” Be sure your resume specifically addresses each of the minimum requirements. NAPT is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.
18
CULTURE
THE COPENHAGEN POST CPHPOST.DK
22 - 28 June 2012
Why the Scandinavian wave is a big splash in Britain
T
HE DR political TV drama ‘Borgen’ triumphed at Britain’s BAFTAs last month, taking the award of best international series at the country’s most prestigious award show and providing the latest chapter of the extraordinary success-story that is being called the Scandinavian ‘wave’. Just 12 months earlier, ‘The Killing’, another DR drama, also won a BAFTA. In spite of this, however, the success of ‘Borgen’ came as a surprise, not least to Camilla Hammerich and Piv Bernth, both producers at DR. Hammerich “never expected ‘Borgen’ to travel so well”, while Benth said it is “quite amazing that DR can win a BAFTA award two years in a row and that two series with subtitles can beat English language series”. For Jacob Wendt Jensen, a film critic at Berlingske newspaper, the international success of ‘Borgen’ and ‘The Killing’ owes much to what he calls the “Nordic crime wave in books”. The worldwide success in the mid 2000s of authors like Sweden’s Stieg Larsson and Henning Mankell, Jensen argued, has made the “Nordic flavour à la mode” with overseas audiences. Encouraged by this – as well as the success in Britain of other foreign-language dramas such as the French series ‘Spiral’ – in 2008 the BBC began showing the Swedish adaptations of Mankell’s ‘Wallander’, which was followed by ‘The Killing’ three years later. Sue Deeks, head of programme acquisitions at the BBC, recalled how what “had
ELISE BEACOM
A former Danish football player, who is now a coach What’s his claim to fame? What, besides acquiring his nickname from an incident as a Brøndby youth player when his more experienced team-mates decided to teach him a lesson and shower him with their favourite brand of beer. Most of it ended up in his shorts, apparently. Yes She ain’t pretty, but she’s gritty and likes her knitties. British audiences have warmed to the “otherworldliness” of Sofie Gråbøl and the Scandinavian wave
only daughter, while Camilla Hammerich thinks ‘Borgen’ asks a “kind of universal question. The question we ask, in every scene and every episode and in every character, is ‘are you able to maintain power and at the same time maintain yourself?’” Piv Bernth suggests the success that DR has enjoyed is partly the result of a conscious decision taken at the station to focus on creating high-quality, original drama. Bernth says that over “the last ten years [DR] has improved our way of developing the stories and the characters, and we work with the finest writers, directors and actors”, often giving them the space to be able to try innovative practices to keep audiences intrigued. With ‘The Killing’, for example, its creator Søren Sveistrup used the almost unheard of technique in television production of writing the script only after the previous episode had been filmed, often in collaboration with the actors. In order to make ‘Borgen’ as re-
alistic as possible, meanwhile, writer Adam Price recruited a prominent political journalist to whom ideas were pitched on an episode-by-episode basis. The journalist, Price recalled, would “sit there and listen to us, and he’d say what sounded realistic, how things would happen in real life, how a politician would say things”. For Rob Buckley, a critic for the popular British TV blog ‘The Medium is Not Enough’, there is nothing “mystical about the success of Scandinavian TV in the UK – it’s about quality”. British television often focuses on remakes or cheap reality shows, and Buckley argues Scandinavian TV has been able to “fill that gap. The most successful shows such as ‘The Killing’, ‘Borgen’ and ‘Wallander’ have been well made, well acted and have had fundamentally strong scripts, with tight plotting, good characterisation and depth of emotion.” In the few instances where Scandinavian programmes have been of lower quality – the 2011
TV2 series ‘Those Who Kill’ (Den som dræber) might be one example – Buckley suggests “the shows have faced the same reaction as poorer UK shows: they’ve been ignored!” A few blips aside, the Scandinavian success story is showing few signs of waning. DR’s latest offering, ‘The Bridge’, which explores the differences between Denmark and Sweden through the prism of a murder committed on the Øresund Bridge, which connects the two countries, attracted more than a million viewers each week in Britain. Meanwhile, the Norwegian author Jo Nesbo seems destined to follow a similar trajectory to Mankell and Larsson. His 2008 novel ‘Headhunters’ was made into a critically-acclaimed film last year, and there are plans to make his Harry Hole crime series into yet another Scandinavian television franchise. It seems that the Scandinavian wave will, for the time being at least, keep on rising.
This year will be an annus mirabilis for Danish film SHANDANA MUFTI
Two home-grown films, ‘A Royal Affair’ and ‘Hvidsten Gruppen’, are busy making 2012 one of this country’s best ever years for cinema
L
AST YEAR, television ruled supreme. This year, on the other hand, is increasingly looking like it belongs to the Danish film industry. Films like ‘Jagten’ (‘The Hunt’), ‘En Kongelig Affære’ (‘A Royal Affair’) and ‘Hvidsten Gruppen’ (‘The Village: One Family’s Sacrifice will let a Country Live’) are picking up awards and good reviews, both home and abroad, and for the latter two, audiences are showing their approval at the box office. Before the year is out, these three films (‘Jagten’ will be released on October 18) are expected to reap unprecedented earnings. ‘En Kongelig Affære’ took
The Danish resistance film ‘Hvidsten Gruppen’ has wowed domestic audiences
£74,000 (683,000 kroner) in its opening weekend in the UK (June 15-17) and a glowing report from the British public. Ninety-one percent of those polled said the film was either excellent or really good – 30 percent above the average. Furthermore, both ‘En Kongelig Affære’ and ‘Hvidsten Gruppen’ are currently neckand-neck in their quest for 2012 domestic box office glory,
BJARNE HERMANSEN/DR
Britain has been bowled over by this region’s television programmes. Is the secret Nordic otherworldliness or just good TV?
been a relatively small but very appreciative audience suddenly seemed to double overnight, and the audience has continued to grow for each successive drama”. The Scandinavian wave does seem to have captivated British audiences in particular. Almost as soon as ‘Borgen’ was first shown on the BBC in January of this year, British internet forums buzzed with fans already smitten with Denmark’s latest offering. “Cor, them Danes [sic] can’t half make fascinating programmes,” one user exclaimed. “I still miss Lund; however Meyer being fit and well is a consolation,” another remarked. “Am going to make some cocoa while I recover my breath ...” Richard Klein, the controller of BBC Four, the channel on which ‘Wallander’, ‘The Killing’ and ‘Borgen’ were each aired, believes the central reason behind the allure of Scandinavian dramas is their “other-worldliness”. As Stuart Daniels, a viewer from the Birmingham area, puts it: “Scandinavia is relatively unknown to us Brits, so the context seems almost exotic.” Whereas, for Jacob Wendt Jensen, Danes “tend to take a woman prime minister or a woolly sweater for granted”, Daniels argues programmes like ‘Borgen’ offer British viewers a “picture of a ‘softer’ society than ours: more physical space with less traffic jams and litter; a more equal workplace … a quite different way to how we do things here”. Alongside their ability to provide viewers with glimpses into alternative lifestyles, another important reason for the popularity of these programmes is the way in which they tend to deal with themes that are universal to audiences, no matter which language they are watching the subtitles in. Wallander, for example, struggles to balance the demands of his job with the needs of his
TINE HARDEN, DR
KIERAN CONNELL
Who is ... John ‘Faxe’ Jensen?
outselling the top international film, ‘The Avengers’, by two to one. They have already sold more than 500,000 tickets, although they have a long way to go to catch ‘De Røde Heste’ (‘The Red Horses’), a 1950 film that 2.3 million Danes saw. ‘Hvidsten Gruppen’ with 756,000 sales, is (according to Danmarks Statestik) the third best watched Danish film this century
and has earned more than 60 million kroner domestically. In comparison, last year’s top grossing film in Denmark, ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2’, raked in 65 million kroner. ‘En Kongelig Affære’ (510,000 sales) has helped by its inclusion on Biografklub Danmark’s special offer ticket. A purchase enables the club’s members to see seven movies at a significant saving every season. Inclusion on the Biografklub Danmark list, which started back in 1997, is believed to greatly strengthen a film’s performance at the box office, as it means many Danes end up seeing a film they wouldn’t have normally chosen. It has a controversial selection process, and in Tuesday’s Jyllands-Posten, it was reported that a storm is brewing at production company Zentropa over which of its films should be included in the special offer.
Meanwhile, both films are preparing for an assault on international audiences. ‘En Kongelig Affære’, which won two Silver Bears at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival in February, has already been released in Germany, Estonia, Sweden, Ireland and the UK, and is slated for release this year in Australia (21 June), New Zealand (28 June), the Netherlands (23 August), Argentina (13 September), Norway (14 September) and France (October). ‘Hvidsten Gruppen’, which is taking a slower approach, will be screened at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, which begins on 29 June in the Czech Republic. With the country’s Oscar nomination up for grabs later this year – don’t forget that there is also a third film in the hunt – it could go on to be a rivalry every bit as intense as that of ‘Borgen’ and ‘Forbrydelsen’ (‘The Killing’).
He scored the opening goal for Denmark in their 2-0 defeat of Germany in the final of the 1992 European Championship. Striker was he? Nope. While he did score four goals in 69 games for the Danish national team, the defensive midfielder was famous for his inability to score at Arsenal. Their ever-optimistic fans loved him for it and came up with a song in his honour: “We’ll be there when Jensen scores!” And whenever Jensen did get the ball, no matter where he was on the field, the Arsenal supporters would yell “Shoooot!” Sounds frustrating - did he ever get one? It came on a windy, wet day in 1994, in his 98th game for the club. The club went on to lose 1-3, but it didn’t stop the fans singing “Johnny Jensen, Johnny, Johnny Jensen” for the rest of the match. You might even be able to pick up a T-shirt proclaiming “I saw John Jensen score” from a flea market in North London somewhere. What happened after that? After 138 appearances, and just one goal, Jensen moved back to his former club Brøndby in 1996 before taking the player-manager position at Herfølge BK, where he took the small club up to the Superliga on his first attempt. But the team were relegated in 2001, so Jensen moved back to Brøndby again as assistant manager alongside Michael Laudrup. Have Laudrup and Jensen worked together since? Yeah, you could say Jensen is Laudrup’s puppy dog. They stayed at Brøndby until 2006, and then Jensen followed Laudrup to Spanish side Getafe. Laudrup then quit after a year and took his man bag with him. When the two parted ways, Jensen didn’t perform as well without his master – he was sacked as coach of Randers in 2009 after zero wins from eleven matches. What’s next for ‘Faxe’? The rumours are swilling because Laudrup has just been appointed manager of Swansea City. Will his sidekick follow? We’ll have to wait and see.
DENMARK THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS THE COPENHAGEN POST CPHPOST.DK
22 - 28 June 2012
19
Polar attraction, in life and in death:
Forever Peter the Great JANE GRAHAM Peter Freuchen’s amazing life reads like a boy’s own adventure tale – yet he has been overshadowed in the history books by his colleague and contemporary, Knud Rasmussen
I
F YOU WERE asked to picture an adventurer in your head, chances are you’d come up with the image of Peter Freuchen. A bear of a man, well over six foot tall, with a long, bushy beard, sailor’s cap and rugged, weathered face – and in later years, a wooden leg completed the look. Born in the provincial Danish town of Nykøbing Falster in 1886, Freuchen found his spiritual home in the remote landscape of northeast Greenland, and commercial success in the United States. He was married three times and was an explorer, polar researcher, writer, film star, diplomat, landowner, resistance fighter and sailor. Quite simply, he was an adventurer.
Freuchen returned to Greenland for the first Thule expedition in 1912, which disproved Robert Peary’s claim that a channel divided Peary Land from Greenland. The name was apt: this was a journey to the end of the known world, to the ‘Ultima Thule’ of classic folklore. His companion was the famous explorer Knud Rasmussen, and after having experienced an incredible 1,000km journey across the ice that almost killed them, the pair’s friendship lasted until Rasmussen’s death in 1933. Freuchen would later write his own account of this journey in ‘Vagrant Viking’ (1953) and ‘I sailed with Rasmussen’ (1958). The pair of them established the Thule trading station in Cape York (now Uummannaq) in 1910, which Freuchen managed until 1919. Despite wildly differing backgrounds and personalities (Rasmussen was half Inuit, Freuchen, despite his attire, was very much the Dane; Rasmussen had shrewd business sense, while Freuchen was a deep-rooted socialist), there was little animosity between the two explorers.
It’s said that Freuchen was first drawn to Greenland after watching a student revue portraying the Arctic heroes of the time. After a brief stint studying medicine at the University of Copenhagen, he applied for, and was accepted on, the illfated 1906 Mylius-Erichsen expedition to uncharted northeast Greenland as a meteorological assistant. Despite the awful conditions faced on this expedition, which ended with the deaths of not only Mylius but two other members of the party, Freuchen was not put off by the experience; on the contrary, he was hooked. This seems unbelievable when one hears of the utterly inhuman life Freuchen lived for almost two years – while still just 21 years of age. He spent the winter of 1907-08 manning a weather station 70km away from any other human being, unable even to read because all the books were frozen, with wolves lurking close by outside his hut. Only on his return to Denmark in the spring of 1908 was he informed about the tragic fate of the expedition’s leaders.
replaced by a wooden one, thus ending Freuchen’s era as an intrepid explorer. With daughter Pipaluk, he moved back to Denmark where he married former silent film actress Magda Vang Lauridsen, his childhood sweetheart, in 1924. He bought an island, Enehøje in Nakskov Fjord, where he lived a relatively quiet life, writing his novels and memoirs. “There was a time when this charismatic adventurer was known the world over as a mastodon from the heroic period of polar exploration,” is how Jes Stein Pedersen described him in Politiken newspaper. During the Nazi occupation of Denmark, Freuchen played an active role in the resistance movement, hiding refugees on his island before his actions were discovered by the Germans and he was forced to flee to Sweden, and later the United States. On the other side of the Atlantic, Freuchen was consulted by President Herbert Hoover regarding the US military’s Thule Air Base; worked as a journalist for the UN; and, in 1932, wrote
the script for and starred in the MGM picture ‘Eskimo’, the story of how an Inuit’s idyllic existence was changed dramatically by the arrival of an unscrupulous white trader. Filmed on location and considered a ‘documentary’ of its time, Freuchen played an evil, wooden-legged sea captain who unwisely rouses the wrath of the Inuit hero. Freuchen met and married his third wife, the fashion illustrator and Danish immigrant Dagmar Cohn, in the US in 1945. In 1956, Freuchen participated in and won the TV show ‘The $64,000 Question’ with the specialist subject ‘The Seven Seas’. In September 1957, at the age of 71, Freuchen was invited by a production company to join a group of polar explorers who were to be filmed in a staged reunion at the North Pole. Freuchen died of a heart attack while walking up the steps to the plane in Anchorage, Alaska. His ashes were scattered over the tundra near Thule (Qaannaaq), his spiritual home. COLOURBOX
IRVING PENN, 1947
Peter Freuchen with his third wife, Dagmar Cohn
There was a time when this charismatic adventurer was known the world over as a mastodon from the heroic period of polar exploration
A Bohemian before his time, Freuchen seemed to find a spiritual happiness in Greenland. He dressed in full Inuit attire and described the Inuit people as “the happiest in the world”. In turn, Greenlanders named him ‘Petersuaq’, or Peter the Great. In around 1911, he married an Inuit woman called Mekupalut, who took the name Navarana. The couple had two children: a boy, Merkusak (not much is known of him – he was perhaps mentally ill), and a girl, Pipaluk, born in 1918. Navarana herself died during an influenza epidemic in 1921; as she was not a member of the church, the local priest refused to allow her to be buried in the official graveyard. Her husband sneaked in one night and buried her in secret. Freuchen lost one leg to frostbite in the 1920s. He was caught in a snowstorm and dug himself so far into the snow that he had to make a chisel from his own frozen faeces to dig himself out. Though the first amputation only involved a few toes, another bout of frostbite took the rest of the leg, which was
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