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DANISH NEWS IN ENGLISH CPHPOST.DK VOL 20 ISSUE 12 15 September - 5 October 2017

BACK TO THE CHOPPING BOARD 4-5

NEWS Copenhagen lands world’s most prestigious architecture congress 6 HISTORY

An unlikely acquittal What can Peter Madsen learn from Claus von Bülow’s reversal of fortune?

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EU eyes end to border controls INTERVIEW

Denmark and Sweden remain unconvinced

No relation to Aqua, these guys play underwater!

STEPHEN GADD

19 COMMUNITY

Pancakes and handshakes Finding the perfect pursuit at the City Hall expat fair

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HE EU can see no reason why Denmark’s controls at its borders with Germany and Sweden should continue.

“The conditions to approve them are no longer present,” the EU migration commissioner, Dmitris Avramopoulos, told Swedish media SvD on September 6.

The EU has accordingly ruled that the 20-month border controls should end on November 12 – as will similar border controls in Austria and Norway.

Inger not having it OR WILL they? Because it doesn’t look like the Danish government has any intention of following the demands of

the EU. “It is the Danish government and not the EU Commission that will decide whether the border control will continue.

And I believe there is a need for a continued border control,” the Danish integration minister, Inger Støjberg, told TV2 News.

The Swedish government is also sceptical, and should the Scandinavian nations fail to adhere to the demands, the case could end up in the EU courts.

Billion kroner costs EASING the two nations’ border controls would lead to significant economic gains, according to a report by consultants Damvad Analytics.

Longer travelling times and increased stress caused by the checking of ID cards is esti-

mated to cost around 1.1 billion kroner.

Restricted growth ADDITIONALLY, the report highlights how the countries’ current laws restrict growth.

For example, preventing citizens from outside the EU from taking an internship in a country in which they don’t have a residence permit costs 560 million kroner a year.

Furthermore, an estimated 1,300 Danish students are unable to apply for internships in Scania because their qualifications don’t have the same recognition in Sweden.

Finally, if a Dane takes a job in Sweden, moving from one trade union insurance scheme to another can lead to the loss of unemployment benefits, which acts as a damper on mobility across the Sound.

Benefits blow FOREIGNERS, along with returning Danes, may find it harder to obtain a number of benefit payments in the future, such as state-financed student grants. The government plans to make the payments dependent on how long a person has been actively employed in Denmark. A working group established in the last decade showed that vast savings could be made in the area.

Development doyens DENMARK is the world leader at supporting development in aid-dependent countries. It topped the 2017 Commitment to Development Index – which assesses contributions to aid, trade, finance, migration, environment, security and technology – finishing well ahead of second-placed Sweden. Finland, France and Germany completed the top five.

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NEWS

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ONLINE THIS WEEK VESTERBRO is among the top ten coolest neighbourhoods in the world, according to the Lonely Planet. The travel guide commended the city district’s “colourful history”, “cool independent shops”, street art, street markets, restaurants and bars.

“Despite its increasing popularity … it has managed to maintain its edge,” it reasoned.

Local budget in place CITY HALL’S municipal budget for 2018 prioritises welfare, green issues and improving schools and sports facilities for children. Funds have also been earmarked for keeping daycare institutions open in the summer, a sizeable new park in Nordhavn, accommodating people suffering from early dementia, and free entry to museums for pensioners.

Ma’am’s Metro malaise

Cruise terminal expansion COPENHAGEN Malmö Port intends to expand the capacity of its cruise ship terminal in Nordhavn from three to six vessels, reports News Øresund. The terminal was opened in 2014, but already the harbour authority believes the facility is not good enough if the city wants to entice more cruise passengers.

Editorial offices: International House, Gyldenløvesgade 11, 1600 Copenhagen Denmark

Polish media condemns Danish police’s handling of World Cup qualifier

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HE POLISH media has accused the Danish police of overreacting in its treatment of Polish football fans present in Copenhagen to attend a World Cup qualifier at Parken on September 1.

In total, the police have charged 55 of the 56 arrested fans, arguing that many were denied entry to Parken thanks to the help of the Polish police.

The truncheons came out too readily claim Polish fans

blames the DBU football authority.

Several Danish fans missed the first half due to the action.

Ugly scenes elsewhere THE POLICE arrested 20 Polish fans prior to the game following disturbances on Lavendelstræde near Strøget that involved fans kicking cars and

then angrily confronting arriving officers.

And there were also arrests during the game and on the following day.

A Polish MP has written to the Danish Embassy in Poland to complain, and Denmark’s independent police authority has been asked to investigate.

(CPH POST)

Body was intact, says submariner

ONE YEAR on from the decision by Christiania residents to remove the cannabis stands from Pusher Street, the drug is still being sold, but at a greater risk to dealers, Copenhagen Police has told DR. The police visit “several times a week – often when they’re not expecting it, and we almost always make arrests”.

Historic building fire THE HISTORIC department store Illum’s Bolighus on Strøget – not to be confused with the larger Illum nearby – caught fire on September 3. The blaze started on the roof where a party had taken place hours earlier.

Bus still missing

STEPHEN GADD

THE POLICE is still looking for a white Belgian tourist bus (reg no: 1-DIA-309) that went missing in Vesterbro on August 29 and was then sighted in the north Zealand town of Kokkedal later that night.

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ETER MADSEN, the rocket enthusiast accused of causing the death of Swedish journalist Kim Wall onboard his submarine in August, told his side of the story at Copenhagen City Court on September 5.

According to Madsen, Wall died at around 22:00 on the evening of August 11 after being struck by a hatch cover weighing 70 kilos, which he accidentally dropped onto her head as she was ascending to the vessel’s bridge.

New Metro a possibility

Pushed around at will

Singled out at stadium HOWEVER, several Polish residents have complained they were dragged away from their Danish families whilst queuing to enter and beaten with truncheons.

Their removal was part of a last-minute effort to segregate fans inside the stadium following a ticketing failure to keep the fans apart, for which the police

Peter Madsen cannot explain how journalist’s body became headless and limbless

ONLINE THIS WEEK CITY HALL has initiated a feasibility study into building a new Metro, light railway or BRT bus route linking Central Station to Amagerbro, Refshaleøen and Brønshøj. Despite the opening of the City Ring at the end of the decade, road traffic is expected to rise by 50 percent by 2050.

HASSE FERROLD

COPENHAGEN Mayor Frank Jensen has told media he understands what the queen meant when she told City Hall “some fresh courage and a little reflection [might be advisable] before you bite off more than you can chew” at an event to mark the 850th anniversary of the city.

Jensen believes it was a quip about the din caused by the construction of the Metro.

Viewpoints of game poles apart YOUTUBE

Planet’s coolest hoods

15 September - 5 October 2017

A young Peter Madsen when misfiring rockets was his only worry

Suicidal thoughts ACCORDING to Madsen he went into a state of shock and became suicidal, only to change his mind once he had sailed out into deep water in the Sound, at which point he pushed Wall’s intact body overboard and didn’t

check to see whether she’d sunk.

Madsen, who pleaded guilty to desecrating Wall’s body but not to manslaughter, has no idea how her torso ended up headless and limbless. The prosecution has requested that Madsen undergo a mental examination.

No more jetski menace COPENHAGEN Harbour association HavneForum København contends that the area is safer following City Hall’s decision to grant the police the powers to confiscate speeding jetskis. Two US students were hit and killed by a jetski on May 6.

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15 September - 5 October 2017

ONLINE THIS WEEK THOMAS Frank, a 48-year-old Danish priest from Viborg, recently completed a 17-day, 3,420 km kayak along a series of Russian rivers to trace the routes the Vikings are believed to have taken on their eastern European raids.

However, it wasn’t easy. Most of the journey was upstream and rabid mosquitoes forced the priest to go to the toilet in his tent.

TAGTOMAT

Priest paddles to Russia

Police reduce terror detail

Inadvertent history A LGBT couple from the UK, Leslie Travers and Richard McBride, have become the first to take advantage of the Faroe Islands’ new legislation permitting same-sex couples to marry – over a year after the new law was passed. Travers revealed on Facebook that the couple had wanted “to have a quiet marriage ceremony” and weren’t aware they’d be making history.

Prince has dementia PRINCE Henrik, 83, is suffering from dementia, according to a panel of specialist doctors from Rigshospitalet, the Royal Danish Court has confirmed. The queen’s husband has been in the media spotlight recently, mostly because he said he didn’t want to be buried next to his wife. The doctors recommend he completely withdraws from public life.

Denmark’s Kinsey survey

Lusting after the Latins

AHEAD of cross-party negotiations (see more on page 11) the government has outlined a 2018 budget that aims to make Denmark “a safe and cohesive country”. The budget’s four main priorities are more money for the health sector and the elderly; security and safety; a varied and protected nature; and a more cohesive country.

CARLA Sands, a former actress and current member of President Donald Trump’s economic advisory committee, will shortly be confirmed as the next US ambassador to Denmark, reports CNBC. In related news, the foreign minister, Anders Samuelsen, has requested a meeting with the North Korean ambassador to discuss his country’s recent nuclear testing.

ONLINE THIS WEEK SOME 200,000 randomlychosen Danes between the ages of 15 and 89 have received a questionnaire in their e-boks containing between 150 and 190 questions about their sex lives. Initiated by Statens Serum Institut and Aalborg University, Project Sexus hopes to uncover the true nature of the nation’s sexual orientation and activity, and how it affects our health.

Making Denmark cohesive

New US ambassador

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ACCORDING to travel search engine Momondo, 27 percent of Danes enjoy a fling on their holidays – preferably with someone from southern Europe. Some 23 percent said the Spanish were the most appealing followed by Italians (18), Danes (17), Americans (14) and Norwegians, Swedes and Brits (all 11). Notably, the Finns were only considered attractive by 1 percent.

We will fight them on the benches ... and picnic too

Officer working hours cut by a third in the capital as authorities change their methods

to employ just 208.

Police cite better technology and fewer late-night shifts as being among the reasons for the easing, which has seen a reduction in the amount of 24/7 surveillance.

Mathiesen added that the many officers returning to their normal duties would enhance efforts against the ongoing gang war, which has seen a dip in activity this past fortnight, and at the border controls (see page 1).

Down by a third ACCORDING to a new police report, guarding the targets required the equivalent of 300 full-time officers in 2015, but this year the same job is expected

Fewer targets guarded “I CAN UNDERSTAND why some people might look at the figures and think it looks like a deprioritisation,” Stine Arneskov Mathiesen, a police inspector with the state police body Rigspolitiet, told DR. “But the explanation for why we can reduce [our officer numbers] by nearly a third is due to how we are doing things. And additionally, the number of areas we have been guarding since the start of 2015 has declined somewhat.”

Beautified barriers OTHER measures to deter the terror threat include the erection of concrete barriers to prevent vehicle attacks, and now Copenhagen Municipality has announced it intends to either decorate them or replace them with trees, benches or other structures.

“The terrorists won’t be setting the agenda for our city forever,” said Morten Kabell, the city’s deputy mayor for technical issues, who revealed that it has yet to be decided how the project will be funded.

Aiding trouble spots

African elite force support

DFDS stowaway dilemma

DENMARK has earmarked millions of kroner in aid to Ethiopia and Bangladesh in recent weeks. Some 25 million kroner will help alleviate the ongoing drought in Ethiopia that has left 8.5 million people in dire need of humanitarian help.

And 20 million kroner will help Bangladesh receive 150,000-plus refugees who have fled an ongoing slaughter in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.

THE GOVERNMENT is considering whether it should support the G5 Sahel Joint Force – a 5,000-strong African army set up by Chad, Niger, Mali, Mauritania and Burkina Faso to combat terrorism and people-smuggling – Politiken reports. The force could be operational in a couple of months, and the EU has already contributed 375 million kroner to the project

FOR SIX weeks, the Danish shipping company DFDS has been in a legal stalemate regarding 12 migrants onboard a ferry operating between Turkey and Ukraine. The stowaways have been locked up because it has not been possible to find a country to take them. Some have threatened suicide. The ship has a Lithuanian flag, and there has been talk of swapping it for a Danish one.

D

ESPITE Europe seeing a spike in terror attacks in recent years, the Danish police have decided to reduce the physical guarding of terror targets in Copenhagen implemented in the wake of the February 2015 terror shootings.

For example, one of the targets on that day, the Great Synagogue on Krystalgade, has seen a notable decline in its police presence in recent weeks.

Ship runs aground A CARGO vessel with Panamanian flags bound for New Orleans ended its journey somewhat prematurely in Danish waters on August 29. The ‘Star of Swara’, a 255 metre-long bulk carrier with a cargo of artificial fertiliser, ran aground approximately 15 km off the Danish town of Gedser after inexplicably veering away from the deep-water route.

More without a home A REPORT from VIVE, the centre of applied social science, reveals that 6,635 citizens do not have a home to sleep in at night – an increase of 8 percent on 2015 due to a surge among those aged 18-24 from 633 to 1,278 people.

Most are homeless due to mental illness, abuse problems or divorce, although the vast majority do have a place to sleep at night.

Overseas Danes owe tax SOME 100,301 Danes living abroad owe the state 8.1 billion kroner – a rise from 75,490 in 2016 – and very few of them are doing anything to pay off the debt in light of the collapse of the debt-collecting arm of SKAT, reports TV2. The average owed is 80,000 kroner, and ten Danes alone are responsible for around 1 billion kroner of the debt.

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COVER

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

15 September - 5 October 2017

They tried everything but the kitchen sink … and there was their answer!

How skilled internationals are turning to entrepreneurship in the food industry as the Danish job market fails to hire them CHANDRALEKHA MUKERJI

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interview. “The job requirement was only for a bachelor’s degree and I was overqualified for the position, but I didn’t mind.”

She didn’t get the job though, as she had to follow Danish instructions. “Many said language, especially in my field, wouldn’t be a barrier and that Denmark is very international. But my experience was completely different,” recalled Kosriwong.

The job centre said it couldn’t help her because she had a Green Card.

“I joined various help groups for expats and tried to network more, but nothing worked,” continued Kosriwong, who eventually returned to education to take a marketing course at the Aarhus Business Academy while working part-time at a Thai restaurant.

OVE KNOWS no borders, but the immigration office and labour markets do.

Kanuengnuch Kosriwong, 44, from Thailand knows this well.

After being in a long-distance relationship for five years with her Danish partner, she moved to Denmark in 2013 with a visa under the Green Card scheme.

The Green Card scheme, repealed last year in June, was a point-based, 18-month permit for skilled immigrants that allowed a person to live and work in Denmark if they could score at least 100 points according to criteria such as age, language skills, work experience and education.

With a PhD in molecular biology and seven years of experience as a researcher working in three different countries (Thailand, Australia and Laos), Kosriwong was sure she could Deflated, then depressed get a job in Denmark. She was NEHA DURUGKAR, 31, who wrong. came to Denmark from India on But Kosriwong did a spouse visa in 2013, not give up, and has a similar story. Her like many other Kanuengnuch Kosriwong husexpatband, an

turnedentrepreneurs, she has found employment possibilities through her knowledge of her country’s cuisine and is now herself an employer.

No Danish, no job “I ASSUMED a visa under the Green Card scheme meant they needed people in my field of expertise,” said Kosriwong, who following her arrival sent at least two applications per week for a year before she got her first

engineer, works in the research and development department of a global wind energy company and did not want to give up his job. So, after living apart for a year, the couple decided that Durugkar would move to Denmark. She arrived in January, the peak of winter.

Durgukar has master’s degrees in biochemistry and human resource management.

Like Kosriwong, she too had seven years of work experience

in labs, carrying out research

sultant at Copenhagen Business Service, an institution run under the auspices of Copenhagen Municipality that supports startups and entrepreneurs in establishing businesses in Copenhagen.

“Also, networking is a big issue as people normally recommend someone for open positions. So, as a foreigner with Neha Durugkar no network and a limited knowledge of Danish, penetrating the labour market is not easy.”

and teaching undergraduates in India.

“My experience and degrees from India were not good enough to get a job here – and not even land a volunteer non-paid opportunity,” said Durgukar. Again, language was the barrier. “Danish is a difficult language to pick up and I was unable to study it for long hours at a stretch every day.”

Being alone for long hours affected her so severely she was diagnosed with clinical depression. “In India I had a good job and was always busy. Here, I was sitting at home all day waiting for my husband and had noone to even share my problems with,” recalled Durugkar, who eventually had to go back to India for three months to recover.

Outside the network KOSRIWONG and Durugkar are not alone. A survey last year

by International House North Denmark asked companies in north Jutland to list the problems that prevented them from hiring an international employee. Poor Danish language skills and problems integrating into the work culture topped the list. Other reasons included cumbersome paperwork and the difficulties encountered by spouses and family members in adapting to Danish life.

“Not speaking Danish is definitely a barrier as most Danish companies are small and prefer someone who speaks the local language,” revealed Zikoh Mikhail Kouassi, a business con-

Salvation in the stove WHEN FACED with such difficulties, many immigrants tend to seek self-employment – a trend confirmed by the 2013 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report (surveying 69 countries), which confirms that immigrants worldwide engage in much higher entrepreneurial activity than the natives of a country.

The Danish data reflects a similar story. A study carried out in 2010 by Ethnic Business Promotion reported that the non-western immigrant population had almost twice as much entrepreneurial aptitude as ethnic Danes and western immigrants

kitchens at Street Food was predictable: they grabbed them!

Kosriwong has now been running a Thai stall called Tuk Tuk at Aarhus Street Food for the past year, and the response has been so good that her husband quit his job to join her.

Durugkar runs an Indian kitchen, and within 10 months of starting up she opened another one at Aalborg Street Food. “It was easier to register a company than getting my job application through,” she said.

Help from experts DENMARK is one of Europe’s most entrepreneur-friendly countries. However, while registering a business is easy, running it successfully is a bit harder.

“The part that was most challenging – as both an immigrant and someone who doesn’t speak the language – was figuring out all the technical aspects of running a business: such as tax, food and kitchen-related rules, handling the suppliers etc,” contended 34-year-old Maria Elizabeth Zambrano Alvarez, who runs the Colombian-inspired vegan kitchen Latienda at Copenhagen Street Food. She followed her Danish boyfriend to live in Denmark in 2014.

Life can be slightly easier if you are an EU citizen and have a Danish partner like 28-yearold Cindy Romor, who runs the Italian kitchen La Fattoria

Maria Alvarez

combined.

The study also acknowledged that one of the reasons for the immigrants’ propensity towards self-employment is the lack of jobs for them.

So, the reaction of Kosriwong and Durugkar when they heard there were spots to run small

with her Danish boyfriend Johan Braad-Petersen at Copenhagen Street Food. For her, the language or culture was never an issue. “My partner being Danish is a big advantage.

I concentrate on running the kitchen well, while he takes care

COVER

15 September - 5 October 2017

of all the administrative work and paperwork,” she enthused.

It is a problem that hasn’t gone unnoticed. Several municipalities, along with organisations like International Center and the Start-Up Denmark scheme, run dedicated cells to help international entrepreneurs.

“We have experts who regularly advise international entrepreneurs on their business ideas; help them to develop a business plan, understand Danish laws and regulations, and get permits; and recommend them to appropriate authorities such as banks and lawyers,” explained Lasse Frimand Jensen, a project leader at International House North Denmark.

Frailty in the paperwork DURUGKAR, who started up as

years before throwing everything in,” advises Kouassi from Copenhagen Business Service.

“That way, if things go wrong, one would either be able to sell it or be eligible for an entrepreneur visa.”

Second time lucky FOR MANY, success doesn’t come easily.

“Fifty percent of all businesses fail within five years,” warned Kouassi.

“You need a very good idea that fits your competences and have a business-orientated mind. You also need some capital and mentors who can guide you well.”

Jack Edosa, a 60-year-old originally from Nigeria, failed with his first business attempt.

Jack Edosa

a small Indian food catering service, received guidance as well as initial support from the municipality to kickstart her food business. “We started by providing catering to events organised by the municipality.

The food was appreciated and we started getting more orders and requests,” she said.

Although the business is steady now, Durugkar has bigger uncertainties to manage. Her spouse visa depends on her husband’s continued employment.

“If he loses his job, we get six months to find another. And if he fails to get one, we will have to move back to India,” she revealed.

Similarly, for Kosriwong who currently has a residency permit under the family reunion scheme, a divorce could adversely affect her business.

“Private matters affect businesses, and therefore one should start small and run it for a few

“When I started my Caribbean restaurant in Aarhus, nobody served the cuisine in the city,” he recalled. “However, I couldn’t get a steady clientele as the food is exotic. To put all those authentic ingredients on the plate, the menu became expensive and the market very small. So it was difficult to sustain it.”

Although he had years of experience as a Caribbean chef on cruise ships before coming to Denmark, marketing was not his forte and he eventually had to close down. However, Edosa got a second chance at Aarhus Street Food where he now successfully runs an AfroCaribbean kitchen called Tatashe.

Finding a spot at Aarhus Street Food that “guaranteed foot

Britt Vorre traffic” meant good business from day one.

“The seed capital and cost of maintenance was much less at Street Food, so we could bring down the cost of the menu. A lower price also meant people were more open to tasting the food,” said Edosa. He broke even within three months, and over the next year he has plans to expand to Aalborg, Viborg and Herning.

Diversity at their heart SONG ZHANG, 35, had a sushi bar in Brønshøj before starting his Chinese stall, Red China, at Copenhagen Street Food in 2014. The chef admits that the running costs were so high that the sushi business never really generated a profit. “I may have been running a business, but it would have never generated even 50 percent of the profits that I make now,” he said.

For many, places like Street Food, which began with diversity at its heart, are a perfect incubator. Additionally, the cost of starting up at Street

Food is significantly less than going solo.

“The place was designed for new entrepreneurs and we wanted the kitchens to be authentic and therefore run by people who come from where the food comes from,” explained Britt Vorre, the administrative director at Aarhus Street Food.

Angela Cortegiano, who owns two stalls at Aarhus Street Food – pizza joint LaRossa and La Pasta Fresca – asserts that as a

5

for how to run the business,” explained Maja Tini Jensen, the head of PR and communications at Copenhagen Street Food.

Empowered employers FOR MANY of the entrepreneurs, they’ve moved on from struggling to get interviews to conducting them, now in a position to employ workers who might also struggle with speaking Danish.

International students with almost non-existent Danish skills are increasingly finding jobs as part-time employees in these kitchens. Eleni Adamopoulou, 25, from Greece, who studies international and global history at Aarhus University, had a job as a house cleaner before getting work at a stall run by Durugkar.

“The hours did not clash with

Cindy Romor

for(second right) my eigner classes. the Also, the biggest adenvironment vantage was the was more internationally friendly and I met ecosystem it provided.

“If you are not a local, you more students like me – some don’t have many contacts. But of whom even became friends,” this place works like a commu- said Adamopoulou.

Durugkar is happy. “Before, nity. So, if I’m struggling to find a supplier or handyman, I can I used to contact the job centre always ask my neighbour for a looking for opportunities, and recommendation. Or, we can now they call me with candidate bulk buy ingredients to get a profiles to see if I have an opendiscount,” she enthused. ing. It feels good,” she enthused.

And the landlords play their part too. Integrating the hard way!

“Of the 35 food THESE new entrepreneurs are stalls, 16 are also making small changes to owned by peo- integrate into Danish culture. ple with an Durugkar serves a Madras beef curry, while Alvarez has immigrant background. added burgers to her ColomAlthough we bian menu. Zhang says he makes don’t hand- crisp Chinese rolls because hold each “Danes don’t like sticky food” stall owner, while Romor puts a topping we do provide on the porchetta because she them with ba- thinks “Danes like their meat sic guidelines on with some sauce”.

Song Zhang And most have also become how to start up and a generic framework proficient in Danish.

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NEWS

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

Capital to host World Congress of Architects

ONLINE THIS WEEK ARCHAEOLOGISTS attached to the Moesgaard Museum have discovered the remnants of a small village that disappeared nearly 400 years ago near modern-day Odder in mid-Jutland.

Records of Hovedstrup stretch back as far as 1300, though it’s speculated the village could be even older. The ongoing excavations are hoping to discover more.

UNIVERSITY of Copenhagen researchers have discovered a method through which antibiotics currently in circulation can be used to impact pathogenic bacteria that are otherwise naturally resistant to treatment. The researchers are therefore focusing on how they can change the resistant bacteria’s structure so they can more easily be impacted by antibiotics.

Birth rate rise a problem MORE CHILDREN are being born in Denmark and this trend is set to continue, according to Danish Regioner, which predicts the growth rate will rise from 61,614 (2016 figures) to 72,000 by 2025.

The rise will increase the pressure on personnel at the country’s maternity wards, where extensive cuts have been made in recent years.

Chlamydia central FREDERIKSBERG has the highest rate of chlamydia in Denmark, with an estimated 33 out of its 1,000 young people infected, according to Sundhedsstyrelsen. Other hotbeds include the municipalities of Aalborg, Holstebro, Copenhagen, Aarhus and Odense. The high rates are blamed on less condom usage due to the reduced risk of contracting AIDS.

Football good for bones A UNIVERSITY of Southern Denmark study claims that a 70-year-old regular football player has bones as strong as those of an inactive 25-year-old, reports Videnskab.dk. The study primarily assessed and compared the bones’ mineral content. The experts attributed the findings to football’s emphasis on running, jumping and movement.

ONLINE THIS WEEK Antibiotic breakthrough

PIXABAY

Denmark’s Atlantis

15 September - 5 October 2017

The secrets of spider silk

Buildings like Bjarke Ingels’ award-winning 8tallet in Ørestad Syd have been steadily building Denmark’s rep

Triennial event considered the biggest of its kind within the profession

T

HE PRESTIGIOUS World Congress of Architects is coming to Copenhagen in 2023. Around 10,000 architects from all over the world are expected to attend the triennial event, which is considered the biggest of its kind in the field of architecture Under the overarching theme ‘Sustainable futures’, the attendees will discuss architecture’s contribution to the 17 sustainable development goals for the world set out by the United Nations.

It will be the first time that the congress has been hosted by a Nordic country. No venue has yet been named.

Proud to be chosen “WE ARE very proud that Copenhagen has been chosen and very much look forward to welcoming the world’s architects in 2023,” enthused Natalie Mossin, the chair of Akademisk

Arkitektforening, one of the organisations instrumental in securing the congress.

“As architects we have a lot to contribute to helping to realise the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals. Nordic architecture, landscaping, planning and design have a great deal to offer, and we very much look forward to sharing this with colleagues from around the world.”

Pressing problems REALDANIA also played a key role in the Copenhagen bid.

“The increasing scarcity of resources and climate change need new solutions and new forms of co-operation – solutions and co-operations that we are really good at in Denmark,” said its head of philanthropy, Anne Skovbro.

“I hope that the whole of the Danish building industry will see potential in the congress coming to the country so that we can hoist all sails and demonstrate the role that Danish solutions can play internationally.”

Europe’s first 3D shed IN RELATED news, a 3D printer in the Nordhavn district of Copenhagen is currently printing the first 3D building in Europe: a 50 sqm garden shedsized building that has been given the name ‘The Bod’.

“We hope ‘The Bod’ will be an effective demonstration project that can inspire others to use 3D-print technology for buildings,” Henrik Lund-Nielsen – the CEO of 3D Pinthuset, the company behind the ‘The Bod’ – told DR. Pros and cons THERE are a number of benefits associated with building 3D houses, including lower costs, a speedy construction, durability and sustainability. Last year a Russian company managed to 3D-print a building in just 24 hours.

However, there are pitfalls as well, such as quality, the printers being expensive and toxic material being found in some materials used for 3D printing.

(CPH POST)

Boost for dying patients

CO2 goals hit by traffic

2017’s rainiest day

Funding for diabetics

A MAJORITY in Parliament wants to give patients more options when it comes to receiving treatment at the end of their lives, which will enable them to avoid a painful, drawnout death. While patients with hours to live can forego food and drink and request large amounts of painkilling-drugs, MPs want to extend this to patients who could conceivably hang on for weeks.

COPENHAGEN’S goal to become the world’s first CO2 neutral capital by 2025 is being hampered by a rise in traffic. According to City Hall figures, it reduced its CO2 emissions by 33 percent in 2016 – down from 38 percent in 2015. In related news, the Chinese energy minister, Nur Bekri, visited Denmark in early September to take a look at Denmark’s efforts to become more sustainable.

SEPTEMBER 6 was the rainiest day of the year with the whole country receiving an average 22.3 mm – the equivalent of 22 litres being poured onto every square metre. As much as 6070 mm of rain fell in Hobro in north Jutland. It was the third worst day since the extreme rainfall of July 2011, the weather that precipitated the deluges that have plagued the Danish summer ever since.

THE NOVO Nordisk Fund has allocated 1.4 billion kroner to open treatment centres for diabetics in Aarhus and Odense.

The centres will not only be for treating patients but will also encompass research and educational functions. Building work is due to start next year and the centres are expected to be ready by 2022. The centres will be able to handle 8-9,000 patients every year.

RESEARCHERS at the University of Southern Denmark are investigating the properties of silk from orb-weaver spiders to unlock the secret of its immense strength.

The intention is to produce artificial spider silk that is just as strong as the real thing for use in such things as bulletproof vests. These could then be made much lighter than they are at present.

For the next generation A DANISH company, Next Food, has come up with a revolutionary idea to grow vegetables indoors without using earth and using only a small amount of water. The quantities of light and water are carefully controlled by a computer that knows the precise needs of each individual plant. Even the taste, texture and appearance can be programmed.

No jabs, no entry A PROPOSAL from City Hall would give parental boards at Copenhagen’s kindergartens and nurseries the right to exclude children who haven’t been vaccinated. The capital’s deputy mayor for employment and integration issues, Anna Mee Allerslev, is behind the idea.

However, Venstre argues that the responsibility for such matters belongs higher up in the system.

Too snuggly for smugglers THE WORLD Wildlife Fund for Nature warns that Denmark is in danger of becoming a paradise for animal smugglers in the future. It contends the illegal industry is attracted to Denmark’s less stringent laws compared to neighbouring countries. Smugglers get just one year in prison in Denmark, compared to four in Sweden and five in Germany.

NEWS

15 September - 5 October 2017

ONLINE THIS WEEK NorthSide taking shape

Flag double BOTH THE Danish men’s and women’s teams won the European Flag Football Championships on home soil over the September 2-3 weekend. The men beat Israel 39-19 to claim their fifth title in succession, while the women, also against Israel, won 33-6 – their first ever title. Flag football is a non-contact version of American football.

Carragher on TV

Eight goals and a demolition of the group leaders have reignited Denmark’s 2018 World Cup campaign

T

WO WEEKS ago Denmark stood in third place on ten points in their 2018 World Cup qualifying group, behind Montenegro courtesy of their head-to-head record with four games left to play.

Today, they are still third, but now on 16 points, within touching distance of automatic qualification thanks to a 4-0 demolition of group leaders Poland at Parken followed by a 4-1 win in Armenia.

appearance since 2015 against Poland.

Montenegro in the way BUT ALL of it will have been for nothing if they don’t better the 0-1 loss they suffered against Montenegro at Parken last year when the two sides meet in Podgorica on October 5.

Denmark’s final game is at home to Romania on October 8, while Montenegro travel to Warsaw. Poland, who head the group by three points, face Armenia away in their penultimate game.

Delaney turns it on WERDER Bremen midfielder Thomas Delaney was the starman over the two games. A goal against Poland and a hat-trick in Yerevan – three headers in total – saw him included in FIFA’s team of the day. It was the first hat-trick by a Danish player in a World Cup qualifier since Ebbe Sand in 2001.

Tottenham playmaker Thomas Eriksen, meanwhile, scored a goal in each game, and crucially both players are available for the Montenegro game, as is Nicklas Bendtner, who made his first

Luscious Louisiana Lit

Amazing Alvin Ailey

In tune with integration

Level with the Lord A FIRST-HALF strike against Everton at the weekend has enabled Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen to draw level with Nicklas Bendtner as Denmark’s top scorer in the English Premier League with 32 goals.

On the ExCom FC COPENHAGEN boss Anders Hørsholt has been voted onto the 15-member executive board of the European Club Association. In total, the association has 230 members representing 53 nations.

Women want it now MEANWHILE, in other national team news, the women’s side are involved in a dispute with the DBU governing body over their remuneration.

“We’ve presented some clear and reasonable demands for improvement. It has to work for us when we play for the national team, and right now it doesn’t,” striker and Euro 2017 hero Pernille Harder told DR. (CPH POST)

ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER

Cleese returning again AMONG the big draws announcing visits to Copenhagen this past fortnight were John Cleese (DR Koncerthuset; May 21 & 22), Toto (Forum; Feb 17), Kathy Griffin (DR Koncerthuset; Nov 25) and the Harlem Globetrotters (Ballerup Super Arena; May 2).

The Polish gentleman in black regretted he was let in

CARE OF EDITIONS

TV3 HAS signed up former England player Jamie Carragher as a TV pundit to cover the Champions League. He made his debut on September 13 as his former club Liverpool hosted Sevilla. The move continues TV3’s recent policy of including English-language pundits and presenters in its coverage.

CHRISTIAN WENANDE

THE NORTHSIDE festival has already confirmed five US bands for next year’s event: Queens of the Stone Age, The National, Father John Misty, Deerhunter and Cigarettes after Sex. Organisers described the bands as “typical NorthSide names”. Tickets for the June 7-9 event went on sale last Friday.

Road to Russia opening up

Chris Kraus wrote ‘I Love Dick’

Exorcist position à la Linda Blair

Candidate David Zepernick

THE BIGGEST names in literature convened for a weekend of interviews, conversations and performances amidst Humblebæk’s rural calm at Louisiana Literature. Highlights included Chris Kraus being interviewed by the Danish activist Emma Holten, in which the development of the women’s cause over the last 20 years was chartered with some fascinating insights, and Colson Whitehead’s conversation with the young and rising French writer Édouard Louis.

While the focus was on the literature, allusions to the current political turmoil in the US were, of course, inescapable. (LS)

RETURNING to Tivoli were the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and once again the stage came alive. Two dances stood out. In ‘Four Corners’, there was a soulful swaying of hips and shoulders throughout the music changes, which echoed jazzy African-American tunes.

Measured pauses somehow fit with series of buoyant, rapid thrusting spins. And there was an exquisite rawness to ‘No Longer Silent’ emphasised by jarring exorcist positions and conforming formations. Symbols chimed profusely while outstretched arms and splayed hands pierced the air. (CR)

IT IS DIFFICULT trying to adapt to a local culture – particularly if it’s very different from your own. Based on my 44 years in Denmark, I would like to offer five pieces of ‘integrationfriendly’ advice that might help you to decipher Danish culture and get to know ‘the natives’ a little better: Sign up for some sort of team sport; engage in activities relating to your children’s school or daycare institutions; drink alcohol; get a bike; and try a little harder. In practical terms, I believe these small pieces of somewhat controversial advice will make your social and working life a little bit easier. (DZ)

READ THE REST OF THESE STORIES AT CPHPOST.DK

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ONLINE THIS WEEK Woz not to be CAROLINE Wozniacki beat Sloane Stephens 6-2 6-3 in the semi-finals of the Rogers Cup in Toronto on August 12. Fastforward a month and Stephens is the US Open champion leaving Woz to rue another grand slam opportunity missed after bowing out in the second round to Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova in three sets. Afterwards she rebuked organsiers for allowing Maria Sharapova to play on “centre court” on her return from a drugs ban.

Towering over all-comers THE COPENHAGEN Towers have been ranked the 17th best side in Europe by American Football International’s panel of experts – their first inclusion in the top 20. The Towers thrashed the Triangle Razorbacks 42-13 on September 9 to underline their favourites tag for this year’s Mermaid Bowl. In related news, NFL side Atlanta Falcons have told Danish player Andreas Knappe, 26, he isn’t part of their plans this season.

Viktor the victor FOLLOWING his World Championship triumph in the men’s singles, badminton player Viktor Axelsen has moved up to number two in the world, just behind Son Wan-Ho of South Korea. Axelsen beat Chinese legend Lin Dan 22-20, 21-16 in the final to become the first Danish men’s singles world champ since Peter Rasmussen in 1997.

HC Andersen winner BRITISH author AS Byatt, who is best known for the novel ‘Angels and Insects’, is the 2018 recipient of the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award. The prize includes 500,000 kroner.

Previous winners include Salman Rushdie, JK Rowling, Paulo Coelho and Haruki Murakami.

Under-21s flying THE UNDER-21S started their Euro 2019 bid in fine style with a comfortable 3-0 win away at the Faroes before thrashing Lithuania 6-0 in Aalborg. Next up are Georgia at home on October 6 followed by a trip to Finland four days later.

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BUSINESS

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

Economic picture ever rosier

ONLINE THIS WEEK Lego laying off 1,400 PIXABAY

LEGO IS laying off 1,400 employees, including over 500 in Denmark, following disappointing results in which revenue fell by 5 percent to 14.9 billion kroner over the first half of 2017 and the operating profit fell by 6 percent to 4.4 billion kroner. In related news, the BIG-designed 12,000 sqm ‘Lego House – Home of the Brick’ will open in Billund on September 28.

15 September - 5 October 2017

Lundbeck CEO to leave PHARMACEUTICAL company Lundbeck has started the process of looking for a new CEO to replace Kåre Schultz, who has accepted a similar position at Teva Pharmaceutical Industries after two years in the job. “Lundbeck is a unique company and this year is on track to deliver the best financial result ever,” he told DR.

A friend of Brexit BREXIT has an ally in the shape of Claus Grube, the Danish ambassador to the UK. Speaking to the BBC, he called the vote “legitimate” and “democratic” and said Denmark respects what has been a “very British” debate. “We have a great tradition of referendums in Denmark and we know that this is a legitimate, democratic process that you have to respect the outcome of,” he said.

Eyes on Africa THE DANISH beverage giant CO-RO has teamed up with Bidco Africa to launch a new beverage business based out of Kenya: BIDCORO Africa. In other news on the continent, the queen will lead a Danish trade delegation to Ghana from November 23-24 in connection with the country’s 60-year independence celebration.

Vestas teams up with Tesla VESTAS has teamed up with electric car producer Tesla to develop a new solution to store wind energy. The co-operation is part of a strategy shift for Vestas and it would mean the company could ultimately reduce the price of the electricity it delivers.

Vestas, meanwhile, has inked a deal to provide wind turbines to Mongolia’s largest wind park.

Sach selling shares

Bank linked to Azeri regime DANSKE Bank is embroiled in another money laundering scandal – this time involving the regime in Azerbaijan. According to Berlingske, the bank permitted the regime to send money through accounts in the bank’s Estonian branch to politicians, officials and other people of influence between 2012 and 2014.

Since then, the bank’s regulations have become more stringent.

ONLINE THIS WEEK

The numbers contain good news for Denmark

Increase in exports driving prosperity, confirms Foreign Ministry

S

IMON EMIL Ammitzbøll, the minister for the economy and internal affairs, has presented the best economic prognosis for many years, with Denmark looking to end 2017 with the highest growth rate for 10 years.

While GDP is expected to rise 2 percent this year to its highest rate since 2006, and then by 1.8 percent next year, the number of people in employment has also risen – a net increase of 150,000 new jobs since 2013, of which 65,000 have gone to foreigners.

However, Ammitzbøll noted that the building and construction industry is having difficulty recruiting workers, which could slow the economic upswing.

cent next year to the tune of an extra 32 and 29 billion kroner, according to a report from the Foreign Ministry.

Germany, the US, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and China were identified as growing markets, while the UK is shrinking following Brexit.

Every fourth job in Denmark is directly dependent on exports, according to the ministry.

DI weighs in NOT TO be outdone, Dansk Industri has revealed details of a package of measures designed to improve Denmark’s economic prosperity by 29 billion kroner and create 35,000 extra jobs in the private sector.

The package, which contains 50 suggestions, has been grouped under five headings: a corporation tax package; lower taxes on work; strengthening the job market and reducing the numbers on social security; investment in research, education and infrastructure; and a digital growth strategy.

Strong Eurozone THE MINISTER attributed the buoyant economy to solid growth in the Eurozone, with exports expected to rise by 5.2 percent this year and 4.5 per-

Helping companies compete THE GOVERNMENT has come up with a 22-point plan to make it easier for Danish companies to grow into global success-stories, creating a better climate for investment and innovation.

The plan, entitled ‘Working together for the companies of the future’, sets aside 800 million kroner in 2018, and the amount will rise to 2 billion kroner by 2025.

The 22 measures are grouped under four main headings: ‘Innovation and shares’, ‘Digitalisation and business models’, ‘Lower costs for citizens and companies’, and ‘Globalisation’.

Nordea chooses Finland

TV2’s bullish results

Busy for acquisitions

THE SECOND-LARGEST bank in Denmark, Nordea, has decided to vacate its headquarters in Sweden and move to Finland. Denmark had been in the running, but in the end it lost out. Nordea is dissatisfied with a planned tax on the financial sector that the Swedish government is planning to impose in order to better protect the state’s finances against a future financial crash.

TV2’S PRE-TAX profit rose from 24 to 178 million over the first six months of 2017. The commercial channel – which annually receives 500 million kroner from the state to assist its local news output, plus subscriptions from viewers – attributed the rise to fewer costs acquiring sports rights and improved advertising revenue and streaming sales, noting its focus will now be even more digital.

FROKOSTFIRMAET has bought Gotipster, a startup pushing upmarket takeaway onto the Danish market. In other takeover news, Germanowned Cashpoint has acquired six betting shops from Tipico ahead of future expansion in Denmark; digital agency AKQA has acquired its rival Dis/play; and TDC has bought mobile phone company Plenti for 74 million kroner.

Car imports rising IN RELATED news, car imports have risen by 67 percent over the last four years as the demand – particularly for large, used ones over five years old that require much lower registration fees – has increased, reports the DR1 program ‘Penge’.

Not only are people travelling abroad to buy cars, but dealerships are increasingly importing them. (CPH POST)

US INVESTMENT bank Goldman Sachs is offering 7.5 million Dong shares for sale – 1.78 percent of the energy giant’s total share capital. Speculators reckon Sachs will sell off its shares by the year’s end. In other energy news, plans for the 550 km Baltic Pipe gas project to provide Poland with Norwegian gas via Denmark is closer to being given the go-ahead.

Microsoft partnership MICROSOFT and the University of Copenhagen have agreed a partnership to develop a quantum computer, which will use quantum-mechanical phenomena such as superposition and entanglement to perform operations on data. In other tech news, Danish app TastePlease has been included on a list of the ‘10 mouthwatering food apps to watch’ compiled by Forbes.

Airport’s prospects soar AARHUS Airport has entered into a co-operation with SAS that is expected to boost air traffic to the airport by 50 percent.

Departures to Copenhagen will increase substantially. Meanwhile, SAS has posted a Q3 profit of 1.535 billion Swedish kroner for the three months ending July 31 – almost double the third quarter results from last year.

Jutland best for business THE BEST place in Denmark to run a company is in Jutland, according to a Dansk Industri report, ‘Local Business Climates’, which explored several parameters including opportunities to gain qualified labour, communications with municipalities and tax issues. Copenhagen and Zealand finished rock bottom.

BUSINESS OPINION

15 September - 5 October 2017

TINY MAERSCHALK LIVING IN AN EXPAT WORLD Belgium’s Tiny Maerschalk, who has worked for the International Community networking platform since its foundation in 2008, knows how it feels to settle in a new country. Dedicated to improving conditions for new arrivals, here she shares her insights about the business issues that mean the most to internationals in Denmark.

Chatty Danes everywhere!

I TOO HAVE struggled to get through the tough Danish shell. Sometimes it feels like trying to crack a coconut. You try and keep on trying, without getting through. However, after countless attempts, all of a sudden you do get through.

Sailing in the southern Jutland and South Funen archipelago, I encountered numerous Danes happy to engage in conversation.

Our summer holidays took us from Sønderborg to Dyvig, Lyø, Avernakø, Faaborg, Ærøskøbing, Marstal and Rudkøbing – and we met chatty Danes everywhere!

Just don’t board my boat!

STILL the dialogue took place at

SØREN BREGENHOLT THE VALLEY OF LIFE As the chairman of the Medicon Valley Alliance – the gold-labelled Danish-Swedish life science cluster organisation – Søren will address current trends and challenges in the sector. Away from the alliance, he is responsible for Novo Nordisk’s global R&D-based PhD and post doc programs, as well as research, innovation and educational policy.

Raising the bar THE PROCESS, which was partly initiated by the construction of the Øresund Bridge and fuelled by a combination of strengthened collaboration and the construction of new stateof-the-art research facilities, has helped position Medicon Valley as the leading life science cluster in the Nordics. So far so good!

But what about the future? Do we dare raise the bar? In my view, we should aspire to become not only the leading life science cluster in the Nordic countries, but also to become the leading life science cluster in northern Europe.

Sharing a hobby helps NOW THE question is why was it so easy to interact with the Danes. Was it because it was a holiday and everybody was relaxed? Or because our kids were

Together we moored, but don’t come aboard

interacting with their kids? Or because we share the same sparetime interest?

Well, it was probably a mix of different factors. My experience has taught me that sharing an interest or hobby certainly helps, and signing up for a spare-time activity is probably the fastest way to get into a Danish network.

Danish friends for life ALL OF these encounters were

dialogues on the spot: friendly conversation, sharing sailing stories and good advice on which harbour to moor in. None of them resulted in lasting relationships.

However, I enjoyed seeing another side to the Danes, and it has encouraged me to keep on tapping on their hard shell. It is possible it will crack open, and once you have a Danish friend, you have a friend for life.

KU.DK

S

OME 20 YEARS ago, the Øresund defined and divided the region we today recognise as Medicon Valley, and neither Copenhagen nor Scania figured prominently on the European life science map.

Fortunately, this has since changed dramatically!

playgrounds and quays – not on each other’s boats! Only the kids got to go aboard and show each other their cabins. As the boat is one’s home for the holidays, I still had this feeling of not being invited into a Danish home.

On two occasions our eldest daughter found a great playmate and there was a common agreement to sail the same way to give the girls the opportunity to continue playing together in the next harbour.

In the evening each crew brought their own food and drinks to a picnic table on the quay to have dinner together. In the Danish spirit of hygge, each crew also brought something to share – usually a beer – and the dads bought ice cream for all of the kids.

ALEX HANNIBALSEN

P

EOPLE often refer to Danes being reserved, closed off and difficult to make friends with. But this summer I had a very different experience – to my surprise I have to admit.

The upside, when we succeed – and I am sure we will – will be tremendous. Science will prosper, patients will receive better treatment, and the growth and job creation of the last 20 years will most likely continue.

The strong Copenhagen-based candidacy for the European Medicines Agency testifies how far the region has come.

A positive direction THE RECOMMENDATIONS made by the Danish government’s life science growth team, which were published in the spring, and the MVA’s recent analysis of ‘Research in Medicon Valley 2017’ set a positive future direction while pointing out where there is still room for improvement.

In both Denmark and Sweden, we can be optimistic that ambitious, national life science strategies are being developed as we speak. If the responsible

9

This team has a lot of players

authorities are up to the task, the Medicon Valley regional perspective will figure prominently in both strategies.

Working together BUT ONE thing is strategy, another thing is implementation.

Only if we are truly dedicated and actively invest the time, money and effort required – AND – work together in the

interest of the entire region, can we realistically hope to establish Medicon Valley and Greater Copenhagen as the life science stepping stone in and out of the Nordic countries and northern Europe.

We have the building blocks needed, so let’s overcome our differences and build a DanishSwedish bridge to a prosperous common life science future!

NEXT ISSUE

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Union Views

Startup Community

Danish Capital in 2017

Mind over Managing

Give Yourself a Chance

CPH Career

All of your Business

10 OPINION

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

15 September - 5 October 2017

Lamborghini times

A

S WE WRITE this, we are seeing the tactics in connection with the national budget negotiations for 2018 unfolding before our eyes.

Symbol of arrogance ADDED to this is a reduction of the tax on new cars, which at present stands at 150 percent on luxury cars. The new proposal is a flat tax of 100 percent.

The business minister, Brian Mikkelsen, introduced a new norm when he claimed that whoever has the means to buy a Lamborghini should just do so with their own money – and thereby pay more than a million kroner in tax.

However, this became a symbol of arrogance on the part of the good minister, who is well aware of it himself.

Shoulders to the wheel THE CENTRAL problem is that income tax and car tax are progressive. The broadest shoulders should carry the heaviest

Fashion Jam

load. The principle is a noble one, but its implementation has led to some critical voices airing the view that any tax exceeding 50 percent will automatically be felt to be unfair; a tax of 50 percent – plus invites creative minds to devise evasive constructions and dodgy accounts in Panama and other tax havens.

Because of this, any tax relief is complicated, as the Danish welfare system is composed of high taxes and cash subsidies.

When these two clash we see conflicts that can lead to an effective taxation of 100 percent. It is even said that for some people it is unprofitable to have a paid job.

The balance of power DANSKE Folkeparti (DF) holds a key position. The PM has no majority without DF and they want to leave their fingerprints on the budget. Car tax relief is popular, and for the time being the discussions have totally stalled car sales, which were heading towards an all-time high. A compromise is expected soon and 150 percent is felt to be unfair.

Income tax relief is more complicated, which the fuss about the bandied-about figures has shown. There is 20-30 billion kroner at stake. Tax relief – possibly – but if so, for whom? Welfare handouts – if so, for whom?

The red bloc is leading in the polls, but they are not a team with a common structured policy. The blue bloc is dependent on DF. Nobody has the appetite for a general election, so DF has the floor, but as they do not drive Lamborghinis, you can expect a bit of everything. (ES)

Join the chat WWW.CPHPOST.DK WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/COPENHAGENPOST WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/CPHPOST WWW.TWITTER.COM/CPHPOST

As a Swede who spent eleven years in London and New York, coming to Denmark six years ago had its ups and downs. Having worked in fashion most of her professional life, Jenny (@ jennyfashjam) will be giving her opinion on our dress sense: the right choices and the bad ones.

JENNY EGSTEN-ERICSON

Bait in place THE PRIME minister has dangled some tax relief as bait, but the opposition is not biting and claims it is a scam to benefit the rich and that he will then smuggle in a top bracket tax removal package through the back door.

The debate has been about the PM’s ability to do his sums, as the tax relief measures have an impact on both low and high incomes.

If you use a percentage calculation, it is evident that the very rich get a juicier chunk from one percent than the poor, who do not pay much tax anyway.

JENNY EGSTEN-ERICSON

Flower power on a snowplough this winter

D

URING my lifespan I don’t think I have ever seen such variety in fashion as this autumn/winter, and it is all but boring.

Forget about all the things you have tried to get your head around in regards to Scandinavian fashion and throw it out the window. There is absolutely nothing minimalistic, black, white or grey about this autumn, and the Danes must be so thrown and confused!

Winter is colouring THIS AUTUMN/WINTER we don’t want the grey scale and strict lines, we want colours, patterns and frills, and we want them all together. You would be best off walking into your grandmother’s closet in the dark and putting on as many things as you can, and voila you are done. It might sound awful, but it’s actually quite refreshing and fun!

There are no rules. You can wear flowers with stripes, checks with flowers and flowers with other flowers – the possibilities are endless.

Mostly thanks to Gucci, flo-

rals are no longer synonymous with the ditsy fabrics of summer fashion, although these are darker, bewitching blooms.

Flowers may be just what we need in a world that’s mostly dark and grey.

Wondrous for wardrobes BUT ACTUALLY the autumn/ winter 2017 fashion trends are shaping up to be very good news for your wardrobe. Why? Well, rather than the old-fashioned system of one thing being ‘out’ while another is deemed ‘in’, designers have broken down the boundaries of what can be considered of-the-moment.

Many trends are hitting their third or fourth winter season in favour (flares and chunky knits with midi skirts, for example), and that’s a marvellous thing.

Not only have you become accustomed to that particular way of styling, but it’s highly likely you’ll own one or more pieces to get going again without delay.

If it isn’t broke …

Bohemians in rhapsody THEN THERE are the genuinely new autumn/winter trends

that have almost been built just to make us happy.

If there’s one hue that screams A/W 17 from a mile off, it’s red.

Worn boldly so often on the catwalk, this is approachable for all mortals as it just happens to be the most flattering colour on all skin tones, so it’s a win-win.

Boho is never far from the style psyche, but rather than full-on 1970s throwbacks, this season an artsy spirit has manifested itself in a series of craft-inspired dresses. When Gucci, Valentino and Alexander McQueen are all marching to the same beat, you know this is one dress trend that really has legs – and will probably be copied endlessly on the high street.

Another trend you won’t be able to escape is the checked blazer, and there is no shortage of alternatives if you want to buy one.

Safety in numbers!

TO SUM up the coming season, I would say it’s really hard to go wrong because it’s very forgiving and generous when it comes to what is accepted or not.

Just remember, more is more.

OPINION

15 September - 5 October 2017

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NEXT ISSUE

IAN BURNS

An Actor’s Life A resident here since 1990, Ian Burns is the artistic director at That Theatre Company and very possibly Copenhagen’s best known English language actor thanks to roles as diverse as Casanova, Shakespeare and Tony Hancock.

The Road Less Taken JESSICA ALEXANDER

Mishra’s Mishmash MRUTYUANJAI MISHRA

IAN BURNS

IN 2 ISSUES

Crazier than Christmas VIVIENNE MCKEE

Early Rejser ADAM WELLS In the end it wasn’t to be at the Emmys, but they still enjoyed themselves

C

ONGRATULATIONS to Copenhagen on its 850th birthday. I feel privileged to live here. Work in the form of an eight-week contract brought me here, but love has kept me here for 27 years.

Love at first site I MET MY wife on the first day. Standing in the City Hall Square in my lightweight khaki suit, carrying a guitar in its case on 1 August 1990.

I’d lost my bearings so I asked the first beautiful woman who passed me the way to Skt Peders Stræde. Five days later we met again in Sabine’s Café, coming from different directions to say farewell to an American girl going home to LA. “Haven’t we met before?” we asked. And that’s how it started.

Flash-forward to the present day and we’re still together with two lovely teenage boys.

I’m sitting beside her right now on a flight to, of all places, Los Angeles.

Opportunity Knox THERE’S a sense of excitement in the air as we’re on our way to the Emmy Awards. She’s a producer at Plus Pictures and has been nominated for best

documentary and script for ‘Amanda Knox’, a film about the American student tried for murder in Italy. If you want to see it, check it out on Netflix.

I hope this will merit a mention given the Danish and universal craving for 24-hour news. Most of the news we’re bombarded with seems to me to be bloody, awful, fear-driven and gratuitous. And there’s only so much bad news I can take – I don’t know about you dear reader.

Another thing to consider is whether the news is real or fake? How to tell? Trump tells us that all the criticism of him is ‘fake’. He’s declared war on journalists and might, if he really loses the plot, declare war on North Korea.

Moral leadership ONE OF the main themes bouncing around the US right now is the facing up to or the denial of the misdemeanours of its past. The recent marches celebrating, preserving or condemning national US heroes is a boil that has been waiting to be burst for generations.

Should our history books be more honest? Most countries in Europe owe their wealth

and power to the fact that they at some point did the dirty on another country or people.

Just think for a moment about the slave trade. Would Britain be prepared to take down a statue of one of its biggest advocates, Lord Nelson, from Trafalgar Square in London, for example? Any statue to commemorate Baroness Thatcher would, I personally guarantee, only be up for five minutes …

Germany teaches the gruesome details of the Nazis and their rise to power to its children, thereby showing moral leadership to itself and the rest of the world. Donald Drumff on the other hand, by not showing zero tolerance to Americans waving swastikas on US streets, is only serving to empower and embolden white supremacist groups.

Another anniversary 2017 ALSO MARKS the 20th anniversary of That Theatre Company of which I am artistic director. I am very proud of this milestone and hope that you will come in and see both our productions (see that-theatre. com for details) this season, starting with ‘Educating Rita’ from October 25.

IN 3 ISSUES

Straight Up ZACH KHADUDU

A Dane Abroad KIRSTEN LOUISE PEDERSEN

IN 4 ISSUES

Mackindergarten ADRIAN MACKINDER

Straight, No Chaser STEPHEN GADD

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THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

15 September - 5 October 2017

XAVIER CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2013

XAVIER CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2012

A unique pearl from Provence with its elegant tones of red berries.

Indeed, an amazing wine to a terrific price.

0,75 l / Red wine / Provence, France

A completely irresistible and appealing Côtes du Rhône from the well-esteemed winemaker, Xavier. An incredibly juicy and tasty wine.

0,75 l / White wine / Rhone, France

6 BOTTLES

6 BOTTLES

80% of the grapes comes from old vines with an age of 75 to 100 years old, which ensures a very high quality.

The wine has an attractive dark-red colour and the bouquet comes from ripe and dark berries.

0,75 l / Red wine / Rhone, France

DKK

DKK

599

330

SAVE

596 DKK

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6 BOTTLES

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Probably the best producer in Valpolicella-provence, in Italy. A completely unique wine and a true display of great taste and aroma.

0,75 l / Red wine / Veneto, Italy

6 BOTTLES DKK

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A very elegant Champagne based on the trilogy of grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

0,75 l / Sparkling wine / Champagne, France

90 Parker Point. With its elegance and fresh taste, it is no wonder Maufoux is a topseller.

This Chablis has a crispy taste of citrus and almonds, with a dry and refined character you will not soon forget.

0,75 l / White wine / Burgundy, France

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600 DKK

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Since opening in 2003, the local microbrewery Nørrebro Bryghus has been serving over 250 different types of beer. The brewmaster’s principles are rooted in Nordic traditions and organic production methods, which has resulted in country-wide success as the brewery has become an instant favourite of the beer-loving Danes.

With Nørrebro Bryghus, you will find the best of Danish microbrewery traditions.

PISNER Pisner is a sustainable, unfiltered lager brewed on hops and malt from fields, which have been fertilized with urine gathered from Roskilde Festival in 2015 0,40 l / Excl. deposit / Nørrebro Bryghus

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6 BOTTLES

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LOCAL ORGANIC BREWERY

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Subject to typographical errors, price changes, sold out items and errors in links

CHATEAU VIGNELAURE 2004

13

15 September - 5 October 2017

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With our newsletter you’ll get great offers on wine and beer directly in your inbox. Sign up on nemlig.com/vin-osv cphpost_sep 17_annonce V2.indd 1

13/09/2017 13.25

14 COMMUNITY

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

15 September - 5 October 2017

ABOUT TOWN

PHOTOS BY HASSE FERROLD

As the summer came to an end, the national day celebrations continued at a brisk pace, with the embassies of India, Bolivia, Indonesia and Brazil all holding well-attended receptions. Among Indian ambassador Rajeev Shahare’s guests at his residence on August 15 were (left: left-right) Iranian ambassador Morteza Moradian, Bulgarian ambassador Roussi Ivanov, Slovenian ambassador Tone Kajzer, Shahare and his wife, Canadian ambassador Emi Furuya, Norwegian ambassador Ingvard Havnen, Polish ambassador Henryka Moscicka-Dendys, Latvian ambassador Kaspars Ozolins, German ambassador Claus Robert Krumrei and Hungarian ambassador László Hellebrandt. Meanwhile, on the same day (centre left), Sølyst in Klampenborg was the scene for the Bolivian Embassy’s celebrations where ambassador Juan Pablo Chain welcomed gusts including Mexican ambassador José Ignacio Madrazo. Two days later (centre right) it was the turn of Indonesian ambassador Muhammad Ibnu Said to welcome guests to his residence in Charlottenlund. And then on September 7 (right: left-right), Brazilian ambassador Carlos Paranhos hosted proceedings at Restaurant & Vinbar in Hellerup where he was joined by Ivory Coast ambassador Mina Balde Laurent, the dean of the diplomatic corps, and Albanian ambassador Kastriot Robo

The African Business Summit on September 5-7 was a well-attended affair. Co-organised by the country’s African ambassadors, the Foreign Ministry, the Agriculture and Food Council and the Africa Society of Denmark, it was an opportunity for networking and knowledge-sharing – particularly in the areas of renewable energy, IT, agri-business and infrastructure. Among those present were (right: left-right) Kenyan ambassador Joseph Sang, Egyptian ambassador Salwa Moufid, Niger’s ambassador Amadou Tcheko, Ivory Coast ambassador Mina Balde Laurent, the Ugandan minister of finance, Matia Kasaija, Ugandan ambassador Zaake Kibedi, Benin’s ambassador Eusebe Agbangha, Algerian ambassador Ali Benzerga and Moroccan ambassador Khadija Rouissi

Since September 2, the cultural festival Golden Days has been marking Copenhagen’s 850th anniversary as a city with numerous events

Wilson Kipketer (left), Denmark’s triple world champion in the 800 metres, and Kristian Jensen (right), the finance minister, were among the runners in the annual DHL run in Fælledparken at the end of August

Paul Young’s former sparring partner, the Italian singer Zucchero (centre right), performed at DR Koncerthuset on August 31, after which he was joined by Italian ambassador Stefano Queirolo Palmas (left)

Japanese ambassador Toshiro Suzuki (left) joined architect Svend Hvass (right) at the event ‘How Western architecture strangled the Japanese building tradition’ at the Black Diamond on August 29

WELCOME HOME

Since 2004, we’ve worked to cherish that special feeling of ‘home’. Without boasting too much, we can say we’ve succeeded rather well. Today, we are Denmark’s largest housing agency. We rent everything from the small, one-room flats in town to the 500 sq metre villa on the coast. Furnished or unfurnished. On a monthly or yearly basis. We know for sure that a new existence away from familiar surroundings requires tranquillity on the home front. That applies whether you are the landlord, who is moving on – or the tenant who just wants to settle in comfortably.

It’s all about making you feel right when you step inside the door.

Welcome Home to Denmark’s largest housing agency housingdenmark.com

182108_housingdenmark_brandplatform_print_ad_v03_alh_single_page.indd 1

70 20 04 70

16/05/2017 20:57:23

16 COMMUNITY

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

15 September - 5 October 2017 PHOTOS: HASSE FERROLD (UNLESS STATED)

TWENTY KNOTS

OUT AND ABOUT

TWENTY KNOTS

A

WIDE RANGE of different nationalities gathered in front of the Opera House on September 1 to initiate the SUP (Stand Up Paddle-boarding) competition.

They started the in-

ternational ceremony by ritually pouring sand from their respective countries into glass containers.

The ambassador of Morocco, Khadija Rouissi, was among those in attendance

waving their national flags (bottom, centre right).

Spectators surrounded the course, which began and ended at the Opera House. The event marked the beginning of the World Championship In-

ternational Surfing Association (ISA) for prime SUP competitors.

Also on opening day, amateur athletes could participate in KANTRUM SUP, a new concept derived from the op-

JANISOS

DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN’S RIDE FACEBOOK PAGE

BOOKS & COMPANY

Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, the world’s largest charitable motorcycle event, is raising awareness about men’s mental and physical health (Sep 24, 09:00-12:00; gentlemansride.com)

FESTIVAL FACEBOOK PAGE

VEGA FACEBOOK PAGE

FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE

Tantra Festival Denmark invites you to discover sacred eroticism via inspirational lectures, seminars and workshops (Sep 16-17; Concordia venue, Nordre Fasanvej 230, Cph N; 300-600kr; tantrafestival.dk)

In love with 90s music? Club Supreme presents hiphop and R & B that would make you dance like there’s no tomorrow (Sep 16, 23:00-5:00; Vega, Enghavevej 40, Cph V; free adm 23:00-0:00, after 60kr)

It’s the workout that feels like a party! Enjoy great music and dance at Open Air Zumba (Sep 16, 12:00-13:00; Dansepladsen Fælledparken, Cph Ø; free adm but donations welcome)

PWN

Professional Women’s Network CPH is celebrating its tenth birthday in style, first with a canal tour and then speeches, finger food and a welcome drink at the Scandic Front Hotel. It’s a good time to join PWN! (Sep 15, 17:45; Nyhavn 71, Cph V; 200kr, pwnglobal.net)

The iconic street Istedgade is running out of excuses to have a street party – Distortion, anniversary, redevelopment, Resistance museum – but when the locals are this cool (see page 2), who cares what the occasion is! (Sep 24, 12:00-18:00; Istedgade, Cph V)

Georgia is celebrating 25 years of diplomatic relations with Denmark with a recital by pianist Elisso Bolkvadze performing the works of Chopin, Schubert, Sogny, Debussy and Prokofiev (Oct 5, 20:00; DR Koncerthuset, Ørestads Blvd 13, Cph S; 175kr, drkoncerthuset.dk)

Austin Sailsbury might look like your average hipster, but he’s a man of secrets – 500 according to his book on the city. Join him as he unleashes a storm of trivia (Sep 20, 19:00; Books & Company, Sofievej 1, Hellerup; 50kr)

DOUG KERR

GEORGIAN EMBASSY

COMING UP SOON

posing Danish words ‘kant’ (edges) and ‘centrum’ (centre), which took place in major cities and smaller sites across Denmark, with Copenhagen chosen as the summit for this SUP Crossing.

CAYLYN RICH

Dance underwater at the City Link Festival. Don’t forget your swimsuit, as birthday suits are not welcome (Sep 24, 14:15-16:45; Richard Boones Vej, Cph SV; free adm) SARAH HAIDER

MARKETPLACE & SCHOOLS

15 September - 5 October 2017

17

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The Boarding School is a great place to live. It is easy to feel at home because of the supportive and accepting environment” Karoline, IB student “Teachers are engaging and love their subjects, making it more interesting for us as students” Christoffer, IB-student “The best years of my son’s school life”

Parent in Ireland

www.grenaa-gym.dk

18 HISTORY

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

15 September - 5 October 2017

Claus von Bülow’s reversal of fortune offers hope to sunken sub owner

CHANDRALEKHA MUKERJI

A

N ECCENTRIC Danish inventor, the suspected murder of a young woman and a crime scene that fits a Sherlock Holmes novel – there’s no doubt submarine owner Peter Madsen has caught the attention of the world’s media.

Though the investigation is ongoing and questions remain unanswered, the media appear to have already convicted Madsen of murdering Kim Wall, a Swedish journalist who got on board his 60ft submarine, the UC3 Nautilus, 11 days before washing up off the Copenhagen coast.

Madsen’s personal life has been heavily scrutinised – from dissections of his character to anecdotes about his sex life and sanity offered to the newspapers by ‘those who know him best’.

And the feeding frenzy is reminiscent of another involving an eccentric Dane in the early 1980s. Aristocrat Claus von Bülow faced similar treatment after he was charged with the attempted murder of his wife, Martha ‘Sunny’ von Bülow, an American heiress.

Aristocratic airs IT’S A TRIVIAL coincidence, but Claus von Bülow celebrated his 91st birthday on the same day that Kim Wall’s disappearance broke in the media: August 11. Like Madsen, he grew up estranged from his father – but that’s where the similarities end, or at least until their arrests.

Born Claus Cecil Borberg, he was the son of well-known Danish playwright Svend Borberg.

His parents divorced when he was just four. He left Denmark with his mother Jonna during World War II and ended up reading law at Trinity College, Cambridge.

His father, meanwhile, was a Nazi collaborator during the Occupation and died in disgrace in 1947.

Because of the stigma attached to his father’s surname, Claus adopted his mother’s maiden name. Jonna was the daughter of Frits Toxwerdt von Bülow, a prominent Danish politician and member of a Danish-German aristocratic family.

REVERSAL OF FORTUNE

As grim as it looks for Peter Madsen, the case of the Danish socialite eventually cleared of attempting to murder his wife offers a chink of light

When Claus first met Sunny in London, she was already married to Prince Alfred von Auersperg of Austria, whom she divorced a year before becoming Mrs Von Bülow in 1966. Sunny had two children from her first marriage – Princess Annie-Laurie ‘Ala’ von Auersperg and Prince Alexander Georg Auersperg – and a year after marrying Claus she gave birth to another daughter, Cosima von Bülow.

Claus had meanwhile forged a successful career in law in the 1950s: first as a barrister and then from 1959 as the personal assistant of American oil baron John Paul Getty – a job he was reportedly unhappy to give up when he relocated with his wife to New York following their marriage.

Comas for Christmas THE COUPLE first acquired an imposing Fifth Avenue apartment overlooking Central Park before buying Clarendon Court, a 23-room Georgian mansion built over ten acres overlooking the Atlantic in Newport, Rhode Island. The property had been used as a set for the 1956 movie ‘High Society’ as the home of Grace Kelly’s character – an actress often compared to Sunny.

It was in the Rhode Island mansion, on 26 December 1979, where Sunny was found unconscious for the first time and rushed to hospital. Her coma, which lasted for a few days, was according to the medical report a result of low blood sugar. She was diagnosed as hypoglycaemic and nothing untoward was reported.

One year later at the mansion, on 21 December 1980, she was found again, unconscious and unresponsive – only this time she did not wake up.

A syringe laced with insulin was found next to her body, prompting the children from her first marriage to hire private investigator Richard Kuh, a former New York district attorney, to look into the case. He duly discovered a black bag containing insulin and syringes in a closet in the study.

The bag and its contents would become central evidence in the two trials that followed in 1982 and 1985, as the Von Bülows became a family divided.

While the prince’s children believed Claus was guilty, Cosima von Bülow stood firmly by her father’s side.

‘Reversal of Fortune’ starring Jeremy Irons and Glenn Close has ensured the public will never forget

The two trials FOLLOWING the bag’s discovery, the State of Rhode Island charged Claus with attempted murder and his trial began in January 1982. The prosecution claimed he was having an affair with soap star Alexandra Isles, who wanted him to end his relationship with his wife. A divorce, they argued, would have left him penniless. On the other hand, if Sunny died, he stood to gain half his wife’s wealth.

The defence argued that Sunny was responsible for her condition.

“Mrs von Bülow was a woman who indulged in sweets and alcohol and daily consumed four to five packs of cigarettes, 20 aspirin, 24 laxative tablets and a variety of tranquilisers and other drugs including valium, seconal and barbiturates,” argued the defence, according to a New York Times report.

“She was stricken as a result of an overdose of amobarbital.

What happened to her was not anyone’s fault but her own.”

Nevertheless, the jury convicted Claus and sentenced him to 30 years in prison. It is believed the testimony of Sunny’s maid, Maria Schrallhammer, was critical. She told the court that when Sunny had fallen into a coma the first time, Claus had been reluctant to call a doctor

and she had found a bag belonging to him containing a hypodermic needle and a bottle marked “insulin”.

Following his conviction, Claus hired Alan Dershowitz, a Harvard law professor, to handle his appeal and the result was a retrial in April 1985. Dershowitz argued that the first judge had been wrong to admit the black bag as evidence as it was obtained without a search warrant.

During the second trial, a panel of nine experts in endocrinology and forensic science established the complete absence of exogenous insulin in Sunny’s body and on the hypodermic needle. The defence team established that three weeks prior to slipping into her permanent coma Sunny had ingested nearly 100 aspirin and been rushed to hospital.

They argued the coma was the result of the consummation of barbiturates, alcohol, betablockers and aspirin, combined with hypothermia. Claus was acquitted on all counts.

Conversely no fortune FOLLOWING his acquittal, his step-children filed a 56 million dollar civil suit, which was settled out of court in 1987 under the provision Claus would divorce his wife thus waiving his

claim to any future inheritance.

In turn, Alexander and Ala confirmed they would equally share their mother’s money with their half-sister Cosima.

But that wasn’t the end of the media attention. Dershowitz, who would go on to act as an appellate adviser to OJ Simpson’s defence team a decade later, had published a book in 1986 entitled ‘Reversal of Fortune: Inside the Von Bülow Case’ and in 1990 the media circus started all over again when the movie ‘Reversal of Fortune’ was released.

Starring Glenn Close and Jeremy Irons as the fateful couple, the British actor picked up the Oscar for Best Actor – the second winner in just six years with a somewhat unconventional Danish accent.

Today, Claus von Bülow’s Wikipedia page describes him as a British socialite, even though he is by blood and birth a Dane. He moved back to London after the lawsuit, where he worked as an art and theatre critic before retiring.

Now in his tenth decade, he is described as a polite and intelligent man known for his distinguished appearance, and as a devoted grandfather to Cosima’s three children.

Sunny, meanwhile, passed away in 2008 after a coma lasting 28 years.

INTERVIEW

15 September - 5 October 2017

19

Between breaths: Probing under the surface of the underwater band One year on from the premiere of ‘AquaSonic’, the underwater band Between Music remain in high demand across the world SARAH B HAIDER

W

HAT IS it about Danish musicians and water?

Either they’re naming themselves after it (Aqua) or they can’t wait to get away from it (Oh Land). And judging by MØ’s contribution to the megahit ‘Cold Water’, they don’t even like it that much.

And now Danish group Between Music are raising the ante somewhat by submerging themselves into a role first suggested in the Beatles track ‘Yellow Submarine’: the world’s first underwater band!

For several years now, Between Music – led by Robert Karlsson and his wife Laila Skovmand with the support of Morten Poulsen, Dea Marie Kjeldsen and Nanna Bech – have been touring the world, and their most recent performance, ‘AquaSonic’ (aquasonic.dk), has garnered great acclaim.

Ahead of their prestigious performance at the Sydney Festival in Australia this coming January, CPH POST caught up with the avant-garde quintet to find out more.

The band’s propulsion BETWEEN Music is the result of eleven years of experimentation and hard work, and according to its co-founder Karlsson, there’s no disputing who has been the driving force – the propulsion if you will – behind the band’s success.

Skovmand, the artistic director of the band, had always wanted to experiment with her voice in different ways and come up with something unique.

“While exploring different ways of experimenting with my voice, it occurred to me one day to immerse my mouth

BETWEEN MUSIC • Laila Skovmand (artistic director, composer, performer) • Robert Karlsson (business director, performer) • Morten Poulsen (performer) • Dea Marie Kjeldsen (performer) • Nanna Bech (performer)

AQUASONIC • ‘AquaSonic’ is the first part of Between Music’s ‘Quadrology Human Evolution’, a four-piece work inspired by human evolution

Denmark’s watertight reputation: you gave the world Aqua, but all is forgiven

underwater and try to sing. I was completely intrigued by the tryout,” she explained.

The next step was jumping into a swimming pool and trying to play different instruments.

However, the initial trials did not yield the desired results. It was only in 2004 when Skovmand took her experiment to the Filiorum artistic laboratory and tried playing some instruments underwater that years of dedication started to bear fruit.

The duo had to consult a number of specialists in their respective fields to make things work properly. Different scientists, engineers, instrument makers and deep-sea divers were taken on board to develop highly peculiar musical instruments that can be played underwater.

These included hydraulophones, violins, electromagnetic harps, chimes and percussion instruments.

“It took an enormous amount of patience and commitment to get the instruments working,” continued Skovmand.

“Something would work at one point, but wouldn’t work at another. There was a lot of

research and hard work involved in creating special instruments that would produce sounds in water. Moreover, we also came up with a distinctive vocal technique for underwater singing.”

Practice makes perfect DIFFICULTIES still persist today, however. After all, the performers are all underwater, expending copious amounts of energy and puff. According to Karlsson, the general manager of the band, it is far from easy and requires a lot of practice to attain perfection.

“We come up to breathe between the phrases. Sometimes it is carefully planned into the composition, other times it’s more random. But it has demanded a lot of training and practice from yoga teachers and divers,” he said.

The hard work is paying off if the fan reaction is anything to go by.

“It was a journey comprising many ups and downs before we finally realised our project. And I think the audience can actually feel the enormous amount of hard work that we have put into

our craft,” continued Karlsson.

“Wherever we have performed, we can see how the performance has deeply touched the audience. And that is of course also a big motivation for us.”

A melting pot for art THE FIVE musicians, completely submerged in aquariums, will in January perform ‘AquaSonic’ at the Sydney Festival, a well-known international event that has been a melting point for the best in national and international art since 1977.

The band are driven by an endless curiosity and desire to push the boundaries of the human experience: artistically, technically and scientifically.

Their work, they explain, will explore the driving forces, mechanisms and mysteries of human nature, through a distinctive sound and rich imagery – often with surreal undertones.

“We are extremely excited to perform at the Sydney Festival.

It will be great to see how people react to our performance,” enthused Karlsson.

By that time it will be 18

• Its world premiere was in Rotterdam in 2016. Since then it has been performed all over the world, including in Aarhus in April as part of its European Capital of Culture celebrations • Video of the performance has been a big success online, attracting in excess of 15 million hits • The performance promises to take the audience on a unique and fascinating voyage into uncharted territory • Its compositions are described as eerily melodic and powerfully resonant months since the world premiere of ‘AquaSonic’ at the Operadagen Festival in Rotterdam – a huge success if the reaction was anything to go by, as the band have since received requests to perform in many countries across the world including Mexico, Russia, Turkey, Scotland, Dominican Republic, Lebanon, the US and, of course, Australia.

“The experience of performing in Rotterdam was amazing.

Our fantastic team were at their best, pouring all their passion and devotion into the act,” said Karlsson.

“It was quite an intense experience and we hope to perform in Sydney in a similar way.”

20 COMMUNITY

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

15 September - 5 October 2017

HELLOpenhagen’s walk of gain beats any game of thrones The annual expat fair provides newcomers to the city with an excellent opportunity to find out more about cultural and leisure opportunities CAYLYN RICH

Across the Narrow Sea “HERE AT HELLOpenhagen the international citizens get an introduction to the cultural and leisure life in Greater Copenhagen, and they also get to meet some of the many clubs

N

No regrets BUT BELIEVE us, you’ll be missing out, because at the heart of the capital’s municipal government lies a hall no less grand than the one in King’s Landing, which on September 19 at 16:00 will come alive as 30-odd clubs and organisations clamour for your attention.

Granted, there may not be a climbing club to help you ascend The Wall or a Hall of Faces society to help you penetrate the next gathering of Walder Frey’s clan.

But sign up for this event and you won’t regret it. Joining a sports club or hobby group can be the single most important thing you do to integrate into living here.

Before you know it, you’ll be blending in like Arya Stark on a rainy day in Bravos – in grey of course.

ALL PHOTOS: HASSE FERROLD & ALESSANDRA PALMITESTA

EW ENVIRONMENTS are intimidating – likewise meeting new people. Copenhagen is full of them: not just Danes but thousands of internationals – 24 percent of the population in fact.

So it’s understandable if you’re feeling a little reticent about attending next week’s HELLOpenhagen welcome fair for recent arrivals to the city.

We hear you! Given the recent weather, an evening in with ‘Game of Thrones’ makes far more sense.

also meet some of our Swedish friends and partners, who are here to give you information about living on the Swedish side of the Sound.”

Pancakes and handshakes ALONG with displays by the fair’s participants, and an address

by Carl Christian Ebbesen, the deputy mayor for culture and leisure, the famous and delicious City Hall pancakes will also be served.

“Our hope is that the guests will feel inspired to take an active part in city life – whether they are interested in learning more

“We have named the event HELLOpenhagen because we want to open our arms to all international citizens and say ‘HELLO’,” explained Seest.

“HELLOpenhagen is not only for those who have just

Surviving the north SO WITH winter coming, this is the ultimate warm welcome you’ve been looking for to see you through the cold.

An official blood seal is unnecessary to sign up for free at ihcph. kk.dk/event/hellopenhagen.

PARTICIPANTS: • DIT:KBH • Boblberg • Boldklub Skjold • DAC • Danske Bank • Danskekapellet • Erhvervshuset • Exiles Rugby • Fødevare Fællesskabet • Guide Catch • Historie & Kunst • Hovedbibliotek • International House • KIB • Københavns Speed Stacking Klub • Musmik

and organisations in the area,” the fair’s organiser, Louise Seest, explained to CPH POST. “Almost 30 organisations, associations, culture houses and companies are attending. Perhaps you want to join a sports club, go dancing, play music, become a volunteer. You can

about theatre plays, events at cultural houses or museums, sports activities and other things,” continued Seest.

“When expats move to Copenhagen, most of them have a job and maybe a partner, but there is more to life than that. A good hobby or joining a sports team can give you a break from your daily routine and maybe lead to great friendships.”

Old-timers welcome!

THIS YEAR marks a change in the name of an event that was formerly called the Copenhagen Expat Fair.

• Nørrebro Bibliotek • Pladsanvisning • Samrådet • Skøjteklub KBH • Malmø, Lund, Skåne, Øresund direkt • Theatre Circle arrived in Denmark, but also for those who have lived here for many years and want to get inspired by the rich culture and leisure life Copenhagen can offer.

We want it to be an event our guests want to visit every year.”

Pick up 25 kg.

Gourmet-ice cubes or crushed ice 99 kr. in flamingo barrel Order at scotsman.dk

• Trafiklegeplads • Valby Kluthus • Vanløse kulturhus • Work in DK • Østerbro kulturhus • Taekwondo Club

15 September - 5 October 2017

21

Award winning comedy

Educating Rita

by Willy Russell

Rita : Dawn Wall Frank : Ian Burns

Photo: Simon Dixgaard

director Barry McKenna

Krudttønden 25 October – 25 November Tickets: teaterbilletter.dk 70 20 20 96

www.that-theatre.com

That Theatre Company – telling good stories passionately for 20 years

22 FILM Hailing the unsung members of Hollywood dynasties THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

BEN HAMILTON

I

T TOOK me a while, but I have found an unlikely link between two of the films in this preview. Without one, this piece would lack transition and risk losing you in the opening paragraph to the TV page opposite. With more photos and sections, it’s frankly more accessible, just like online streaming sites. And given the number of actors and directors now preferring the small screen’s bigger vision and greater depth, you wouldn’t be the first to jump ship.

Involves a decapitation STILL, it’s a good link, so thanks for sticking with me. It involves the films of two wellknown documentary makers making their debut as the director of a feature film – proof it goes both ways, Marty – and a decapitation, but not of a horse.

The first reads like a quiz question. Some 81 years old, and a member of a famous movie dynasty, her most famous work was 15 years in the making, during which time her eldest child was decapitated in a bizarre boating accident.

The answer is of course Eleanor Coppola who developed a new genre of her own by making movies from the sidelines of other movies. But while Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse proved a worthy companion piece to Hubby’s iconic Vietnam War film, The Making of Marie Antoinette was possibly the most pointless documentary ever made.

And sadly there’s not much to get excited about with Coppola’s

15 September - 5 October 2017

Paris Can Wait (48 on Metacritic; released on Sep 21), an unpromising romcom starring Diane Lane and Alec Baldwin.

Also known as Bonjour Anne, we think it’s a safe bet this will be Adieu Eleanor.

A true clash of the titans SO WHO was driving the boat, you may ask. It was none other than another unsung member of a Hollywood dynasty: Griffin O’Neal, the son of Ryan and brother of Tatum, the wife (bear with me) of John McEnroe, whose epic showdown at the 1980 Wimbledon championships is the subject of Janus Metz’s debut Borg/McEnroe (Not Released Worldwide; Sep 14).

It’s seven years since Metz made Armadillo, an acclaimed but controversial documentary about Danish soldiers in Afghanistan, but bar an episode of the second season of True Detective, he hasn’t done much since.

It’s hard to know what to expect. For starters, its biggest competition is the game itself and most particularly that fourth set 18-16 tiebreak that McEnroe won before going on to lose the fifth set. Good luck trying to out-drama that.

Shia LaBeouf has made a career out of proving the doubters wrong, and he looks the part as the Superbrat. But the early word out of Toronto, where the film made its worldwide premiere last week, is that he’s the only good thing in the film.

Curiously, according to IMDB, Metz directed a 1996 episode of a sports documentary series, Clash of the Titans, about this very match – except

We tried to find fault with McEnroe’s hair, and then his pout, but I guess we don’t like Shia

he didn’t. Let’s hope he didn’t lie on his CV to get the gig and ends up with more reason than Nikolaj Coster-Waldau to regret the mention of ‘Wimbledon’.

High praise from Leeds ALSO MAKING their directorial debut this month is Francis Lee, the former Manchester City forward who is also 81. Not that Franny Lee? In fact this Lee is a journeyman actor with the kind of dreary career that makes you despair for British television, but he’s come up trumps with God’s Own Country (80; Sep 14), the tale of a Yorkshire sheep farmer who falls for a Romanian migrant worker, which both fans and detractors are calling Britain’s answer to Brokeback Mountain.

“A stunning love story that in its finest moments is pure poetry,” praises Empire magazine about a film that has already picked up awards in Berlin, San Francisco, Sundance, Toronto and ... err, perhaps a bit biased this one ... Leeds.

While another first-timer, Hallie Meyers-Shyer, has been

entrusted with Home Again (43; Sep 14) a romcom vehicle for Reese Witherspoon that sounds like it should have stayed in the garage.

A franchise we can’t kill CONTINUING with directors not well known in the movieworld, Michael Cuesta is taking charge of American Assassin (NRW; Sep 14) – his second full-length feature following the so-so Kill the Messenger.

However, take a look at his TV showreel and you’ll discover Cuesta has directed some of the best TV shows of our time, from Six Feet Under to Dexter to Homeland, of which he directed the nerve-jangling finale to season one.

But as impressive as the trailer of American Assassin is, this could be the start of a franchise Hollywood never wants to end, as there have already been 16 books written about the lead character, Mitch Rapp. And while it’s sad that his creator Vince Flynn died in his 40s of prostate cancer, and heart-warming to know he’s provided well for his fam-

ily, with a new author on the case knocking out books 14-16 there’s a chance these films will never go away.

Will we be saying the same about Kingsman: The Golden Circle (NRW; Sep 21), a sequel as inevitable as a standing ovation at a Danish show.

Unlike with Kickass 2, both director Mathew Vaughn and his old chum Mark Strong return, along with standout British actor Taron Egerton (so good as Eddie the Eagle), so there’s every reason to be optimistic.

Elsewhere, Mother! (83; Sep 14) and The Lego Ninjago Movie (NRW; Sep 21) have together given me a bad flashback to my childhood, and I hate them already, even though the former is an acclaimed horror directed by Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, The Wrestler).

Oh no! According to IMDB, his last film was a biopic about Noah, presumably Yannick Noah, the winner of the 1983 French Open, the perfect link to the Borg film.

Oh well, at least Mrs Coppola got to appear centre court (pending an objection from Miss Wozniacki) for a change.

MISS KIET’S CHILDREN DOCUMENTARY OF THE MONTH: Experience the warm and encouraging film about a Dutch school of refugee children and the challenges brought by their traumatic journey.

We present some 50 films with English dialogue or subtitles every month.

See what’s on at cinemateket.dk or visit us in Gothersgade 55

INOUT:TV

15 September - 5 October 2017

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

YOICHI OKAMOTO

I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO SVT2; SEP 25, 22:20

TOP PICK

“That’s my point, Mr President, a ‘White’ House solely concerned with the self-interest of white men”

COMING SOON “Left, left, best left on, left, left ...”

McDonald’s make you fat. No, Osama Bin Laden isn’t hiding in my kitchen. It’s tough being a Hitler.

It’s also hard being trapped in the wrong body. The subjects of Girls to Men (DR2, Sep 18, 21:30) take us on a journey to manhood and a manhood.

A few will be on show in League of Exotique Dancers, a doc about burlesque that promises to turn the spotlight on the racism and sexism prevalent among its

performers – or maybe it’s made by someone who doesn’t like it?

Elsewhere, British suspense drama Doctor Foster (SVT1; Sep 25, 21:00) and Kiwi thriller series Top of the Lake (SVT1; Sep 25, 22:00) return for unlikely second seasons; the entire 2016 series of Ladies of London features Nicklas Bendtner’s ex; and there’s another chance to see UK miniseries The Honourable Woman (DR1; Sep 17, 23:40) and Black Work (DR2, Sep 27, 20:00). (BH)

DR3; Sep 19, 20:00 The X Factor UK

THE WILLIAMS siblings are back and this time they’re playing doubles. No, not them! That would be creepily soon.

Screenwriter brothers Harry and Jack Williams’ compelling miniseries The Missing made parents consider their absolute nightmare in the name of entertainment. And on Monday, their two new series were pitted against

one another at 21:00 on BBC1 and ITV, and the critics’ verdict is they’re worth seeking out.

Rellik, starring the bloke in Game of Thrones who can’t die, has a back-to-front narrative, which was palatable in Memento, but how will it work over six episodes?

The Guardian was happy enough, applauding its “neat” tricks.

In Liar, meanwhile, a rape ac-

cusation in a small town brings everyone’s secrets to the surface à la Broadchurch. Joanne Froggatt (raped once in Downton Abbey) and Ioan Gruffudd (continually promoted in Hornblower) play the leads.

More voyeuristic than opportunistic are Peep Show duo David Mitchell and Robert Webb, reuniting in Back, a new comedy by

ALSO NEW

@CFCUNOFFICIAL (CHELSEA DEBS) LONDON

TOP SPORT 3+, Sep 26, 20:45 CL: Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid

3+, Sep 17, 12:30 F1: Singapore Grand Prix

TOP FILM TV2, Sep 22, 22:25 Side Effects

Simon Blackwell (The Thick of It), a writer who rarely disappoints.

Finishing with another tennis reference, we have The Deuce (86 on Metacritic), an HBO series charting the rise of the New York porn industry in the 1970s. The acclaim is deafening, but you can’t help thinking the critics are still wired about the work of its creator, David Simon. (BH)

CHENSIYUAN

RUBEN ORTEGA

THERE are four F1 races in October, but just one in August. It seems excessive somehow. And racing at night? It makes the pits look like a skid row of dodgy garages. Anyhow, the duel continues at Singapore and Malaysia (3+; Oct 1, 14:00). Elsewhere, the EPL delivers Chelsea vs Arsenal, the CL serves up Borussia vs Real and the NFL (3+; Sep 17, 24 & 31, 22:15) continues. (BH)

confront, but also in its attempt to understand what is happening here, right now,” chimes the Washington Post.

Narrated by Samuel L Jackson, it has scored 95 on Metacritic and recevied a multitude of nominations.

“You would be hard-pressed to find a movie that speaks to the present moment with greater clarity and force, insisting on uncomfortable truths and drawing stark lessons from the shadows of history,” applauds the The New York Times.

CAYLYN RICH SEE LI

I’VE MISSED you, old friend.

Yup, Simon Cowell is back with The X Factor UK, thankfully with a talent pool bigger than Denmark’s, even though most of the contestants are bar singers they’ve begged/bribed to audition.

You can’t help thinking documentary maker Morgan Spurlock, back this week with Meet the Hitlers (DR2; Sep 16, 20:00), takes a similar approach, given how we can always guess what his subjects are going to say:

RAOUL Peck’s 2016 doc is based on James Baldwin’s unfinished manuscript about his three friends, the civil rights leaders Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X. Hailed as “one of the best movies about the civil rights era ever made” by the Guardian, “the result is a brilliant piece of filmic writing, one that bursts with fierce urgency, not just for the long-unresolved history it seeks to

23

SVT2, Sep 15, 21:45 Boyhood

TV2, Sep 16, 23:25 Lawless

K6, Sep 17, 14:30 EPL: Chelsea vs Arsenal

THERE are films that feel like they go on forever – surely rural Prohibition flick Lawless is longer than two hours? Give me Capone anytime – and those that do, like the formidable Boyhood, even though Richard Linklater’s characters spout the most irritating dialogue. Steven Soderbergh’s thriller Side Effects is neither too long nor too drawn. (BH)

24

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