CPH Post 17September_4October_2018 by The Copenhagen Post

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DANISH NEWS IN ENGLISH CPHPOST.DK VOL 21 ISSUE 12 17 September - 4 October 2018

NEWS Denmark to host tour stage, confirms Macron on state visit 3 NEWS

Oil barons no longer Consumption to outstrip output for first time since 1993

NO IVY TOWER TOO TALL

Work/life good, social life bad NEWS

Latest Expat Insider study ranks Denmark middle-of-the-road

So this student, salesman and futsal player walk into a bar

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HISTORY

Laddies in latitude Scots some of Denmark’s most successful settlers

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ENMARK has once again fared badly in the Expat Insider study that asks 18,000 respondents in 420 cities worldwide to assess the quality of their lives. Its quality of life for expats was ranked 35th out of the 68 countries with enough participants to be included, ahead of Sweden (46), but behind Finland (23) and Norway (25). Good for working FOR WORKING life, it ranked sixth (its best ever result), with 83 percent applauding the work-life balance – 22 percentage points better than the global average. Some 65 percent are satisfied

with their job security (59 globally), 54 percent happy with their career prospects (55) and 9 percent are completely satisfied (15). Problems elsewhere IT RANKED as the fourth best country to bring up children. Some 71 percent said they were happy with available childcare options (61), 98 percent rate their children’s safety positively (81) and 89 percent are happy with their health (76) – with 62 percent saying they could not be happier (36). But Denmark scores badly for the cost of living (64th) and the ease of settling in (64th), with only 48 percent saying they feel at home (64), 70 percent struggling to learn the local language (45) and 64 percent finding it difficult to make local friends (36).

Summer loving?

The will is there

IT WILL be up to Denmark whether it accepts the EU invitation to switch to summer time permanently. Such a move would see the sun rise after 09:00 in December – a nightmare for farmers and commuters – but a recent EU-wide poll found that 80 percent of the public find changing the clocks “annoying”.

SOME 54 percent of Danes would like to make a will, according to an Analyse Danmark survey for the Det Gode Testamente, but only 19 percent have one written down. Many don’t have one because they don’t want to offend relatives and think letting their next-of-kin inherit is ‘nature’s course’. Others think it brings death closer.

World-beating reputation

Damaging intention

COPENHAGEN has the thirdbest reputation in the world thanks to criteria such as safety, beauty and economy, according to the City RepTrack Ranking published by the Reputation Institute. It was one of four cities to remain in the top ten, having finished second in 2017. The other three were Sydney, Vienna and Stockholm, while Tokyo came top.

THE UNIVERSITY of Copenhagen and DTU have warned that the government’s intention to limit spots allocated to international students on English-language courses will primarily hit the sciences. Not only does it harm competitiveness, but many foreign students end up staying in Denmark, while those who leave often end up becoming strong allies abroad.

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NEWS

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ONLINE THIS WEEK FIVE PEOPLE have already been charged with contravening an administrative order that bans the Loyal to Familia gang and all of its operations. The five were charged with gathering together at a location in Fredericia in southeast Jutland. The order also makes it illegal to wear clothing with the gang’s logo or name printed on it. It is estimated the gang has around 200 members.

Scuffle on school holiday LAST WEEK a large group of youths from a school at Albertslund got into an argument with four other boys staying at the same holiday centre. Things got out of hand at Skærbækcentret in southern Jutland and a scuffle ensued, reports JydskeVestkysten. A 15-year-old from Albertslund was subsequently charged with violent behaviour and four other boys were cautioned.

The model of Christiania

The protests to save sacred Strandengen were heard by the authorities

Strandengen in Amager Fælled survives plans to convert it into 2,500 homes as two new sites are chosen

UBLIC outcry to preserve the Strandengen, an unprotected area in the huge Amager Fælled common area in the south of Copenhagen, has pushed the 2019 city budget negotiations to relocate the construction. Instead, 2,500 homes will be built at two sites. The first (2,000 homes) is on a peripheral part of Amager Fælled by Selinevej where there were plans to build a campsite and

Protests a success THE DEBATE surrounding the construction started in 2016 when building plans were proposed to construct 2,400 homes in Strandengen. The public protested with claims that the designated land was irreplaceable and should not house the buildings, even

though Strandengen is not officially protected. New park planned MEANWHILE, in related news, the architecture firm Bang og Linnet Landskab is beavering away on a design for a new 40,000 sqm park in the southwestern part of Copenhagen, which already has 21 million kroner of funding in place. The new Kulbaneparken will contain urban gardens, training facilities, a manned playground for 9 to 17-year-olds and a covered communal kitchen. Part of the park could be completed by next spring.

Judges dropping like flies at Madsen trial One leaves due to a conflict of interest, while another collapses in court

A FEMALE cyclist was killed on August 31 when she was struck by a lorry turning right at the Hulgårdsvej and Borups Alle crossroads. It is speculated that a plastic barrier separating cyclists from vehicles on Hulgårdsvej had obscured both the driver’s and cyclist’s view, reported Politiken.

HAT SHOULD have been the third and final day in the Peter Madsen appeal case on September 14 ended in confusion at the Østre Landsret high court after one of the lay-judges was rushed to hospital. On Day 2, two days earlier, the court was informed that another of the lay-judges had to vacate his seat due to a conflict of interest involved in his decision to accept a seat on a board. The proceedings have been cancelled, but given the difficulty of finding a free day in the calendar when the judges and legal

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Killed at right turn

there is already a youth hostel. The second (500 homes) is on Bådehavnsgade by Fiskerihavnen. The two sites comprise 11.8 hectares – a much smaller area than the 18 hectares originally planned.

HASSE FERROLD

A BRITISH academic has praised the ‘degrowth’ culture seen in societies such as Christiania. Helen Jarvis, an associate professor at Newcastle University, contends in an article for videnskab.dk that we can all learn something from how the “residents’ rejection of [economic] growth means that they can step out of the rat race” and prioritise human relationships.

Protesters celebrate U-turn on common ERNST POULSEN

Gang ban hits members

17 September - 4 October 2018

teams are available, it is impossible to say at this stage when the case will proceed again. How about six months? MADSEN is appealing against his life sentence for murdering journalist Kim Wall in August 2017, but not the murder conviction. And on Day 1 of the threeday trial, his lawyer Betina Hald Engmark argued that the prosecution’s case was based “on undocumented claims”. She pointed out that the cause of death was unestablished and that her client should only be sentenced for cutting Wall’s body up into six pieces, for which the maximum sentence is just six months.

Back when he was smiling

Favourable odds THE CASE has a new set of judges, and the main state prosecutor in the Kundby ‘jihad girl’ case, Kristian Kirk, has replaced Jakob Buch-Jepsen as the chief prosecutor. Experts predict there is a good chance Madsen will win and succeed in having his life sentence reduced to 16 years. (BH)

ONLINE THIS WEEK Busker was begging A 63-YEAR-OLD Romanian busker has been handed a twoweek prison sentence for begging after his case was appealed to the Østre Landsret high court, even though he was too ill to leave his homeland to attend. Østre Landsret disagreed with the city court, ruling that asking restaurant guests to put money in a hat after a performance within their earshot is a form of begging.

BBC in Copenhagen AN EPISODE of ‘BBC World Questions’, a radio show broadcast on the widely-listened BBC World Service, was recorded at the National Museum of Denmark on September 4. Presented by Jonathan Dimbleby, the panellists included Pernille Skipper from Enhedslisten and Martin Henriksen from Dansk Folkeparti. The show was broadcast on September 9 and 12.

Atlantic trip questioned THE CAPITAL Region plans to spend 987,000 kroner on sending 47 healthcare professionals to a conference in Wisconsin in late September to learn more about the new patient record database. Some of the delegates will not directly use the system, and one is a month away from retirement. However, the other four regions are also sending large delegations.

New electric routes COPENHAGEN Municipality has announced plans to introduce 41 new electric buses. As part of the plans, the 2A and 18 routes will be completely green. Copenhagen Municipality wants all its buses to be electric by 2030, and preferably by 2025.

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17 September - 4 October 2018

Nobody says ‘Yellow!’ like the French YOUTUBE

Denmark to host Tour de France stage soon, confirms President Macron on state visit

ENMARK will host a stage of the Tour de France, confirmed PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Emmanuel Macron on August 29 during the French president’s two-day state visit to Copenhagen. The government has allocated 17 million kroner from its 2019 budget proposal (see page 6) to hosting the stage – 2021 looks most likely – and Macron presented Rasmussen with a special yellow jersey to seal the deal.

Macron handed over a Yellow Jersey signed by tour winner Geraint Thomas

EU scientific research initiative, Horizon Europe, and the Erasmus exchange program.

Friendly frigate FINALLY, the government will deploy a frigate to link up with a French carrier group operating in the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean. The deployment, which requires the approval of Parliament, is expected to last for about three to four months during the spring of 2019, and the primary goal of the frigate is to train with French units and other partners, such as the US and the UK. (CW)

ONLINE THIS WEEK Danes survive sinking

New route to Ukraine

ELEVEN Danes were rescued on August 25 by the Dutch coastguard after their sailing boat capsized and sunk in high winds. The passengers made it onto a lifeboat, and were picked up 10 km from the coast. The Svartlöga, formerly a Swedish minesweeper launched in 1964, was based in Aarhus Træskibshavn and was on its way from Den Helder in the Netherlands to Zeebrügge in Belgium.

WIZZ AIR intends to open a new route direct from Copenhagen to the Ukrainian town of Lviv on March 3 – the third direct route to the country available from Kastrup. Lviv was founded in the 13th century and its historic centre is on UNESCO’s world heritage list. According to the airport’s commercial director, Peter Krosgaard, the route will be good for business travellers as well as tourists.

Swedish suspect seized

Funds earmarked for aid

A 34-YEAR-OLD Swede of Yugoslavian origin was arrested on August 23 under suspicion that he murdered a 16-year-old Copenhagener named Servet Abdija on the border between Østerbro and Nørrebro in October 2017. At first, the police thought it was an organised hit connected to the city’s drug war, but then evidence took them north. Abdija’s family are of Macedonian and Albanian origin.

THE GOVERNMENT intends to earmark 16.4 billion kroner (0.7 percent of GNP) for development aid as part of its 2019 budget. It has found the funds thanks to reduced expenditure as refugee numbers continue to fall. The government has set aside 1.72 billion kroner for bilateral programs in Africa during 2019 and an extra 75 million kroner through the European Fund for Sustainable Development.

Research rapport MEANWHILE, the education and research minister, Tommy Ahlers, inked a deal aimed at promoting groundbreaking research, innovation and education in the two countries. The agreement will build on the current co-operation and focus on EU negotiations regarding the planned seven-year

Development deal THE DEVELOPMENT minister, Ulla Tørnæs, signed a new declaration of co-operation regarding development – focusing in particular on Sahel region in Africa. The partnership covers the rights of women and girls, youth, education and efforts aimed at alleviating the longstanding crisis that has gripped the embattled region.

Make the airlines pay

Rhino Rwanda-bound

Gifford comes up short

Fighting fake news

Faroese exodus over

ON AUGUST 27, bailiffs nearly stopped a plane from flying because its owner, the Spanish airline Vueling, had not paid compensation owed to Danish customers, reports TV2. The bailiffs were hired by flyforsinkelse.dk, which helps customers get compensation they are entitled to under EU law. The company has dealt with around 10,000 similar cases in its six-year existence. Passengers have a right to compensation of 1,865-4,476 kroner if their plane is delayed by three hours or more. (SG)

MANDELA, a three-year-old black rhinoceros born in Ree Park Safari in Djursland, will shortly begin its journey to be released back into the wilds of Africa next July, TV2 reports. Rhinos are sorely sought after by the well-guarded Akagera National Park in Rwanda where only 5,000 remain due to poaching. Mandela’s voyage will start in November with a first leg to a park in the Czech Republic, where he will stay for a couple of months with four other rhinos destined for Rwanda. (SG)

ON SEPTEMBER 5, Rufus Gifford, the former US ambassador to Denmark, conceded defeat in his bid to win a seat in Congress for Massachusetts third district. He finished in fifth place of ten candidates with 15.1 percent of the total – but not that far behind the 21.9 percent winning total. His main rivals were prominent heads of staff in the state – Gifford, in contrast, was seen as an outsider having just moved back to the state after more than three years in Denmark. (BH)

THE GOVERNMENT is allocating an annual 43 million kroner over the next four years to the PET intelligence services to fight fake news designed to disrupt and undermine the democratic process. Given Russia’s reported influence on the 2016 US Election, and the recent attempts to disrupt the Swedish General Election on September 9, the justice minister, Søren Pape Poulsen, believes there is a genuine threat to the next Danish election, which is expected to take place next spring. (BH)

THERE have been ample stories about young people, especially women, from the Faroe Islands relocating to Denmark to get an education or job. But something has happened over the past few years. From lofty sustainability goals and same-sex marriage to Google Street View and a surge in Thai women, the beautiful islands are staking a claim for their future. Fewer Faroese people are flocking to Denmark, and the islands confirmed a record population of 51,000 last month. (CW)

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17 September - 4 October 2018

Access all areas! Fighting for a level playing field for university applications

ROBERT EYFJORD

HEN RUNE Kvist left his Danish high school, never did it cross his mind that he would one day study at the University of Oxford, particularly as he was not accepted into any domestic unis following his graduation.

and King’s College London respectively – realised that there are access issues at many of the leading universities in the US and UK. They promptly assembled a team who would grow to collectively share a passion: to help bright, disadvantaged students into their preferred educations.

Oxford via Kenya KVIST opted for a total change of scenery. Fast-forward a couple of months and he was in Kenya, where he befriended a fellow ‘mzungu’ traveller – a British student at Oxford. “What I learnt from this guy – still my friend today – was that Oxford students were mere humans. Smart ones, sure, but not that different from me,” Kvist recalled to CPH POST. After his eye-opening African adventure, Kvist applied to Oxford. Much to his astonishment, he got in. His admittance quickly made him wonder how many other potential students were out there, who would never dare to apply to world-leading universities.

Speech, spreadsheet, support “PROJECT Access was rooted in my own experience,” Kvist explained. “It didn’t start with a bold vision for a global organisation. It started with a talk at my local high school during a Christmas break. Then I introduced a high-schooler to a friend of mine at Oxford. Then another one. Then we got a spreadsheet to keep track of it. Then a name for the organisation – and so on, and so on.” Adamant on combatting the underlying inequality of college admissions, Project Access soon developed into an award-winning organisation with 2,800 qualified mentors focusing on educational mobility in 20 different countries, such as Peru, Brazil and India. “We’re called Project Access because we have a project to solve: education inequality,” added Kvist. “And we’ll stick around until it’s solved.”

Borderless mentorship PROJECT Access is a non-political initiative created in February 2016 by Danes studying abroad. It relies on resourceful volunteers who have an aptitude for giving back. Kvist and Emil Bender Lassen were both board members of Danish Students Abroad when they, along with some close friends, conceptualised an extensive, borderless mentorship program. Kvist and Lassen – who attended the University of Oxford

The lure of experience STUDYING in Denmark certainly has its perks, as all Danish citizens can study for free. They can even apply for SU – financial support during the course of their education. Yet thousands of Danes seek to crack the books abroad, especially in the United States where tuition fees can be devastatingly high. According to DST, there were approximately 15,000 Danes studying abroad last year. There are many virtues of enrolling at a university with

Emil Bender Lassen

Rune Kvist

JIM BARTON

Founded by Danes just two years ago, the Project Access global mentorship program has already helped thousands of disadvantaged candidates successfully apply to the likes of Oxbridge and the Ivy League

The prestige can be daunting, but that shouldn’t put you off from applying

a strong global presence. A campus filled with students of unique and dissimilar backgrounds can create a vibrant, all-encompassing atmosphere. Ethnically-diverse environments do not only offer their foreign students an opportunity to learn from the host country, but also an incentive to share their native customs and traditions – forming a culturally enriching experience for all involved. The world’s most prestigious universities seem to have grasped the importance of cultural miscellany, with Harvard University reporting that the school welcomed 50.8 percent of its freshmen from minority groups last year. That means for the first time in its 382 years of existence, the majority of Harvard’s intake was non-white. Best before lucky SPREAD across the globe, an abundance of innovative, academically gifted students from underdeveloped countries strive to obtain the best education possible, ever proving that intelligence is unbiased to where a person happened to be born. As the leading universities in the US and UK have such high endowments, many students are provided with financial aid throughout their studies. Alas, being able to offer a scholarship to the next Malala Yousafzai or Kelvin Doe is not an easy process – principally due to the low appliance rates from students of underprivileged social circumstances. “For us, giving the same tools to untraditional applicants, as those from a privileged background have, is a way of levelling

the playing field,” Lassen pointed out. “It ensures that it is the best students that get into universities, not the lucky few.” Continued recognition PROJECT Access is now headquartered in London, having recently signed a partnership with the University of Cambridge. The deal entails Project Access providing guidance and mentorship to 200 of the university’s recently accepted students. Furthermore, the World Economic Forum recognises three of the group’s leaders as members of the Global Shapers Community. Nina Emilie Bechmann, a Danish student at Columbia University in New York, is spearheading developments in the US. “Project Access was launched to help bridge the gap between top educational institutions and international students from disadvantaged backgrounds,” Bechmann confirmed. “The organisation has since grown into targeting specific groups, and what we hope to do is to make the process of applying a little easier for people who wouldn’t necessarily seek an education abroad – or an education at all.” Tireless dedication SINCE its inception two years ago, Project Access has helped more than 1,900 disadvantaged students prepare and apply to their dream university. Of the many inquiries they receive, the mentors only provide assistance to those with a realistic chance of getting into a university. “Being a nontraditional student can be incredibly hard

– and the hard part does not end once you finally get accepted into college,” added Bechmann. “Getting into college is the first hurdle they need to jump, but many experience even more significant challenges once they start.” Project Access currently receives support from private charitable donors, but in the future its aim is to replace this with revenue derived from corporations and universities. A great success rate SOME 71 percent of this year’s applicants revealed they were accepted into one of their top three college choices after being mentored by Project Access. Kvist, who crafted the blueprint for what would become Project Access with fellow students at the University of Oxford, slipped into an advisory role last year and now serves as a trustee. Anna Gross, also an Oxford alumna, stepped up to become CEO of the Project Access branch in the UK, and Lassen supervises all international matters as CEO of Project Access International.

PROJECT ACCESS: 4 GOALS • Be available in 30 countries by the end of December • Help over a thousand students annually • Develop mentorship product by implementing better feedback mechanisms. • Become financially self-sustainable within the next year.

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Right in the middle of the hilly countryside of southern Jutland with a view across Flensborg Fjord and only 5 km from Gråsten where the Danish Royal Family have their summer residence, is the cosy Benniksgaard Hotel, surrounded by a rural idyll and with a completely relaxed atmosphere. Previously, Benniksgaard Hotel was a typical Danish farmhouse but in the summer of 2000 the transformation started. Since then, all the buildings have undergone a total renovation. Today, the rooms are concentrated in the main house and old stables. The area can boast rich natural and cultural experiences, and a shopping trip to Flensborg would be an obvious day out.

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NEWS

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ONLINE THIS WEEK POLITICIANS from Socialdemokratiet and Radikale have condemned plans to introduce a compulsory handshake into the citizenship ceremony as contrary to human rights and freedom of religion – an addition that will treble the cost of participants from 1,200 to 3,600 kroner. Radikale MEP candidate David Munis Zepernick called the handshake an “extra ‘welcome tax’ on foreigners” and “an example of the government’s kowtowing to Dansk Folkeparti”.

New kind of school THE EDUCATION minister, Merete Riisager, would like all 98 municipalities to take part in a 10-year trial to test a new type of municipally-funded school that has a much higher degree of independence – like private schools. Parents are receptive to the new schools, welcoming the focus not just on the well-being of their children, but also on the teachers.

Sex education avoidance FOUR OUT of five student teachers have not taken up the possibility of studying formal sex education during their training, according to a Rambøll survey carried out for the Ministry of Education and Research. Both Socialdemokratiet and SF would like to make it an obligatory subject at teacher training colleges.

Frederik in recovery CROWN Prince Frederik is recovering at home following an operation at Rigshospitalet on September 3 to treat a slipped disc. The lower back injury only tends to require surgery in one out of ten patients. The prince cancelled all his official engagements over the first half of September to give himself time to recover.

Parking law scrapped THE GOVERNMENT has abolished a complex parking law introduced in January as it was prohibiting many motorists from using spaces due to the width of their car. The law made it illegal to use spaces marked by thick white lines on the side of the road in cases when the vehicle covered part or the whole of the marked line.

Safe and together: a classic Danish budget But not everyone is happy, with the opposition questioning whether transport cuts are a gamble

ILLIONS of kroner have been set aside to strengthen areas such as welfare, climate, education, agriculture, nature and the labour market in the government’s 2019 budget proposal, which is entitled ‘Greater safety and more togetherness’. New priorities “BECAUSE we have a handle on Denmark’s economy, the government can prioritise new initiatives in selected areas,” explained the finance minister, Kristian Jensen. “The healthy economy will be used to create an even safer and closer Denmark, where we invest in the core welfare of children, youth, adults and elderly, and where we ease taxes and create a greener Denmark.” A central aspect of the plan involves earmarking 4.2 billion kroner for welfare and a more connected public sector. There is also the promise of a new massive health proposal being rolled out sometime this autumn.

A further 600 million kroner has been reserved for better education and a more robust labour market – including a forthcoming business education proposal. Following up on the work from the Disruption Council also comes under that scope. Funds will also continue to support the development of Denmark’s rural areas, including an agriculture sector that has languished through the drought this summer. Great train robbery? AMONG the cuts, the government has plans to save over 300 million kroner from the railways. Next year will see cuts to the tune of 241 million kroner and in the following year 97 million kroner – savings mainly derived from funds set aside for repairs and maintenance Radikale’s transport spokesperson, Andreas Steenberg, was not impressed, arguing: “We must maintain the railways we have, otherwise they will deteriorate and then it will be really expensive.” The transport minister, Ole Birk Olesen, defended the cuts, pointing out that he was making a “historically large amount available to track operator Banedanmark for railway renovation” next year. Enhedslisten’s transport spokesperson, Henning Hyllested, took a diffrent view. “This just shows the way the government is downgrading the Danish railway system,” he said. “First you completely withdraw funding from this area and later use the money on new motorways, and afterwards you can then save on railway maintenance.”

ONLINE THIS WEEK PIXABAY

MPs oppose handshake

17 September - 4 October 2018

DELIBERATELY muffling the audible traffic signals designed to help visually-impaired pedestrians who are hard of hearing is becoming an increasing problem, reports BT. According to Thorkild Olesen, the president of Dansk Blindesamfund, there are at least two complaints every month from the society’s members. Foam, needles and nails are often used to block the loudspeakers.

The rise of unschooling

Less for the railways

Motorway madness IN ANOTHER transport cut, the government has decided to take down electronic road signs

on motorways to save 6.1 million kroner a year in maintenance costs, having already spent 72 million kroner on buying them and erecting them. Kristian Pihl Lorentzen, the transport spokesperson for Venstre, was involved in the decision to introduce the signs in 2009 to decrease congestion and increase road safety, but this spring the Vejdirektoratet road directorate confirmed that the signs were being taken down as part of a budget cut of 30 million kroner. “The whole case is a textbook example of how we should not act. It is very unfortunate that we could not find the money to continue the traffic signs,’’ he told Ingeniøren. Many surveys suggest that society saves money by reducing the time commuters spend travelling, and a 2015 study confirmed that the signs were helping drivers to arrive between 0.5 and 1.5 minutes earlier along a 13 km stretch near Copenhagen, as they were decreasing queuing times and reducing the risk of accidents. (CW)

More help for women

More for students

Crusade on values

OF THE 14,438 workplace assault reports made between 2013 and 2017, 9,610 were made by women. Women tend to have more civic contact than men and are more likely to make complaints, noted one expert. Meanwhile, a proposed bill outlining new criteria regarding workplace sexual harassment cases wants to no longer accept ‘laddish office culture’ excuses and to raise compensation levels.

WORKING students on SU can earn an extra 1,000 kroner a month, raising their net income limit to 12,222 kroner a month. If they make any more, they have to pay part of their SU back. Meanwhile, students are getting quicker at completing their university studies, according to ministry figures. Between 2011 and 2017, the average completion time of a course decreased by 6.5 months.

FOLLOWING a meeting on September 17, seven Christian groups have concluded that they must together develop a plan to address what they perceive to be the growing problem of floating gender identities, reports Berlingske. They are concerned that people are no longer identifying as just male or female, that society is adapting, and they can no longer apply critical thought.

Mean and green AN ADDITIONAL 1 billion kroner will be set aside over the next four years for initiatives aimed at making Denmark greener by boosting the environment. A climate proposal will also be presented in the not-toodistant future. Another billion kroner will be set aside to protect the Danish west coast against flooding and erosion ahead to 2024, while the government also intends to ease fees such as on electricity taxes for summerhouses.

Detrimental to deaf

UNSCHOOLING is becoming more popular in Denmark – the practice of rejecting the concept of traditional schooling, such as following a curriculum, and instead teaching what the child is interested in. At present, around 475 children are taught in this way at home by their parents, with the Capital Region accounting for 129 of them, and Copenhagen 62 – up from 17 in 2013.

New dykes for bridge SUND & Bælt, the Great Belt Bridge operator, is installing new dykes designed to withstand a ‘once in a 10,000-year event’ – waves more than 3.25 metres above average (1 metre higher than the current ones). The new dykes (4.4 metres above average) should be finished by 2021 at a cost of 30 million kroner. Their installation won’t affect traffic flow.

Commuting benefits A STORY in Berlingske Business highlights how a Copenhagen family of four would be around 100,000 kroner better off a year if they moved to a Zealand municipality outside Greater Copenhagen. Meanwhile a new version of Rejseplanen has been launched that factors in additional modes of transport such as taxis, city bikes and even carpooling.

Hundreds of centenarians PEOPLE born between 1906 and 1915 on the islands of Sydfyn, Ærø, Tåsinge, Langeland and Vestolland have been 37 percent more likely to reach 100 than those living elsewhere in the country. More Danes are living to the age of 100 than ever before. Some 1,079 people are 100 years old or more – an increase of 30 percent on the last 10 years.

17 September - 4 October 2018

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NEWS

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ONLINE THIS WEEK A RIGSHOSPITALET research project has discovered that the length of time patients are admitted to hospital in cases of endocarditis – the infection of the inner lining of your heart chambers and valves – can be drastically reduced. In related news, the hospital is now ready to treat its first ever recipient of an artificial heart after Denmark approved the use of the French technology.

Killer flu will return SPANISH Flu, which killed 100 million people a century ago, will return according to Professor Anders Fomsgaard at the State Serum Institute. “It’s just a question of when,” he said. In related news, free HPV vaccinations have been offered to 12-year-old boys, and nearly three times as many adults are getting vaccinated for measles.

Net importer of oil for first time since 1993

ONLINE THIS WEEK FRÉDÉRIC PAULUSSEN

Hearty developments

17 September - 4 October 2018

But overall, the performance of biogas and other climatefriendly energy sources bodes well for Denmark STEPHEN GADD

ENMARK is a recordbreaker in the field of energy. For example, did you know that biogas in July accounted for 18.6 percent of all the gas used in Denmark – up 50 percent on last year and well ahead of every other country in the continent. And even more impressive is its record on being a net exporter of oil and gas since 1993, and the only one in the EU for the best part of the last decade.

Denmark supports EU plans to charge polluting countries more

tively, but coal usage increased by 2.4 percent. In total, Denmark imported 11.3 percent of its total electricity use. The price of polluting GIVEN its green energy focus, the government supports the recent EU reform to quadruple the price of polluting fourfold via the tradable CO2 quota system. The reform reduces the surplus of pollution permits available in the EU carbon market and further lowers caps to fulfil the commitments to the Paris Agreement. Indeed, Lars Christian Lilleholt, the energy, utilities and climate minister, suggests the price for pollution should be raised further to reinforce the growing green energy industry and help ensure there is a market for conversion from fossil fuels to environmentally friendly, sustainable sources like solar and wind power.

of all Copenhageners have access to district heating and the proposal would forbid the installation of new wood-burning stoves in buildings that have upto-date heating systems. However, there are 16,349 of the stoves in Copenhagen and Frederiksberg.

Falconry with fatalities

Still a net gas exporter HOWEVER, sadly this record is about to expire, as 2017 was the last year when more oil was produced (down 8 percent this year) than was used on the Danish domestic front, according to figures from the Energistyrelsen energy agency. The country will have to get used to being a net oil importer, even though it will remain a net exporter of gas until around 2035 (bar a single year from 2020-21 when the rigs in the Tyra field are renovated). In total, Denmark has enough oil for 18 years’ consumption (139 million cubic metres) and enough gas for 30 years (72 billion normal cubic metres).

SINCE September 1, hunters have been able to use birds of prey providing they have the necessary licence. The bird and its owner must first pass a proficiency test and have the bird’s DNA registered at the Naturstyrelsen nature agency. The use of birds of prey is prohibited in the other Nordic countries, but permitted in countries such as Germany and the UK.

Imported 11.3 percent WHILE the usage of biogas shot up, energy use in Denmark is more or less unchanged for the first six months of 2018 compared to the same period last year, according to Energistyrelsen. The consumption of natural gas, oil and renewables fell by 2.5, 1.0 and 0.7 percent respec-

Miscarriage mysteries

Pinpointing the location

Food waste think-tank

Dinner in the printer

THE MISCARRIAGE rate among the 18-42 age bracket rose by 74 percent between 2003 and 2012 in Sweden, and Danish doctors suspect a similar trend would be seen here, where there were around 20,000 last year. Experts suggest it is nature’s way of selecting foetuses that are too weak to survive. One suggested a rise in immunological diseases such as sclerosis was responsible.

A NEW APP will enable emergency responders to pinpoint the location of anyone calling 112 – which is good news for those who lose consciousness before they are able to do. The 112 app, which has been developed by the Hovedstadens Beredskab capital region emergency unit, uses GPS technology in smartphones to inform the emergency hotline workers

THE ENVIRONMENT and Food Ministry intends to set up an anti-food waste think-tank. Following consultation with Danish and foreign groups – including Selina Juul, the founder of the Stop Spild af Mad antifood waste group – a think-tank will be set up that combines expertise from both the public and private sectors, as well as researchers and government bodies.

A 3D PRINTER that can produce food will be tested over a fouryear period at Aarhus University Hostpital. Denmark’s Technological Institute has been developing technology for a year now that can, for example, transform mashed potato into something looking like a pizza. It is hoped the printer will help patients who have difficulty swallowing and can only eat pureed products.

Blood limit could rise A NUMBER of players within the health sector want the age limit of blood donors in Denmark to be increased. Currently standing at 67, the age limit has been criticised for being obsolete as there are more elderly today and there is no strong scientific basis for the limit to be 67. The EU limit is actually 65, but Denmark has dispensation to have it at 67.

Log stove progress THE MINISTER will be pleased to learn that Copenhagen Mayor Frank Jensen intends to ban new wood-burning stoves and offer householders a cash incentive to scrap their old ones and switch to district heating, reports Ingeniøren. It is estimated that 99 percent

Summerhouse boost IN RELATED news, the government intends to increase the annual amount available for global climate-related initiatives to 540 million kroner in 2019 as part of its new budget proposal (see page 6). The funds are used to help developing countries reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adjust to climate change, encouraging them to become more efficient on the energy front and to steer their energy production towards more renewables. And in order to make it more attractive to rent out summerhouses to tourists all year round, the government is putting forward measures to cut costs for owners and to encourage the use of green electricity. If the measures are accepted as part of the budget, around 50,000 summerhouse owners can look forward to cheaper electricity bills, reports TV2.

Fish oil claims SIX-YEAR-OLD children whose mothers regularly consume fish oil during the last trimester of their pregnancy are 0.4 kg heavier than average, according to a University of Copenhagen study funded by Lundbeckfoden. The kids tended to have better muscle mass, bigger bones and a lower risk of getting asthma. The study fed 368 pregnant women fish oil, and another 368 a placebo.

Curie’s life a cartoon ANJA C Andersen, a professor in astrophysics at the University of Copenhagen, has co-written a comic book based on Marie Curie’s life in which she expresses her concerns about the growing disconnect between people and science. Illustrated by Polish artist Anna Anna Blaszczyk, ‘Marie Curie – Et Lys I Mørket’ was released on August 30.

Antiquities from the air THE DRY summer has helped archaeologists outline at least 50 previously unknown settlements from the air. Vegetation areas where the soil has previously been dug up tend to dry out at a slower rate, and therefore the outlines can be seen in green against the surrounding yellow during a drought. Among the discoveries is a 5,000-year-old cultic ceremonial site near Struer in mid-Jutland.

Tentative about turf DANISH airports are wary of using artificial turf, which is being viewed in many countries as a solution to problems such as erosion at the end of runways and birds hunting for food close to moving aircraft, reports Check-in.dk. Artificial turf manufacturer Evergreen Aviation’s sole sale in Denmark was to a private helicopter landing pad north of Copenhagen.

Favouring green builders AS PART of its ‘circular economy’ initiatives towards a greener, more sustainable Denmark, the business minister, Rasmus Jarlov, has indicated that when it comes to building for the state, environmentally-friendly companies will be given priority.

NEWS

17 September - 4 October 2018

ONLINE THIS WEEK

THE DANISH women’s national football side has been drawn against the Netherlands in the playoffs for the 2019 World Cup, the same team that beat them in the final of Euro 2017. Denmark paid the price for forfeiting its away game in Sweden due to a players’ strike last autumn, and then losing to their rivals 0-1 at home on September 4. The playoff ‘semis’ are in October, with the winner facing Belgium or Switzerland in November for a place in the finals. The WC draw is on December 8.

Oscar shortlist named THE DFI film institute has confirmed its shortlist of the three films it is considering for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Oscars: ‘Den skyldige’ (‘The Guilty’) by Gustav Möller, ‘Lykke-Per’ by Bille August, and Hlynur Pálmason’s ‘Vinterbrødre’ (‘Winter Brothers’). Its selection will be confirmed on September 20.

The Rosenborg excuse

the chance, although many refused out of solidarity with the professionals. UEFA meanwhile warned that should the strike affect Sunday’s Nations League game against Wales in Aarhus, it might potentially ban Denmark from European competition for four years – particularly in light of the women’s strike last autumn.

BEN HAMILTON

HE MEDIA love the idea of postmen playing international football. And the butcher, the baker, the candlestick-maker … Normally the preserve of the San Marino national side, Denmark duly stepped to the fore on September 5 with a team of amateurs that included an internet freestyle footballer, a salesman taking the captain’s armband, and a student.

Major interest in game IN THE build-up to the game in Slovakia, Discovery Network – the owner of Kanal 6, the channel that broadcast the game – expressed its “deep disappointment and amazement” that it was “unable to offer the product we and the Danish fans expect and have paid for”. But it may very well turn out to be Denmark’s most watched international friendly ever. All across the country, bars were fuller than normal for such a game.

Strike hits hard A PLAYERS’ strike called by the Spillerforeningen union after it failed to agree the terms of a new commercial rights contract with the DBU association left Denmark without its first team. Or its second, third and 19th best eleven, it transpired. The DBU started recruiting from the third and fourth tiers of Danish football, as well as from its futsal side. For two to three days, the media tried to keep up with the latest amateur to take

Unforgettable experience

tional team photo, belted out the national anthem with the cameras looking on, and they didn’t let the country down (well, maybe the futsal player who scored the own goal – one of the worst of all time, to be fair).

Pride in the shirt FOR DANES who love football, there’s no bigger dream than representing your country, and for eleven amateur players, this wild fantasy came true. They put on the hallowed red and white strip, posed for a na-

Victory in the end FOUR DAYS later, it was business as normal as the first-choice side returned to action to comfortably beat Wales 2-0 thanks to a Christian Eriksen brace – even though the conflict remains unresolved. The result left thousands of punters out of pocket, as they had all piled onto Wales in the belief that Denmark would field another team made up of amateurs.

Ironman of metal

Van Gogh a must-go

SPOKEN WORD

ART

Hard to live down WHEN DR axed ‘X Factor’, producers presumably thought they’d find a good replacement. It’s doubtful, though, whether that show is ‘LIVE’. Viewers firstly complained that the contestants only got 30 seconds to perform, and then that they didn’t have enough time to vote. DR has now raised the performance time from 30 to 60 seconds.

FC COPENHAGEN has been drawn in the same Europa League group as Zenit St Petersburg, Bordeaux and Slavia Prague. The games start on September 20. After seeing off Italian outfit Atalanta on penalties after two 0-0 draws in the final round of qualifying, FCK is the sole Danish survivor. FCM lost to Malmö FF 2-4 on aggregate, while Brøndby were trounced by Genk 4-9.

ELTON John’s is visiting Royal Arena on 18 May 2019 – his last ever performance in Denmark. Also announcing concerts recently are Maroon 5 (June 9; Mølleparken in Aalborg; 595kr), Billy Ocean (March 22; DR Koncerthuset; 475kr) and Lil Pump (Dec 3; Store Vega; 330kr) and comedians Dave Chappelle and Jon Stewart (Oct 13; Royal Arena; 450kr) and Irish standup and actor Dylan Moran (March 5; Bremen; 255kr).

Harder the best PERNILLE Harder has been named the 2017-18 UEFA Women’s Player of the Year. The award, which is voted for by coaches and journalists, was established six years ago, and there has never been a repeat winner

Olesen to play Ryder Cup

Premiere for sub film THOMAS Vinterberg’s new English-speaking film ‘Kursk’ opened the Toronto Film Festival on September 6. The films tells the story of the Russian submarine accident in 2000 in which 118 crew members died.

Tough draw for FCK

Elton’s last bow

WIKIPEDIA

THEATRE

Eyes not on the ball lately

OFFICIAL PRESS PHOTO

LEFTFIELD THEATRE

NATIONAL coach Åge Hareide ommited Nicklas Bendtner from his squad for the internationals, noting that he needs to do a little bit more than proving himself in the Norwegian league, but then proceeded to select his Rosenborg team-mate Mike Jensen. His club, meanwhile, has conceded it would him if a good offer was made. One wasn’t and Bendtner remains in Norway.

A salesman, student and internet freestyle footballer all win caps as makeshift Danish side take on Slovakia

ONLINE THIS WEEK HOLGER MOTZKA

Women need a miracle

Futsal farce: Is that San Marino in disguise?

‘QUEERS’ is almost brand new. The eight monologues charting a century of British LGBT history were penned last year, making this production by Leftfield Theatre, which also came into life in 2017, only the second ever staging. Performed in three different seating areas in the city centre bar Galathea Kroen, the audience were taken on more than a mere emotional journey. True, at a running time of around three hours, this wasn’t a trip for the wearyhearted, but in the absence of overbearing characters (like Hamlet for example), it never felt too onerous. (BH)

BRUCE Dickinson is a superstar, and for many just seeing the Iron Maiden frontman in all his glory onstage would have sufficed. When you dig deeper, you find that his tremendous sense of humour facilitates the telling of an epic story. This man, who spent ten years working as a fulltime pilot for Astraeus Airlines before joining Iron Maiden, has an enormous heart and fighting spirit. That is why his spoken word show is so outstanding. All in all, it was a real feel-good night and as Dickinson says: “If you dream it, it can happen, but if you don’t dream it, it will never happen”. (EM)

AS IS THE case with Leonardo da Vinci or Andy Warhol, the work of the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh has become so much a part of popular culture that almost everyone is familiar with his sunflowers, irises and starry nights. However, when it comes to showcasing this titan of modern art, Arken has taken a different tack. An impressive 28 pictures and 11 drawings – only one of which has been seen in Denmark before – are loosely arranged under three thematic headings: ‘Van Gogh’s world’, ‘The inner life of nature’ and ‘Mankind in nature’. The result is spectacular. (SG)

READ THE REST OF THESE REVIEWS AT CPHPOST.DK

THORBJØRN Olesen has automatically qualified to play in this month’s Ryder Cup – a debut appearance for the 28-year-old, who will become the first Dane since Thomas Bjørn in 2014 to compete. The three-day event starts on September 28.

Filling the niche NICHE music festivals are growing in number around Denmark. Municipalities are beginning to sponsor and sometimes even organise them. Bornholm has seen five emerge in the past year alone.

Woz not good enough CAROLINE Wozniacki was knocked out in the second round of the US Open by Ukrainian player Lesia Tsurenko.

10 BUSINESS

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ONLINE THIS WEEK

17 September - 4 October 2018

Low unemployment hindering economic growth

ONLINE THIS WEEK

Lego stabilising

Everyone’s a manager

LEGO REMAINS optimistic despite a 5 percent dip in turnover for the first six months of 2018 from 14.9 to 14.3 billion kroner. After rapid growth between 2004 and 2017, Lego wants to stabilise and create consistent long-term growth. In related news, with the help of Bugatti it has made a life-sized 1,500 kilo car using only Lego Technic elements. No glue was used and it took 13,483 manhours to assemble.

A FINANS survey reveals that over a one-year period the Danish tax authority SKAT has hired almost 100 people in management positions – a 25 percent rise since it decided to split up into seven new units. This is almost twice the number employed as ordinary workers. Socialdemokratiet and Dansk Folkeparti have both condemned the findings.

Nej tak to state funding

TIVOLI is expanding its corporate hospitality business in co-operation with its partner Landbrug & Fødevarer. The new business, Nimb Event, will be based at the historic Axelborg building opposite the main Tivoli entrance on Vesterbrogade, which the themepark recently acquired from Rasmus Bo Bojesen, and it will also be moving most of its administration there.

RFRSH and North, the two largest eSports organisations in Denmark, have declined 10 million kroner in support from the state, suggesting in a joint press release that the money should go to the industry as a whole, not individual players. Globally, the industry generates 700 million dollars a year.

Who’s the smart money on? CHINESE smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi will soon enter the Danish market with three phones aiming to compete with tech giants like Apple, Samsung and Huawei. The most expensive of the three phones, the MI Mix S2, will cost 4,499 kroner, 3,500 kroner less that Apple’s flagship iPhone X.

Tivoli expands business

Closed due to lack of interest

Current rate of 4.8 percent is about as low as it can go without provoking inflation SANKRITI MALIK

ORMALLY, a country would be pleased to have a low unemployment rate. In Denmark, however, things are different.

there were 32,000 job ads posted during the second quarter of this year – close to the highest level for eight years, according to Danmarks Statistik. But even with all the gleaming opportunities waiting to be grabbed, it seems like Denmark’s economy cannot afford to employ any more people either. The current unemployment rate stands at 4.8 percent, which is about as low as it can go without provoking inflation. The companies that can afford to offer a wage spike have already started doing so, while others have resorted to creating jobs abroad instead.

Boss Ladies intends to better educate school children regarding the possibilities, as well as improving working conditions for women in areas like construction and encouraging more workplaces to recruit them. Initially, it will focus its efforts in Zealand, before rolling out the initiative nationwide.

Catch 22 AS A RESULT of the shortage,

Boss Ladies speaks out MEANWHILE, in related news, the Boss Ladies organisation believes more women should work with their hands, and that more girls should accordingly leave public school at the age of 16 to take vocational courses. At present, the courses and subsequent jobs are dominated by men, but it is estimated they will lack 17,000 skilled workers in just ten years’ time.

Funding in place BOSS LADIES is the brainchild of the non-profit organisation Divers, which has received 10 million kroner in funding from Nordea-fonden, Grundejernes Investeringsfond and Uddannelsesfond up until July 2021. “We must break down some of the outdated prejudices and stereotypes we have about these workers always being men,” Nina Groes, the founder and chair of Divers, told DR. “There is huge untapped potential, and we know the industry is crying out for labour. If we can make a break with the gender-divided educational options here, then we have a model that can act as an inspiration to other industries.”

Arla to help members

Guidelines for hard Brexit

Laundered sum spirals

Povlsen takes large stake

IN AN UNPRECEDENTED move, Arla Foods will divide its 2018 profit with its 11,000 dairy farmer members in light of the problems they have encountered due to the summer drought. In total, 2.3 billion kroner will be shared by the farmer shareholders in 2018 – around 1.3 billion more than they normally get, as they tend to divide up 1 billion kroner at the beginning of each year.

SMALL Danish businesses are not well prepared to trade with Britain in the case of a hard Brexit, according to Dansk Erhverv administrative director Brian Mikkelsen. Dansk Erhverv has accordingly compiled a list of 18 guidelines for them. In related news, Richard Branson has been signed up to speak at the Awaken Business Summit at Tivoli Hotel next March.

SOME 192 billion kroner was laundered through the Estonian branch of Danske Bank in a single year, reports the Financial Times – nearly four times the previous amount (53 billion) suggested by Berlingske, and that covered a nine-year period from 2007-2015! Shares plunged as fears grew that the bank would be hit by a substantial fine and leadership change.

BESTSELLER owner Anders Holch Povlsen has acquired a 10 percent stake in UK company Funding Circle, which specialises in providing loans to small and medium-sized businesses, reports Sky News. In other acquisition news, Interflora Danmark, a chain of florists across the country consisting of 350 different shops, has been sold to Interflora France.

Carlsberg drops plastic CARLSBERG is dropping plastic wrapping for its six-packs after spending three years on the development of new adhesive material. With a goal of becoming more environmentally friendly, the new adhesive could save more than 150 tonnes of plastic a year in Demark, and 1,200 tonnes of plastic when introduced globally.

Serious knock-on effect SEVERAL companies are struggling to fill positions as job vacancies have risen to an alltime high of 35,000, according to Danmarks Statistik. Steen Nielsen, the deputy head of Dansk Industri, explains that the labour shortages are forcing companies to scale back production, which in turn is slowing down Denmark’s economic growth. “The consequence is that every tenth company is losing orders, and that all of Denmark is therefore losing growth and prosperity,” he said.

Ambitious juice plans DANISH juice producer Orana has ambitious plans for expansion after opening a new fruit factory in east Africa every second year, reports DI Business. The company is not only driven by profit – it also wants to become more self-sufficient and help local producers – but it is confident its revenue will double in the next five years.

Danes caught in BA hack MANY DANES have been affected by the British Airways hack in which cyber-criminals obtained the details of 380,000 credit cards from the airline. The cards were used in transactions between August 21 and September 5. However, the hackers did not obtain any information relating to the customers’ flight details or passports.

Nordea the worst bank NORDEA is the worst bank operating in Denmark, according to a Voxmeter survey of 39,000 customers. It finished bottom of a list of 20 banks, two places above Danske Bank. Topping the rankings was Ringkjøbing Landbobank, which ended Arbejdernes Landsbank’s nine-year reign as the most popular.

BUSINESS OPINION

17 September - 4 October 2018

N INTEREST rate is the price of money. If you lend money to someone, you need to be compensated for not having access to that amount for a period of time.

MARTINA FACINO ECONOMICS EXPLAINED Martina Facino works for a leading consultancy firm where she specialises in competition economics and maintains a strong interest in macroeconomics. Using her master’s in economics and finance, she intends to focus on explaining macroeconomic concepts and describing them in the current context

Interesting to know INTEREST rates influence how much people decide to spend and how much they save – but why is that? Let’s take the example of rising interest rates. When interest rates rise, consumers are motivated to put more money into their savings account. This means lending money to the bank, which returns the interest rate as compensation. With higher interest rates, more savings in the bank yield a higher return. On the other hand, lower interest rates induce people to save less and spend more.

THOMAS N HORSTED STARTUP COMMUNITY Thomas (@thomas_hors) is the former co-founder and COO of Startup Guide – The Entrepreneur’s Handbook. He now works as a startup scout for IKEA Bootcamp in collaboration with Rainmaking (ikeabootcamp.rainmaking.io). As an entrepreneur with an academic background in media studies and kaospilot, he understands the combination of praxis, reflection, creativity and theory needed to bring startup projects to life.

#1 Identify your ideal customer AS A STARTUP, it’s important to build a buyer persona – and it is a great way to begin. Why, you may ask. Well, if you worry about what the product is first, you run the risk of overlooking who you’re going to sell it to. And your product might very well fail. A buyer persona helps you to identify your ideal customers and their needs. #2 Do alpha and beta tests IT’S ALWAYS better to test the product on a small audience to gauge results earlier. This will equip you with enough data and direction to determine the

They always make interesting reading

The tools to succeed SO, CAN one interest rate setting have the same desired results described above in all 19 different states? European countries are different on many levels. Setting a common low interest rate to stimulate spending in countries that had more difficulties during the crisis – like Spain, Italy and Greece – can overheat more stable and savings-loving economies like Germany. In Germany, people have been investing in housing to find an

alternative return on their savings, and this has consequently driven up housing prices. Nevertheless, this does not mean that the eurozone does not work. On the one hand, the ECB has other tools to tackle crises at a national level, like quantitative easing. And on the other, countries would not be better off outside a currency union since international markets are integrated to such an extent that it is difficult to set interest rates completely independently. RAWPIXEL

NE OF THE main reasons most startups get rejected for investment or ultimately fail is because they don’t have a well-thought-out growth strategy in place. So let’s do something about that, shall we? Let’s look at the essentials for your startup.

One zone, mostly zero LATELY we have seen low interest rates of close to zero and even negative. Why is that? Low interest rates should discourage people from putting their money in the bank and instead encourage them to spend. More spending makes the economy move, as a higher demand for goods raises the profits of companies, which in turn hire more employees with greater spending power to buy more goods. Low interest rates have been used as a tool by central banks to stimulate the economy after the financial crisis. In Europe, the European Central Bank (ECB) sets interest rates for countries using the euro. Some 19 countries use the euro, spanning the continent from sunny Italy in the south, through hard-working Germany in the middle, to work-life-balanced Finland in the north, all linked by one currency and one interest rate.

viability of your product/idea and if it has the potential for other opportunities. #3 Construct a business model ONE OF the first things you need to decide is to choose the type of payment model that will suit your product. For this, keep a few things in mind, such as the customer-satisfaction threshold, product attractiveness, market position, life-cycle etc. Is it a recurring subscription model or a one-time purchase? #4 Follow a sustainable growth model THE GROWTH model is defined as ‘an equation that tells you what are the different variables in your business and how they work together and translate into growth’. Your business should have a hook to grab visitors (SEO, inbound marketing, paid marketing, social media marketing), a ‘magic moment’ that brings out the

Your ideal customer is RocketMan? Is that Peter Madsen or Kim Jong-un?

emotions in them when visit the website, and unique selling points provide the solution to problems.

they core that their

#5 Scale vertically or horizontally DEPENDING on your type of business, you will come across opportunities to scale once you get started. Think about whether you scale your business vertically (selling more of the same) or horizontally (by adding more products to your catalogue and creating niches).

IN 3 ISSUES

#6 Track progress and monitor KPIs FINALLY, it’s extremely important to track your startup’s progress. To do that, you want to set some Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). KPIs are not the goals of a company’s success, but they will help you reach those goals. KPIs can be anything from website visits to downloads, conversion rates, churn, customer acquisition cost (CAC) and Life Time Value (LTV). Create a dashboard and measure early and often.

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IN 2 ISSUES

IN 4 ISSUES

Danish Capital in 2017

Mind over Managing

Living in an Expat World

Union Views

All of your Business

21st Century Alchemy

The Valley of Life

Give Yourself a Chance

12 OPINION

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

17 September - 4 October 2018

Hanging in the balance

Not all bad news HOWEVER, the Swedes like them. At the general election on September 9 we saw how much: 17.6 percent, which was lower than expected/feared. Although they did do particularly well across the water in Scania and Malmö, where they won twothirds of the districts. All the other parties have declared that they will have nothing to do with Sverigedemokraterna and their 67 members of parliament. They are tinkering with different constellations whilst pretending that Sverigedemokraterna are not there at all. The other parties swore an oath of solidarity before the previous election and are reiterating it now. Some Swedes wonder whether this is subverting the democratic

Early Rejser

process – not the majority, but the 17.6 percent who voted for Sverigedemokraterna. In Sweden during the Cold War period, resistance against the communists was carried out through a process of repressive tolerance: don’t fight your opponents in the streets because they fight dirty, but talk to them and they will lose momentum and become civilized. In Denmark more than 100 rules and regulations have made life difficult for new and prospective citizens. Finally it seems that the race to the bottom is being slowed down and responsible voices are saying that enough is enough – for example, with regard to the handshaking nonsense. New kids on the block WHEN THIS kind of softening takes place it makes room for a new, more radical right-wing group. In Denmark this is Nye Borgerlige, which according to the opinion polls will be voted into the Danish Parliament in its own right. It is demanding a total stop to asylum-seekers, expulsion from the country for foreigners convicted of a crime – however small – and no social help for them. Even Dansk Folkeparti has never gone this far. When looking at the balance in Sweden it is worth remembering that 17.6 to 82.4 is not an even split. Refugees and migrants – desperate people that they are – can cause upheaval in any country because there is only so much that can be done for them, so it may seem as if the 17.6 percent have lost. But that still leaves the other 82.4 percent with a sound democratic ability to stand up and be counted in these troubled times. (ES)

Adam is a nanny, a multi-sports fanatic and a budding ultra runner. He was faster off the mark than his fellow Brits, quitting England for Denmark moments before they voted to stay out of Europe. When he isn’t caring for kids, screaming at a screen or tearing up his feet, he writes unsettling poetry and prose. TWITTER

WEDEN is the big brother of the Nordic nations. There are 9.9 million Swedes – nearly as many as Danes and Norwegians combined – and amongst them you will find a million non-Swedes (at least not originally). Their number has been steadily growing over the past decade. In response to the surge of migrants and refugees in 2015, Sweden was liberal. Of the million-plus that roamed across Europe, 200,000 made it to Sweden before the gates closed. The Swedish public gradually reacted. A new movement coalesced into a political party, Sverigedemokraterna, which mainly advocated “Sweden for the Swedes”. They are ultranationalistic and celebrate the memory of their hero King Charles XII in dark suits with raised fists. Former members of the Nazi movement have been identified among the candidates at the general election.

ADAM WELLS

Unlike Colonel Erran Morad, we like to arm our toddlers with a different kind of weapon

HIS SUMMER, while others got their kicks from the best World Cup this century and Denmark’s warmest weather for decades, I was exploring more exciting waters.

Offshore poop park YES, YOU guessed it: the government’s energy proposal published at the end of April. It’s hard to choose just one aspect, but gun to my head I would opt for the plan to build one of the world’s largest wind energy parks off the coast of Denmark – surely the most exciting offshore construction announcement since John Hammond unveiled his plan to build Jurassic Park on an island near Costa Rica. It’s true a park comprised of giant turbines won’t provide as many thrills as one populated by giant dinosaurs, but it will provide 800 MHz of clean energy. Yes, you’re right again. I saw the new ‘Jurassic Park’ film this summer – several times. To maintain my sanity while the kids who dragged me there went mad for the oversized action, I thought through issues like how many MHz of clean energy could they produce if they converted all that dinosaur poop into biofuel. Cinema paradisio BUT THE issue that gave me

most pause for thought, as the seven-year-olds either side of me revelled in dino-saster, was that they could go and see almost any movie at all if I was with them. Though I wouldn’t take them to a Lars von Trier movie, it’s good to know I could. In England, the only thing seen as more of a threat than exposure to adult themes is the adult male accompanying them. The more relaxed approach to raising children here is one of the most positive contrasts with my life in England, where the value of individual freedom isn’t often extended to kids and childcare. That’s not to say it hasn’t produced more moments of mild terror than the entire ‘Jurassic Park’ franchise. I vividly recall collecting the four-year-old girl I was responsible for from school to find her shakily holding a nail in place while a boy, unsupervised, wielded a hammer over it. For someone used to wrapping kids in cotton wool, my shock was as much cultural as it was by the peril at hand. My suggestion that he “be careful” was about as useful as it would have been had I said it in Danish. But while such scenarios must occasionally end in the injury we fear, this one produced nothing more than an adorably shoddy birdhouse.

Axing the stablilisers DANGEROUS tools have since become a feature of my career in Copenhagen (though not one I include on my CV). A subsequent employer once called to casually inform me her sevenyear-old son had, unbeknownst to her, taken an axe to school that morning, and could I please make sure he remembered to bring it home again. Collecting this boy another time his teacher said, as an afterthought: “Oh, just so you know, he has a very sharp knife in his bag.” This wouldn’t fly in England, where the assumed consequence of a child having a knife or axe is several missing fingers. The scariest consequence in this case was a collection of expertly carved dinosaur heads. Now, I’m not saying we should actively arm children (such arguments are best left to the NRA), but allowing them to operate and develop in an arena with real-world features, like risk and responsibility, seems logical to me Immediate success isn’t guaranteed – no self-respecting bird would be seen dead in the second-rate home those two fouryears-olds cobbled together – but you have to give kids the freedom and tools to succeed in the long-run.

OPINION

17 September - 4 October 2018

VIVIENNE MCKEE

Crazier than Christmas Vivienne McKee, Denmark’s best-known English entertainer, is this country’s most beloved foreign import. Over the last 36 years, hundreds of thousands of Copenhageners have enjoyed her annual Crazy Christmas Cabaret show at Tivoli, marvelling at her unique, wry Anglo wit and charm.

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A Dane Abroad KIRSTEN LOUISE PEDERSEN IN 2 ISSUES

Mackindergarten ADRIAN MACKINDER

Straight, No Chaser STEPHEN GADD

An Actor’s Life

IN 3 ISSUES

IAN BURNS

Just in case it wasn’t clear from the three mentions, this is a ‘Vote Leave’ poster

DIVIDED my summer between England, Greece and Spain. Everywhere I went the atmosphere was heated – and not just by the warm weather. The goon’s a balloon WHEN I arrived in London, protesters made it clear what they thought of Trump. “DUMP TRUMP” signs were mixed with ruder ones – the ‘coup de theatre’ being a giant balloon resembling an angry Baby Trump flying over Westminster. Just as a heatwave hit London on the day 100,000 people took to the streets to demand a second Brexit vote, I flew to Greece. Trump’s conviction that there is no global warming seemed even more insane as I flew over the devastation created by the wildfire near Athens. On the island of Paros a wildfire was also causing havoc and I got swept up in discussions with my Greek friends on the country’s future. There will be no Grexit, they assured me. After ten years of economic misery, the Greek PM has decided that another way is possible within the EU.

Bremain’s pain in Spain WITHOUT much time to reflect on all of that, I jumped on a flight to Spain, or rather the Costa del Sol. The south coast is an international ghetto, and my friends there are British, Danish and German. I only heard Spanish spoken by the waiters, and then I found out that they were Albanian. The heat and wildfires were there too, but they are used to that. In fact, the sun is what brought them to settle there in the first place. Under the parasols, the talk was all about Brexit. The ‘Bremain in Spain’ organisation sums up the feelings of those who chose to settle on this sunshine coast. Those who have lived in Spain for more than ten years had no right to vote in the Brexit referendum. Disenfranchised, they wonder who is going to care about them in the future. The Spanish are not happy either. They are economically dependent on the Brits. The Spanish PM says that instead of it being a ‘win/win’ situation, it will be ‘lose/lose’.

Hands off our chips! THERE are 1.2 million British citizens living in the EU and what will it mean to us if Theresa May demands what she calls a “red, white and blue” Brexit? When ‘Hard Brexit’ Boris declared: “Our policy is for having our cake and eating it,” EU President Donald Tusk responded: “There will be no cakes on the table, only salt and vinegar.” Well – not tough enough, Tusk, because Brits love salt and vinegar – and especially on their chips! It’s like saying to a Dane there will be only coffee and weinerbrød. Somebody likes him BUT FOR all the heatwaves, wildfires and hot discussions in these three countries, I consoled myself with Trump’s words before he had an awkward cup of tea with Queen Elizabeth: “Brexit is … errr …Brexit. I believe in the people in the UK – in Scotland and Ireland … where I own property. They like me a lot.” If the leader of the free world has no idea that Ireland is not British, we can all feel safe for our future.

Living Faith REVD SMITHA PRASADAM IN 4 ISSUES

The Road Less Taken JESSICA ALEXANDER

Mishra’s Mishmash MRUTYUANJAI MISHRA

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14 COMMUNITY

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ABOUT TOWN

17 September - 4 October 2018

PHOTOS BY HASSE FERROLD

UK ambassador Dominic Schroeder was among the many dignitaries in attendance at Flag Day on September 5, the gathering of representatives of all of Denmark’s deployed personnel, to pay tribute to all Danish servicemen on international missions since 1948

Albanian ambassador Kastriot Robo (centre left) is leaving these shores. On September 3, many dignitaries attended a farewell reception at his residence, including the Copenhagen Post CEO Hans Hermansen (left) and Argentinian ambassador Conrado Solari (right)

Polish ambassador Henryka Moscicka-Dendys (centre left) was the host of a concert by the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra at DR Koncerthuset on September 9 to mark the 100th anniversary of the country regaining independence

Romanian ambassador Mihai-Alexandru Gradinar (left) was on September 5 present at the screening of ‘Charleston’, the opening night of the ‘Romanian Cinema Season’ at Cinemateket, which will run until September 26

Swiss ambassador Benedikt Wechsler was the host of ‘Taste the Swiss Design’, an exclusive tasting at his embassy, which was part of the Copenhagen Cooking festival

Claes Bang, the star of ’The Square’, was presented with a Lauritzen prize at a ceremony at Folketeatret on September 9. Mads Mikkelsen was also among the winners

17 September - 4 October 2018

COMMUNITY

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

The dean of the diplomatic corp, Ivory Coast’s ambassador Mina Balde Laurent, was at Amalienborg on August 30 to officially bid farewell to the queen after a long period of distinguished service in the capital. Her successor as dean is Russian ambassador Mikhail Vanin

During his time in Denmark, French ambassador François Zimeray has become one of the most recognisable diplomats in the country – not least due to his presence at and survival of the first of the terror attacks in 2015. On August 30, he met the queen to officially say adieu

Saudi ambassador Fahad Alruwaily (left) was among the guests of Brazilian ambassador Carlos Paranhos (centre) at the celebration of his national day at Kongelig Dansk Yachtklub in Hellerup on September 7

Among the diplomatic corps attending the World Food Summit in late August, which was jointly held by Parliament and the Bella Center, were Indian ambassador Ajit Vinayak Gupte (right) and UAE ambassador Fatima Al Mazrouei (left)

September’s meeting of International Club Copenhagen enjoyed an evening of Slovenian wine tasting courtesy of Farol, a leading importer

The new Latvian ambassador is Alda Vanaga. Laipni lūdzam!

16 COMMUNITY

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ALL PHOTOS:NIKKI MCKENNAI

NCE AGAIN the mighty came – representing the sports of rugby, football and hurling, as well as Irish pubs such as The Dubliner and The Globe – to take part in ‘Tug of War: Battle of the Bars’ at the CSR Rugby Pitches near Holmen, to prove who had the biggest clout whilst

17 September - 4 October 2018

OUT AND ABOUT

own in the main event. Each eight-man team (well seven men, one woman actually) pulled against four opponents: three group tussles, before a final heave to decide their final place, all over a best-of-three, but in the end only one contest went the distance: the final.

The Globe, vanquished in last year’s final by a football club, now had to beat a rugby all-stars team, and the effort on the face of landlord Brian McKenna and his troops (right: including barmen ‘Biceps Paulie’ in red, the main organiser, and John Conaty in black, who burst a blood vessel

in his face in the final) when they somehow pulled it out of the bag to win 2-1 said it all. In total, the day raised 13,000 kroner for charity, and teams are already recruiting for next year. After all, if you topple The Globe, the world is there for the BEN HAMILTON taking.

your interior walls, while the reverse of ‘dog’ is God … Maybe that explains why St Albans Church welcomes Fido to a special service every year.

It’s true that the Blessing of Pets Service is open to all domesticated animals, but on September 9, it was a canineonly affair.

Revd Smitha Prasadam was at hand to provide the blessing, and once again the entire congregation was very well behaved.

Had a cat showed up it might have been different, but the moggy owners had the good sense to bring photos to the blessing instead. BEN HAMILTON

ALL PHOTOS: BEV LLOYD ROBERTS

digging into their pockets for a good cause. As the beers flowed and hot dogs were chowed, those gathered were treated to a rib-breaking introduction from referee John Kelleher, the illustrious quizmaster at The Globe, before doing their best to break a few of their

ET’S get this right. Cat spelled backwards is tac, which phonetically is a sharp thing that can leave nasty scratch marks, both on your person and

JOE MABEL

JORGE LÁSCAR

PXHERE.COM

Have you ever tried swing dancing – well, here’s your chance. Pop by every Tuesday – all levels are welcome (Sep 18 & 25, 19:30-23:00, Studenterhuset, Købmagergade 52; free adm)

Find out about the best leisure activities and culture events in Copenhagen, and meet fellow international citizens (Sep 17, 17:00-18:30; Huset, Rådhusstræde 13; free adm)

Find out why the Danes are the happiest people in the world on this English-language tour at the National Museum (until Sep 30, Sat & Sun 10:30, 12:00 and 13:30; Ny Vestergade 10, Prinsens Palæ)

BOOKS & COMPANY

For nearly four decades now, Robin Huw Bowen has been delighting audiences across the world with his Welsh triple harp. He gives vital new expression to the music of Wales (Sep 26, 19:00; Books & Company, Sofievej 1, Hellerup; 75kr)

Tenor David Danholt and pianist Poul Rosenbaum present music ranging from Mozart and Wagner to Rodgers & Hammerstein at this Copenhagen International School charity fundraiser. Champagne and canapés from 18:00 (Sep 28, 18:00; Levantkaj 4, Cph Ø; 250kr)

In the lecture ‘The forgotten secret of Japanese books’, Professor Peter Kornick explains why Europeans are so interested in Japanese books, and why they are so distinctive from other Asian writings (Sep 18, 17:00; Saxo Institute, room 27-147, Karen Blixens Vej 8, Cph S)

IMPROVCOMEDY.EU

THE-GLOBE.DK

PIXABAY

The quiz at Studenterhuset has four rounds and goes on for a couple of hours – and there are some nice prizes too (Oct 1, 19:00; Studenterhuset, Købmagergade 52, Cph K)

CIS FACEBOOK PAGE

BRUNO CORDIOLI

COMING UP SOON

If you‘ve never tried acting before, this Copenhagen Theatre Circle play reading is a good place to start (Sep 17 & Oct 15 19, 18:30; The Globe, Nørregade 43-45, Cph K, free adm)

Improv Comedy Copenhagen takes inspiration from film noir to improvise on their ‘Murder of Crows’ night (Sep 21, 20:00; Frederiksholm Kanal 2, Cph K; 100-125kr) MATHILDE ZAAVI

HISTORY

17 September - 4 October 2018

MacDenmark: a shared history of trade, culture, beer and fighting the English How the Scots have proved to be some of this country’s most successful settlers ROSS MCPHERSON

LOVE OF beer, football and wet weather are not the only things that Denmark and Scotland have in common, as the history of the two nations has been intertwined thanks to trade and a common enemy in the English. A settling of Scots DANISH-SCOTTISH relations may have peaked in 1589 when James VI of Scotland married Anne of Denmark 14 years ahead of acceding to the English throne, but there have been recent signs that we may be seeing a resurgence in the historic relationship. Anne of Denmark’s marriage to James wasn’t the first time the Stuarts had married into the Danish royal family, and these unions helped establish long-standing treaties of mutual support, often involving France, against the old war enemy of England. The movement of mercenary soldiers, in both directions, was common, while commercial treaties attracted large numbers of Scots to Denmark, more often than not to Helsingør, the scene of Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’, the gateway to trade in the Baltic. Scottish settlers put down roots all over Denmark, but particularly in and around the ports of Helsingør, Copenhagen and Malmö (which was then part of Denmark). The immigrants came from all walks of life:

from soldiers and civil servants to scholars and traders. Hogmanay in Helsingør AMONG the most successful Scottish merchants in Helsingør was Alexander Lyall, who became mayor of the city twice before his death in 1560, leaving a legacy that would dominate community life for many years. His descendants went on to become city councillors, mayors and even a governor of Trankebar, the Danish colony in India. Lyall was also the director of the Sound Toll – the fee paid by trading vessels passing through the narrow strait between Denmark and what is now Sweden. The position was regarded as important and prestigious and was usually held by an influential figure from the town. His son Frederik also held the position, during which time he oversaw the construction of Hamlet’s castle, Kronborg. Lyall’s contribution to Helsingør can still be seen today. His house at Stengade 70 stands as a monument to the man himself, while his family erected an ornate epitaph in Helsingør’s Sankt Olai Church, where the Scottish community maintain an altar. Stengade 76, with its renaissance façade, meanwhile, was built for Scottish city councillor David Hansen, the grandson of yet another Scottish mayor, David Thomson, who was an associate of Frederik Lyall. Religious endeavour MORE SCOTTISH influence can be found in religious history books. Thomas Kingo, who became the Bishop of Funen and

a famous poet and hymn writer, was the son of a Scottish immigrant. Kingo’s memory lives on in the form of street names such as Kingosvej in Helsingør and Kingosgade in Copenhagen’s Vesterbro district. Another Scottish descendant, John Gow, published his translations of the Danish theological work ‘The Right Way to the Kingdom of Heaven’ before moving to Copenhagen to become chaplain of Vor Fru Kirke. Sankt Peters Church in Malmö houses a significant archive of the activities of these and many more members of the Nordic-Scottish community, while other relics left behind by immigrant Scots can be seen dotted around the country. The Scottish community in Copenhagen was organised around the Guild of St Ninian, which maintained special altars in various city churches; other references can be found in Roskilde Cathedral and the churches of Nykøbing and Stubbekøbing (Falster). The latter also had a Scottish mayor, John Montrose. Royal approval THE SCOTTISH influence was also strong in royal circles. Positions in the civil service, such as the Sound Toll administration, were usually crown appointments. Personal royal contacts were also prevalent. Alexander Kinghorn from the University of Copenhagen was appointed physician to King Christian II, while his contemporary David Cochran, yet another Scot, was made ‘King-of-Arms’.

MUSEUM OF COPENHAGEN

James married his Danish lassie, but also had more than a passing fancy for his English laddies

Under the next monarch, Frederik I, the office of ‘Principal Royal Herald’ was given to John Elgin, and this particular Scotsman was sent on diplomatic missions to France, Poland and Russia, as well as to England and Scotland. When Christian IV decided to re-establish links with Greenland, he engaged John Cunningham, a Scottish shipmaster who owned Gerdrup Manor, to lead the voyage of exploration in 1605. Just three years earlier, another John Cunningham was appointed keeper of the Royal Gardens near Copenhagen Castle – the royal residence predating Christianborg – and he later obtained the monopoly for selling seeds in the towns of Zealand. Visibly tartan roots PUTTING aside the history books, it is clear to see Scotland’s influence in today’s Denmark. Many surnames have clear Scottish roots and the Danish system of patronymics was adopted (for example, David Thomson’s son was Hans Davidsen, and his son was David Hansen). Many acquired the surname Skotte or a variation, and there are still quite a few listed in the telephone directory today. Moreover, and perhaps more lasting, are towns that owe their names to the Scottish settlers. The likes of Skotterup, Skodsborg and Skodsbølle are noted for their tartan roots in ‘Dansk Stednave Leksikon’. Culturally in tune FOR MANY Scots, Denmark feels like a home away from home. Not only do both island nations sit at the same latitude and receive copious amounts of rain, but they are also members of a larger region, the United Kingdom and Scandinavia, and also, for the time being, the EU. Trade between the two nations is fruitful, with Denmark exporting pork-based products like bacon, a Scottish favourite and necessity for any fry-up breakfast, and the various medicines needed to treat people who have eaten too much of it. And it’s not one-way traffic, with Scotland exporting in excess of 1 billion pounds’ worth of goods to Denmark every year. The two populations share a

dark sense of humour, which was no more evident than in ‘Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself ’, a 2002 film set in Scotland, which had a Danish director, Lone Schering, and Mads Mikkelsen among the cast. And both nations love their football – deep passions that came colliding together on 4 June 1986 when they clashed in Mexico at the World Cup, resulting in a 0-1 win for the Danes. Leaving their mark AND IN recent years, Scottish immigrants have left their mark on the streets of Copenhagen, developing a network envied for its connections. Notably The Dubliner, the capital’s best known Irish pub, was founded by Gus Brown, a Scot who first visited Denmark in the 1980s, on which occasion he found work at a Burger King under the management of his compatriot Charlie Scott. While Brown would go on in 1994 to found The Dubliner in Amagertorv, a home for sports lovers and a centre for the Scottish-Irish immigrant community, Scott achieved similar success, firstly managing The John Bull, a popular hub until its closure around a decade ago, and then setting up shop at his current home: the jazz and sports bar that bears his name on Skindergade. But for every pub the Scots take, the Danes take a chunk of land. The country’s second richest individual – Anders Holch Povlsen, the largest shareholder in fashion companies Bestseller and Asos – is now one of the largest landowners in Scotland with more than eleven estates comprising a property portfolio worth 100 million pounds. And don’t forget the impact of shipping giant Maersk Oil, which played a major part in the rapid growth of the Scottish city of Aberdeen from fishing town to becoming the offshore oil capital of Europe.

18 INOUT: EVENTS THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

THEATRE

DIEGO MONSIVAIS

MUSICAL

THAT-THEATRE.COM

MUSICAL

SCREENSHOT FROM CTC FACEBOOK PAGE

KIM PETERSEN

MIKLOS SZABO

OPERA

17 September - 4 October 2018 CABARET

Cabaret Oct 3-6 & 10-16; Krudttønden, Serridslevvej 2, Cph Ø; 220kr; ctcircle.dk The CTC presents Cabaret, the 1966 John Kander musical made famous by the 1974 film starring Liza Minneli. Traversing a 1930s Berlin rapidly filling up with Nazis, a young journalist discovers the seedy delights of the Kit Kat Klub.

The Woman in Black Oct 24-Nov 24; Krudttønden, Serridslevvej 2, Cph Ø; 175kr; that-theatre.com Just five years after its last triumph with this Susan Hill chiller, That Theatre are back for their third outing, again with Ian Burns and Benjamin Stender in the main roles, with Barry McKenna at the helm. As That Theatre urges: “Don’t come alone!”

Quality Street Sep 20-22 & 27-29; Teaterhuset Bastionen, Norra Vallgatan 28, Malmö; playmatetheatremalmo.co Playmate Theatre Malmö presents storytelling from the likes of Harold Pinter, Roald Dahl, Willy Russell and Christopher Durang. With Vanessa Poole and Rob Gott in the cast, and Jeremy Thomas-Poulsen directing, it’s worth the trip!

Peeps Sep 22-29; CPH Distillery Kløvermarksvej 70D, Cph Valby; 135kr; dansehallerne.dk Loneliness is a growing epidemic in this increasingly technologically driven world. Venture into the taboo world of the peep show to discover emptiness and desperation.

Ality Sep 24-30; Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Kongens Nytorv 1, Cph K; 135kr; dansehallerne.dk Not for the faint-hearted, this three-hour odyssey takes us on a kaleidoscopic journey through countless scenes and images designed to stir and challenge our imagination.

Sand sculptng at the zoo ongoing, ends Oct 10; Copenhagen Zoo, Roskildevej 32; 180kr Organised to draw attention to the endangered species of the world, 625 tonnes of sand have been shaped into animals by 15 international artists and placed around the zoo. Visitors are welcome to make heir own sculptures. (MZ)

Il Travatore Sep 22-Nov 20; Operaen, Ekvipagemestervej 10, Cph K; 150925kr, kglteater.dk Initially more popular with the public than the critics, Verdi’s thrilling opera delivers revenge, anger and desire with (Blackadder will be pleased) some hot gypsies thrown in. This new staging gives it a contemporary edge.

Buster Film Festival ongoing, ends Sep 27; various cinemas; cphpix.dk/buster Enjoy ten days of the best children’s films from all over the world. The festival offers kids the chance to come up with ideas for a film, to edit alongside a pro, to draw a flipbook and to learn how to make a podcast. (MZ)

CPH: PIX Sep 27-Oct 10; various cinemas; cphpix.dk Enjoy 150 films over two weeks. Since 2009 CPH PIX as been cramming them in, and this year is no different. The festival also offers debates, workshops and events where the audience themselves can participate. (MZ)

Big Quiz Nights Sep 27, 19:30; Globe, Nørregade 43, Cph K; 30kr, five per team Oct 1, 19:30; Kennedy’s, Gammel Kongevej 23, Cph V; 25kr, four per team The winners get 1,000 kroner at the Globe, and 800 at Kennedy’s. And who knows, the odd rollover has been known to go too.

Oktoberfest Sep 20-22 & 27-29, Thu-Fri from 17:00, Sat from 14:00; Femøren, Amager Beach Park, Cph S; free adm; oktoberfestdk.dk Put on your best Tyrolean clothing to drink good old-fashioned beer, fill up on your favourite German sausages and sing until you throat is sore. (MZ)

Dance workshop for kids Sep 15, 11:00; Valhalsgade 4, Cph N; free adm, registration required Kids aged 3-10 and families are invited to come and shake heir booty with Michael from Ghana. Learn all the African dancing moves and get some fun exercise for the whole family. (MZ)

Friday Night Skate Sep 21, 20:00-22:15; starts at Solbjerg Plads, Frederiksberg; free adm; fns-cph.dk A fun way to experience the city on a summer evening, joining Friday Night Skate through 20km of Copenhagen is a great way to hang out with friends. This is the last of the year.

Golden Days: Historic Beer Sep 14, hourly 12:00-16:00; Gamle Carlsberg Vej 11, Cph K; 80kr Gamle Carlsberg is welcoming you to try three very different beers with a knowledgeable beer expert. Learn (in English) about the ingredients and the process of making (probably) the best beer in the world.

Day at the Races Sep 29, 12:00; Klampenborg Galopbane, Klampenborgvej 52; 60kr; galopbane.dk Enjoy the fun and competitive spirit of Klampenborg Racetrack. Enjoy a flutter or two, listen to music and enjoy some great food and racing at the track. (MA)

Copenhagen Half Marathon Sep 16, 11:15; 475kr; cphhalf.dk Some 21,000 runners representing 106 different nationalities, with an average age of 38, are due to take part. Come along and enjoy the spectacle, particularly if you’re a woman as more men (6040) are taking part this year. (MZ)

Superhero day Sep 29, 10:30-14:00; Ørestad Library, Arne Jacobsens Allé 19, Cph S; free adm Find your inner superhero! Get photographed with your favourite hero, learn how to fight with professional stuntmen, get your face painted and win prizes. (MZ)

The Marriage of Figaro Sep 15-Oct 21; Gamle Scene, Kongens Nytorv 9, Cph K; 100-725kr; kglteater.dk Its tale of servants getting the better of their masters made Salieri cry tears of joy and sorrow in equal measure (or at least in the film). As Mozart explained to his rival: who wants to watch Italian operas about characters who “shit marble”.

Oliver! Oct 12-24; MusikTeatret Albertslund, Bibliotekstorvet 1-3; 195-245kr, billetlugen.dk; in Danish SceneKunst’s English co-founder Russell Collins is again bringing us some Dickensian magic this children’s half-term: Lionel Bart’s Oliver! The show features his students, pros playing the adults and a nine-piece pro band.

Carmen Sep 28-Nov 1; Gamle Scene, Kongens Nytorv 9, Cph K; 100-725kr, kglteater.dk For those familiar with Georges Bizet’s opera, this should be a treat, as dancers under the watchful eye of Spanish choreographer Marcos Marcos give the passion a balletic interpretation.

ON SCREENS

17 September - 4 October 2018

Basil’s snobbery, David Brent’s delusions, and England’s Brexit BEN HAMILTON

F ENGLAND were a screen character, it would have been a movie matinee idol for most of the last millennium: a strong, silent type like Heathcliffe in Wuthering Heights. But as the 20th century wore on, its star billing faded. And today, it’s the main character in a sitcom. Every sitcom character has a comic flaw that will trip them up time and time again. We laugh as viewers because we know what’s coming, whether it’s Basil Fawlty’s snobbery or David Brent’s delusion that he is witty and cool. England’s comic flaw used to be its failure to comprehend that its empire no longer exists. Today it is Brexit – a decision that baffled everyone bar Donald Trump. It is quickly reshaping international opinion of a country that once ruled over a quarter of the world. It’s no wonder Benny Hill and Mr Bean remain England’s most successful comic exports, as the appetite for British buffoonery has never been greater – good news for the actor who plays most of them, Rowan Atkinson. Clue is in his name ATKINSON is one of those rare British comedians (John Cleese and Ricky Gervais also spring to mind) who is so naturally funny you would listen to them reading the telephone directory, and Johnny English was initially likeable when he first emerged in a series of amusing TV ads for Barclaycard in 1992, some eleven years before the first film came out. Atkinson’s character may have been called Richard Latham, but there’s no doubting they are the same creation, as some of the gags and even character names made

it into the films. For Atkinson’s character, though, the joke needed to be spelt out in his name: he is incompetent, he is ‘English’. The result has been a series of deeply unfunny films of which Johnny English Strikes Again (Not Released Worldwide; out Sep 27) is the third instalment. It’s not reached the nadir of the Pink Panther series, but it will. With Brexit on the way, the Brits will be cashing in on everything. Building a Hornby set NOBODY likes British eccentrics better than Nick Hornby. Mostly obsessive but aimless, his protagonists capture our hearts with their appetite for putting things in lists and blokeish logic – whether it’s the football nut in Fever Pitch, the music nut in High Fidelity, or the responsibility avoidance nut in About a Boy. In Juliet, Naked (66 on Metacritic; Sep 20), the protagonist is a woman (Rose Byrne) married to a music nut (Chris Dowd), who ends up falling for the obscure singer (Ethan Hawke) her hubby is obsessed with. Although Hornby has two Oscar nominations for best adapted screenplay (Brooklyn and An Education), he wasn’t involved in writing this one. Saoirse Ronan, the star of Brooklyn, is a permanent fixture on Danish billboards. Last issue saw her face launch On Chesil Beach, and this time it is The Seagull (59; Sep 12), yet another period drama for the actress – an adaptation of an Anton Chekhov play. Critics praised the performances of Ronan, Annette Bening and Elisabeth Moss, but questioned what the film was trying to achieve other than addressing the lack of strong female roles as part of the #TimesUp movement.

Glenn Close gets one in The Wife (76; Sep 27), a drama about the partner of a Nobel Prize-winning author (Jonathan Pryce) who might have done a little more writing than wording the invites to their soirees. Close has been tipped for an Oscar – long overdue recognition given this would be her lucky seventh nomination. Failure would take her one clear of Deborah Kerr and Thelma Ritter as the actress with the most noms and no wins. Denzil is his Dad THIS ISSUE’S most recommended film is Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman (83; Sep 20), the true story of a black cop’s infiltration of the Ku Klux Klan in the early 1970s. In the lead role, John David Washington, 34, demonstrates he has inherited the charisma of father Denzil, who likewise didn’t take up acting seriously until he reached his mid-30s. The Predator franchise doesn’t get better with age, even though the films have been pretty distinct from one another. Shane Black (Lethal Weapon) takes the helm for The Predator (56; Sep 13) with wonderkid Jacob Tremblay (Room, Wonder) among the cast. The action continues with Peppermint (31; Sep 27), a spiritual sequel to the early 2000s series Alias. Jennifer Garner has been fitted for her first holster since those heady days to play the mother of a child cruelly snatched away by the Mexican cartel. So Ozark isn’t the only one taking delight in blowing their heads off. Heads also explode in Hell Fest (NRW; Sep 27) when an arcade get the Saw treatment; your brain will explode when you realise that humans and puppet co-exist in

If that’s a Coloradan wildfire behind him, could it please hurry up

the setting of the awful The Happytime Murders (27; Sep 13); and is that the sound of Anna Kendrick’s career imploding in A Simple Favour (NRW; Sep 27), another dubious choice following the three Pitch Perfect films. Maniac, Manifest, Mayans MC FILM STARS rarely regret crossing over to TV, and Emma Stone and Jonah Hill would appear to have chosen wisely with Maniac (Netflix on Sep 21), a remake of a Norwegian series about two people taking part in a mysterious pharmaceutical trial. The Good Cop (Netflix on Sep 21), meanwhile, is based on an Israeli series. With Andy Breckman (Monk) in charge, expectation is also high. Sanaa Lathan, the headteacher in S4 of The Affair, has the lead in Nappily Ever After (Netflix on Sep 21), a series that can’t be as crappy as it sounds. Meanwhile, Manifest (HBO Nordic on Sep 25) looks too similar to Lost; Mayans MC (59; HBO Nordic on Sep 5) is not a patch on its sister show Sons of Anarchy; and there are new seasons of Outlander (S3; HBO Nordic on Sep 11), Mr Mercedes (S2; Canal Digital on Sep

20) and American Vandal (S2; Netflix on Sep 15). Fond of our Jane OVER IN documentary land, there aren’t many people who rival the impact of the subject of Jane Fonda in Five Acts (HBO Nordic on Sep 25). Sandwiched in between winning two Oscars in the 1970s she became Hollywood’s most famous anti-Vietnam War activist, before sparking a different kind of revolution in people’s homes a decade later with her keep-fit videos. It’s testament to her integrity that it’s been a long time since the media called her ‘Hanoi Jane’. Meanwhile, the makers of Matangi/Maya/MIA (65; Oct 1) were torn between three titles, but it hasn’t harmed the reception of this rapper’s biodoc. And Swiped: Hooking up in the Digital Age (HBO Nordic on Sep 11) and Lessons from a School Shooting: Notes from Dunblane (Netflix on Sep 28) both sound like they will hold our attention for the duration. Sadly when ‘Lessons from Brexit: Notes about Trusting the British Public’ comes out, it will also be too late to prevent the carnage.

danish hits english subtitles Twice a month we screen Danish films with English subtitles. In September and October: ‘Darling’ (2017), ‘The Incredible Story of the Giant Pear’ (2017) and ‘Team Hurricane’ (2017). 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

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