Copenhagen Post Issue 1151 by Jason Heppenstall

NEWS

IN & OUT

COMMUNITY

Spaceman. The man who has set his sights and dreams on becoming the first Dane to escape his earthly shackles

Don't spoil your festive fun fretting about what to do on the big night. Here's the 'his' and 'hers' guide to what's on this New Year's Eve

He seems to be everywhere at the moment but just where is the real Santa from? The Copenhagen Post investigates

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VOL. 11 ISSUE 51 24 DEC - 8 JAN 09

THE DANISH NEWS IN ENGLISH

NEWS

Drop in and tune in. City to get over 1,000 internet hotspots so you can surf on the go wherever you are Never be surprised by a national holiday again with the CPH Post cut out and keep 2009 wall calendar 6-7

Year in review. We round up all the events that have been in the Danish news over the past 12 months BUSINESS

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2009 CALENDAR

NEWS

Subway stop could be under water Council and parliamentary politicians have asked the Metro firm to consider adjusting the planned works for two new Metro stations

Three soldiers dead and one wounded in Denmark’s bloodiest month in Afghanistan

NUMBER OF city politicians have approached the Metro company about investigating the possibility of moving two of the planned new underground stations. The Metro Circle line will cover 15.5 kilometres, linking the current two Metro lines and Frederiksberg. It will feature 17 new stations, two of which have caused extreme controversy among local residents. The proposed station at Gammel Strand, opposite the parliament buildings, has irked locals who fear damage to the surrounding historical buildings and disruption to the profitable tourist area until building is complete in 2018. The extensive planned works at Nørrebroparken will close off many of the recreational areas and reduce the amount of green space for locals, many of whom are upset by the move as the park was only recently reopened after extensive renovation. Jesper Christensen, chairman

The well-known underwater statues at Gammel Strand could well prove prescient if plans go ahead

of the Social Democrats City Council group, has asked the Metro company to find out if it can limit the disruption at the building sites. He has asked them to investigate reducing the size of the Nørrebro building site by a third for the majority of the project and to see if a construction platform can be erected over the canal to reduce the space occupied by equipment and workers at Gammel Strand. The total cost of the two adjustments would be 30 million kroner, which Christensen

expects the council to pay for. ‘This is worth looking into,’ he told Politiken newspaper. ‘It is important to me that we do things as carefully as possible.’ Meanwhile, the head of the city’s Culture and Leisure department, Pia Allerslev, has proposed moving the Gammel Strand station from beneath the cobbled square to underneath the nearby canal. With support from her Liberal Party parliamentary colleague, Eyvind Vesselbo, she has written to the company asking it to examine the technical

and environmental effects of an underwater station. Sources within the Metro company told Berlingske Tidende newspaper that an underwater project is feasible. The bottom of the canal would effectively act as the ceiling for the station. ‘Before we can be sure we’ve investigated every possibility, I simply don’t think we have the right to turn the area into a building site for years to come for the people who live around Gammel Strand,’ said the source.

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Danish soldiers killed

go to: page 9

HREE DANISH soldiers serving with NATO forces in Afghanistan were killed and a fourth seriously wounded when their vehicle drove over an explosive last week. ‘We have experienced a hard loss today with three dead and one injured as the result of a roadside bomb or mine,’ said Poul Kiærskou, head of the Army Operational Command. The armed forces later released the names of the three men, all between the ages of 21 and 23. Sergeant Jacob Moe Jensen, Private Sebastian La Cour Holm and Private Benjamin DS Rasmussen died as they were travelling between Camp Armadillo and Camp Price in the Gereshk area of the southern Helmand province. Their deaths bring the total number of Danish soldiers lost in the Afghan conflict to 22 since 2002, with 12 deaths occuring this year. (kr)

NEWS

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THE COPENHAGEN POST 24 DEC - 8 JAN 2009

Trains to get anti-thug squads

Editor in Chief (Responsible under Danish Press Law) Philip G Shepherd Managing Editor Kevin McGwin Newspaper Editor Jason Heppenstall Newsroom info@cphpost.dk News Journalists Robert Cellini Claire Clausen Katie Rice Wesley Spyke (intern) Staff Photographers Pamela Juhl Hasse Ferrold In & Out Guide

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In an effort to stop anti-social behaviour and protect passengers DSB proposes to place security guards on trains

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Prize idiots TWO YOUNG MEN were awarded Ekstra Bladet newspaper’s ‘Drunken Stupor’ prize for the year’s strangest drink induced mistake. The two had been to a party in Copenhagen, where they got suitably drunk. They continued drinking afterwards at several bars, ending up at Kastrup Airport. Nearly all of this escaped their memories when they woke up the next morning - on the Spanish island of Mallorca. The two had purchased the tickets at the Air Berlin counter but remembered nothing of it. The trip cost them each 4000 kroner, but they were given free beers by the newspaper for their ‘efforts’.

Chief Executive Jesper Nymark

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IN BRIEF

DSB has decided to spend the millions of kroner it typically uses for repairs on creating security teams to patrol trains

ATIONAL rail service DSB has announced plans to create security teams to patrol its trains

and station platforms as a way to prevent vandalism and threats to passengers, reports MetroXpress newspaper. Up to 25 DSB employees will be trained for the force that will help to limit the damage due to vandalism, which in 2008 has cost DSB 2.5 million kroner to repair. Erik Christensen, head of DSB personnel, said that the teams’ first priority would be to try to defuse potentially troublesome situations before

they start. ‘These employees will be especially good at talking an unpleasant situation into another direction,’ he said. ‘I’m not ruling out that they’ll learn self-defence. But in situations where talking proves ineffective they should walk away.’ One are aDSB has had considerable problems with rowdy passengers is after football matches, when drunk fans often cause trouble. In March,

a group of FC Copenhagen fans destroyed the interior of several train cars on the way back from a match in Næstved. The fans also knocked down a pregnant woman and threatened to kick her. Starting in the spring, the anti-thug teams will patrol platforms at places DSB determines are ‘high-risk’ stations on match days. DSB said the security groups will be out in full force by the summer.

City to offer free wireless hotspots Up to 1000 points in the city will allow for free wireless internet connections to people’s laptops and mobile phones

OPENHAGEN is one of 52 municipalities that will soon offer free internet connections to people on the go who have wireless capabilities on their laptops or mobile phones, reports public broadcaster DR. The nationwide project was given the go-ahead on Friday from the country’s State Administration Office, which determined the venture was legal. Copenhagen is set to have 1000 of the planned 6000 internet ‘hotspots’ to be established nationwide. A hotspot sends out an internet access signal to a surrounding area of about 150 metres, where those who have wireless capabilities can surf the net for free. An estimated 5.6 million square metres will be covered by the hotspots - around 1 percent of the country’s total area. The service is being offered

MORE PEOPLE went to the movies this year than in any of the previous 31 years, according to figures from the Danish Film Institute. Although numbers for the Christmas season have not yet been included, DFI estimates that around 4.3 million tickets will have been sold by the end of the year - the most since 1976. Danish movie ‘Flame & Lemon’ topped ticket sales for the year with 668,000 - 33 percent of total ticket sales. The latest Indiana Jones film took second place on the ticket sales list, followed by ‘Quantum of Solace’ and ‘Mamma Mia’.

Girl boxer champ A TEENAGE boxer from Århus has been crowned Youth Champion at the inaugural Youth and Junior Girl’s European Championships in Bulgaria. More than 130 boxers between the ages of 15 and 18 took part, representing 17 different countries. 18-year-old Diana Nadim also took the gold medal in the bantamweight category (54kg) when she stopped Bulgarian Tania Ilieva in the first round. Ilieva went to the count twice within the first half minute and Nadim was ahead 4-0 when the final was stopped. The Århus teenager previously picked up the bantamweight title at the Nordic Junior Championships in Lund earlier this year with a 5-0 victory over Swede, Sophie Sundqvist.

Alphabeat coup

Soon it will not just be in internet cafes where you can surf the web while on the go

for free because a percentage of screen space will be devoted to advertisers and the municipalities themselves. ‘We’re also negotiating with the transport sector to provide the free service at all bus stops and train stations,’

said Camilla Banja of Gratis Danmark, the company that is organising the project. A pilot project is already up and running on the islands of Lolland and Falster for passengers of the Lolland railway. Every hotspot costs a

municipality around 8,000 kroner. The City of Copenhagen’s bill for implementing the project will amount to 8 million kroner and Lady Mayor Ritt Bjerregaard said the service will be available by summer. (rc)

DANISH ARTISTS Alphabeat and Ida Corr have been announced as two of the 10 winners for the 2009 EU Border Breakers Awards. The awards are funded by the EU Culture Programme and recognize the most successful debuts from European musicians and are compiled from record sales outside the artist’s home country. The Danish acts will be joined by Swedish indie star Lykke Li and British stars The Ting Tings to accept their award at the Dutch Eurosonic Festival on 15 January. This is the sixth year of the awards, which applaud an original European debut album.

THE COPENHAGEN POST 24 DEC - 8 JAN 2009

Fugitive CEO is remanded in custody without bail By Wesley Spyke Former IT Factory CEO Stein Bagger pleads guilty to defrauding company for over 500 million kroner

UGITIVE chief executive of the bankrupt IT Factory, Stein Bagger, arrived back in Denmark last week accompanied by two officers from the American immigration authority. He was then handed over to dozens of waiting Danish police officers at Kastrup Airport. Under Danish law, Bagger was ordered to appear

before a judge for preliminary questioning within 24 hours of his arrest. The former executive was driven by police to Lyngby district council, where he was charged with defrauding IT Factory for more than 500 million kroner as well as falsifying company documents. After meeting with his lawyer, Bagger pleaded guilty to the two charges. Immediately after the preliminary hearing Bagger’s wife, Anette Uttenthal, fired her husband’s lawyer, Jesper Madsen, and hired Lars Kjeldsen of Nyborg & Rørdam law firm to defend her husband, according to TV2 News. Uttenthal was herself initial-

Ambulance blues Samariten has given up its bid to drive emergency vehicles in Mid-Jutland

Is Samariten ready for the job?

WEDISH ambulance service company Samariten confirmed many people’s worst suspicions last week when it gave up on its planned contracts to drive emergency vehicles in Region Mid-Jutland and on the island of Samsø. Reports of under-financing and a lack of qualified employees have dogged the company in recent months. Samariten still hopes to be able to cover its obligations to drive in Region Zealand and the Capital Region. Bent Hansen, president of the Danish Association of Regions, issued an ultimatum to the Swedish company earlier last week that the contracts for regions in which Samariten has

won the bids for next year had to be signed by Friday. Hansen said the Mid-Jutland and Samsø bids will now be offered to the next highest bidders, Falck and Samsø Rescue. Samariten’s problems have got labour unions lining up to make the company’s task on Zealand even more difficult. Union 3F has instituted a blockade against Samariten that prevents its members from working for the Swedish ambulance company. 3F represents employees of Falck, which previously had most of the contracts offered to Samariten. LO, the nation’s largest union confederation, is also now taking action and has instructed its trade workers not to work on any projects related to Samariten. Finding enough employees to be able to effectively carry out its services will therefore be a difficult venture for the Swedish company. Kristian Ebbensgaard, president of Region Zealand, is willing to give Samariten the benefit of the doubt until at least the new year. ‘We’re still working with Samariten and expect that they’re prepared to do the job here,’ he said. ‘We hope to get the contracts in place by the new year or at least by January. We have no reason to believe that they can’t meet their obligations.’ (rc)

ly implicated in her husband’s alleged fraud by B.T. newspaper. She has since given the newspaper an ultimatum to print a retraction by 24 December or face legal action. Bagger disappeard while on holiday in Dubai before taking a flight to New York. He then drove thousands of kilometers across the country, resurfacing in Los Angeles on 6 December. There, he walked into a LA police department and informed authorities he was wanted by Interpol on fraud and forgery charges. Considered a flight risk, Bagger will remain in police custody without bail. If convicted of the crimes, he faces a

maximum sentence of eight years imprisonment. The suave swindler admitted at the preliminary hearing that he had tried to cover up his fraud by deleting numerous e-mails from his computers. Also at the hearing, Bagger requested to be placed in solitary confinement - reportedly over fears for his safety. Judges Søren Seerup Holm and Karin Hald have been appointed to oversee the trial. And experts say it will be a long one, as the case addresses one of the biggest instances of alleged fraud in the country’s history. The trial will reportedly be closed-door, with members of the press not allowed to view the proceedings.

Bagger is currently being held in Vestre Fængsel

White Christmas just a dream

The Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) has cancelled any of for a white Christmas, so it looks like skaters at the Kongens Nytorv ice rink will have to be content with artificial ice underfoot. DMI said the only precipitation likely to fall on Christmas Eve will be rain as temperatures will still remain mild although there is the chance of a little sleet in eastern regions. While Denmark lacks the white stuff, Greenland will more than make up for it with snow storms forecast over the holiday period. The last time Denmark had a white Christmas was in 1995.

Stars bring joy to displaced children Citizenship test ‘too hard’ Party put on for children living in institutions with stars lending a hand CELEBRITIES took the role of Santa’s helpers last week when they brought presents to more than 120 displaced children who are spending the holidays in institutions and foster care. The children were invited to a special Christmas party at the National Museum of Art for the annual Help the Children Day event. The voluntary organisation is holding six large Christmas parties during the holiday period for

550 vulnerable children, with sports and television personalities handing out gifts. Sylvia Emilia Blazejowski helped run the Copenhagen event and said the council had provided a gift worth 185 kroner for each child. ‘It’s hard to compare it with the gifts that other children will have under the Christmas tree, but we want to give them an experience they can remember for ever,’ she told Berlingske Tidende newspaper. More than 14,000 Danish children are living in institutions or foster care because of a troubled life at home with their parents. (kr)

Santa sent his celebrity helpers

ONLY ONE IN four applicants managed to pass the new Danish citizenship test and many schools are now calling for the test to be cancelled after the mass failure rate. The first test since the change of rules was introduced in September took place last week and, according to calculations from Jyllands-Posten newspaper, the failure rate was 90 percent in some parts of the country. In the three tests prior to the rule change, the average pass rate was 97 percent. Each applicant paid 600 kroner to sit the exam, which tested them on their knowledge of Denmark, its culture, customs and

history. More than 5,500 applicants had registered to take the test by the 5 November deadline, when the Integration Ministry announced the next day that all applicants would be subjected to the tougher version of the exam. The director of the VUF language school in Frederiksberg, Lotte Darre, called the move ‘quite unacceptable and out of order’. Poul Neergaard from the country’s largest language school, Lærdansk in Århus, said the questions were bordering on the ridiculous. ‘They require a knowledge of absurd historical trivia. The applicants should be tested to see

if they have the relevant knowledge to function in modern Danish society.’ Out of 22 schools contacted by the paper, the lowest pass rate from the previous exam in June was 90 percent. With last week’s exam the lowest pass rate was eight percent and the highest 33 percent. The citizenship test is organised by the Danish language schools and is held twice a year. If a candidate passes the test, they also have to prove they have adequate Danish skills and are financially self-supporting before they can become a Danish citizen. (kr)

2008

THE COPENHAGEN POST 24 DEC - 8 JAN 2009

That was the year that was in Denmark... January

February

March

N FEBRUARY, handball hysteria reached new heights, we proclaimed, after the men’s handball team returned victorious from the European Championships. Their return flight to Denmark received an escort from Air Force F-16s, prompting allegations of gender inequality from the women’s team – which has never received the honour, despite winning gold medals in the Olympics, World Championships and European Championships. Viggo Mortensen was in town to take home a Bodil movie award. The Mohammed cartoons were reprinted and the immigration minister expressed her misgivings about deporting two men suspected of plotting to kill one of the cartoonists. For lovers of the great outdoors, there was good news, as scientists determined that people who spend a lot of time outside live longer – although they have yet to determine why.

K TRADE MINISTER Digby Jones was in town to plug the merger between British Chamber of Commerce in Denmark and the British Import Union. Elsewhere a Danish reporter found himself out of bounds in Texas, nearly getting himself shot as a trespasser when he lost his way trying to find the Bush ranch, where the PM was visiting a good friend. The PM was rumoured to be candidate for higher office – possibly as the first EU president or Nato secretary general. Ireland’s rejection of the Treaty of Lisbon ended the presidential bid, but the PM is reportedly remains high on Nato’s short list. Two of the sadder notes from the month: Copenhagen’s last fishwife gave up her trade, ending a centuries old tradition of open air fish markets, and Denmark surpassed Sweden as the world’s most heavily taxed country at an average of 47.7 percent.

July

August

September

MMIGRATION, Iraqi repatriation and transportation were among the three major topics we covered in July. ‘Official silence kept couples waiting’ was the first of many a story in the on-going issue of EU migration rules conflicting with tough immigration policies. For many Iraqi immigrants here as refugees, improving conditions in their home country meant July proved the month they began taking a serious look at repatriation programmes. Transport issues moved up when discussions about congestion charges gained speed and citizen concerns over the construction of the new Metro Circle Line were voiced. Finally, the first tremors of what now goes under the term ‘finance crisis’ cracked the surface when Roskilde Bank, then the country’s tenth largest bank, was declared insolvent.

S PARIS HILTON came to Copenhagen to push her new line of handbags during fashion week, a troupe of 84 athletes departed the country for Beijing and the Olympic games, where the most dramatic moment came when the two-man crew the 49’er class sail boat struck gold with the help of a borrowed Croatian boat. Despite protests, the duo were allowed to keep the medal. Also in the watercraft category the Viking ship ‘Sea Stallion’ made its return voyage home after spending a year in Dublin. And with economic figures taking a beating worthy of a Viking, the PM did his best to remain upbeat - ‘I don’t believe in recession,’ he said.

HE YEAR BEGAN as we all expect it, with an uplifting New Year’s Eve speech by the queen and a serious talk by the PM as we prepared to head back to work. Bad news came early, however, when on 7 January, 19-year-old Anton Njie Hansen was stabbed to death on Strøget pedestrian street in a dispute over his hat. The attack was caught on shop cameras and opened a national debate that has led to a change in laws allowing CCTV. Hansen’s attackers were later convicted of murder.

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HE END OF summer began with a move to help city residents breathe easier when a law mandating lorries driving in the city centre be fitted with exhaust filters came into effect. Breathing easy, however, was one thing residents of the Nørrebro district were having trouble doing after a series of shootings between rival gangs. After dodging a bullet of their own last year, six T-shirt sellers from Fighters+Lovers saw their acquittal on charges of supporting terrorist groups overturned. Perhaps the rough talk was too much for some lovers of the Little Mermaid, who proposed sending her to China for the 2010 World Expo. Fortunately, the rest of us looking for a way out will be able to take an express route south after a final decision to build a bridge between Denmark and Germany was signed.

2008

THE COPENHAGEN POST 24 DEC - 8 JAN 2009

2008 as reported in The Copenhagen Post April

May

IFTEEN-YEARS OLD and already a star, Martin won TV’s XFactor competition. One of his concerts on Town Hall Square drew thousands, as did an anti-violence vigil held after the random beating death of a teen delivering papers in the Amager district. The drama of the Olympics started early when the culture and sport minister aired his reservations about attending the Game’s opening ceremony. After a one-on-one pep talk with the PM, reservations to attend the games were made. The PM - mum on the homefront about a possible euro vote - was quoted in the German press as saying he was ready to ask voters to reconsider their EU reservations. On the royal side, princess-to-be Marie made her first appearance at the queen’s annual birthday salute.

HOUSANDS of nurses, daycare teachers and other public sector workers went on month-long strike for better pay and better working conditions. The strikes ended with marginal pay increases and substantial backlogs at hospitals. Also increasing was the reputation of restaurant NOMA. In addition to retaining its two Michelin stars, the restaurant and its Nordic-only menu was named as one of the world’s ten best places to eat. Restaurant bills, taxi receipts and other questions about money also featured prominently – but while the finance minister got off by repaying undocumented expenses, a tax official lost his job after he was found to have made payments under the table when buying a holiday home in Spain.

October

November

TOUGH MONTH in many respects, October saw parliament respond to the finance crisis by setting up a safety net, funded initially with a 35 billion kroner contribution from banks, to catch ailing financial institutions and insure customers for the entire value of their deposits. The finance crisis also claimed its biggest victim to date in Denmark when Sterling airline was forced to declare bankruptcy. Two men arrested in 2007 on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack were convicted and sentenced to seven and 12 years in prison, while 17 Danish companies were informed they face prosecution in connection with abuses of the UN Oil for Food programme. Even the national police had trouble escaping the gloomy news – it came under criticism for problems related to a 2007 effort to streamline the force.

HAT’S GREEN and hairy? This year, it was the month of November. All month long, we followed the hair-raising efforts of Aussie Peter O’Sullivan, who was growing a moustache for charity as part of the Movember men’s health drive. Together with the financial crisis that had support for the euro surging, climate continued to remain one of the biggest issues of the year. One of the country’s largest insurance agencies announced its homeowners’ premiums would now take climate change into consideration. Towards the end of the month, the PM threw his backing behind tax reforms geared at funding climate-friendly initiatives. Elsewhere in the kingdom, 75 percent of the voters in Greenland cast a ballot in favour of a plan to increase the territory’s autonomy. The simmering issue of asylum seekers boiled over when police clashed with activists attempting to tear down the fence at Sandholm Asylum Centre.

June

ERROR STRIKES. Al-Qaeda bombs the Danish Embassy in Pakistan in retaliation for the Mohammed cartoons. Six Pakistanis are killed and 30 injured. Meanwhile, domestically, Copenhagen was named the world’s best city in which to live. Tourism, however, sunk to its lowest level since 1996. June’s news was heavy on the legal issues - a proposal to ban judges from wearing headscarfs in court rooms remained a hot topic of discussion, Danish newspapers were charged with blasphemy by a Jordanian court for the February reprint of the Mohammed cartoons and a group of journalism students were met with cruelty to animal accusations after they ate cat flesh in protest against the meat industry.

December

AR FROM WINDING down quietly, the last month of the year did its best to make December 2008 memorable. With a final visit to a ‘terrific’ ally by Condoleezza Rice and the European Film Awards setting the stage, confessed fraudster Stein Bagger stole the show when he disappeared after bilking his company for 500 million kroner. And if the year began as we expected it, Mother Nature made sure that it ended unexpectedly by unleashing a magnitude 4.7 earthquake last week - the strongest tremor ever measured in Denmark.

8 Suicide broadcast casualty PUBLIC BROADCASTER DR’s decision to televise a man’s assisted suicide was against the recommendation of the station’s programme producer, Mette Bock, who resigned on Monday as head of the station’s ethics committee over the decision. The documentary ‘Suicide Tourist’, was shown on DR1 on Sunday evening. The programme follows the final four days of American Craig Ewert, who leaves his home in England with his wife and travels to Switzerland, where his euthanasia is legally carried out. British station Sky Real Live first televised the documentary last week in which Ewert dies after being shown grappling with prospect of facing his own mortality. Bock recommended the station not televise the programme. But Kenneth Plummer, the station’s managing director decided to take the advice of DR media manager Lars Grarup and air it. ‘Kenneth chose to follow Lars Grarup’s position and, as the managing director, he’s in his full right to do so,’ Bock wrote in a message to the committee. ‘But I can’t see how I can continue as the ethics committee chairwoman when I can’t defend the choice we’ve made.’ (rc)

NEWS

Investment banker reaches for the stars By Katie Rice Per Wimmer, investment banker by day and space adventurer on the weekends, will be the first Dane in space within two years

OST CHILDREN dream of adventure, of becoming an astronaut and reaching the limits of what is physically possible. For most adults it remains a fantasy, but one Danish man is on the cusp of achieving the dream and all by the age of 40. Per Wimmer runs his own investment bank in London and has often been described as ‘Indiana Jones meets James Bond’. Not content with taking on the sharks in the financial world, he has swum with them in Fiji and traveled to more than 50 countries in the pursuit of adventure. Always nursing the idea of venturing into space, he never thought it possible until a friend mentioned the plans for commercial space travel in 2000. ‘It took me less than 48 hours to find out what I had to do and put down the deposit on my first trip. From that moment on things really changed dramatically.’ Dramatically may be an understatement. Wimmer set up his own space company that

details his steps to become the first Dane in space, while educating and inspiring children about space travel. He has also signed up to be one of the first civilians in space with three commercial space travel companies – something which does not come cheap. It will cost Wimmer $95,000 to be the first man in space with the American X-Cor Aerospace program and another $200,000 to travel with Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic. Space Adventures’ fee has yet to be announced. While Wimmer’s successful financial background has allowed him to invest a sevendigit dollar amount in his preparations for space travel, it has also provided him with the tools to make a difference back home in Denmark as well. Earlier this year, he returned to the small Lolland town of Nakskov to live undercover among the community as part of ‘The Secret Millionaire’ television show. He donated 300,000 kroner to local causes in the community, included a home-help organization and a boxing club that provides a social outlet for disadvantaged people in the area. He was more impressed by the awareness raised than the money he was able to hand out. After the programme aired, both organisations experienced an influx of volunteers and members.

Lions nab UEFA victory Santin goal secures FC Copenhagen advancement to UEFA Cup next round

LUB BRUGGE needed only a draw against FC Copenhagen last Wednesday night in Brussels to progress to the knockout round of the UEFA Cup. But a gutsy effort from Cesar Santin secured a win for the Danish side. The Brazilian striker put the pressure on the Brugge defense in the first half, and a superb save from Stijn Stijnen to deny

THE COPENHAGEN POST 24 DEC - 8 JAN 2009

the Danes the lead. Copenhagen keeper Jesper Christiansen pulled off some able saves of his own, put was never truly tested by the Brugge offence. Santin finally opened the scoring and sealed victory for the visitors with an impressive right-footed effort into the top left corner in the 58th minute. ‘It was a fantastic game and I’m really proud that we managed to progress,’ Santin said after the game. The 1-0 win allowed FC Copenhagen to finish third in Group G with five points and

move through to the knockout round. The last 32 teams will face-off at the end of February, with Copenhagen facing English Premier League club Manchester City twice in a home-return playoff. The win is a historic one, as it is the first time that Danish teams have progressed from both the group round in the UEFA Cup and Champions League in the same year. Aalborg’s third place finish in the group round of the latter competition sees them join the knockout stages of the UEFA Cup. (kr)

Ticket to ride: Danish adventurer Per Wimmer hopes soon to escape earth on a space ship (inset)

Also, many people around the country who saw the programme were motivated to get involved with charities in their local areas, so much so that Wimmer spent a full three days during the Easter holidays replying to emails from strangers inspired by the aim of the show. The genial Dane has also found ways of complementing his space goals with his charity work. A crystal clear October morning saw Wimmer become the first man to do a tandem skydive over Mt. Everest. After hiking through the Himalayas for a week and clearing an abandoned runway for their plane to land

on, Wimmer and the other skydivers jumped from an altitude of 9,000 metres to raise money for the Global Angels children’s charity. While the jump was historic and the altitude high enough that oxygen tanks were required, Wimmer has not yet reached the edge of space (100 kilometres above Earth). He said that he will likely reach that target by 2011, as the space travel companies fine tune their shuttles. With the advent of commercial space travel within his reach, Wimmer is being careful to look beyond his attainable

adventure of being the first Dane in space. He confidently said he intends to plant the ‘Dannebrog’ (Danish flag) on the moon in his lifetime. But can years of training with the best pilots and facilities ever properly prepare someone for the experience of being in space and looking back on Earth? It is something Wimmer has discussed at length with Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon. ‘You really got a sense of how significant and beautiful it was,’ said Wimmer, ‘but obviously there’s nothing better than experiencing the real thing.’

THE COPENHAGEN POST 24 DEC - 8 JAN 2009

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COMMUNITY

THE COPENHAGEN POST 24 DEC - 8 JAN 2009

So where exactly is the real Santa Claus from? By Wesley Spyke The Christmas quandary that has bewildered generations for centuries continues to raise questions and instigate rivalry

S CHRISTMAS steadily approaches, the elves will soon begin loading Santa’s sleigh with holiday gifts ready to be delivered to good girls and boys throughout the world. Though it’s no surprise that Father Frost will have to hurry in order to cover such a vast amount of ground, one puzzling question seems to continuously pervade the minds of many every year: where does Santa’s famous journey begin? Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4th century bishop and arguably the inspiration for Santa Claus, lived in Lycla, a province of Anatolla, now a part of Turkey. Could this be the home of the world’s most loveable, jelly-bellied giftgiver? The name Santa Claus derives from the Dutch name ‘Sinte Klaas’, or St. Nicholas, who was the patron saint of children. So, has Santa been delivering his sack full of goodies in clogs all these years? The home of Father Christmas has always been a source

of seasonal tension, especially in the Nordic region. Today all the Nordic countries, including Greenland, claim to be the home of Santa. At times, the conflict over the portly pixie’s origin has been so dramatic, that the Finnish Santa Claus was excommunicated by the 32nd Annual World Santa Claus Conference in Copenhagen in 1995. As the debate presses people to choose domestic sides, the origin of the noble gnome’s home becomes more ambiguous over time. Although parts of north America make valid arguments pertaining to Santa’s residence, the Nordic region corners the market when it comes to proclaiming Papa Noel’s roots. Deep in Finland’s northernmost Lapland province, a mysterious mountain known as Korvatunturi (Ear Fell) is said to be the home of ‘Joulupukki’. Located in Urho Kekkonen National Park near the city of Rovaniemi, this area of the Arctic Circle attracts around 500,000 visitors a year, who come from all over the world in order to meet the jovial, whitebearded elf. ‘I live here in Lapland and anybody who doesn’t believe it, I wish a warm welcome to come and meet me and see how it is here,’ he told a Reuters reporter. ‘Of course this is the homeland of reindeer, and everyone knows I travel with reindeer,’ he added. According to Vignir Ísberg,

No 238

Across 1. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 15. 17. 18. 19. 21.

Uncertain (12) Abrupt (5) Seat (5) Can (3) Gourmet (9) Ditch (6) Racial (6) Smartened up (9) Course (3) Cellar (5) Consent (5) Alienation (12)

Down 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 10. 13. 14. 16. 20.

By amount (12) Couple (3) Get (6) Reckoned (9) Quit (5) Surpassing (12) Purport (5) Digger (9) Tend in illness (5) Melody (6) Bundle up (5) Regret (3)

Post Quick Crossword No 237 Across: 4 Balance; 8 Rooted; 9 Affront; 10 Temper; 11 Unique; 12 Conclude; 18 Tattered; 20 Gemini; 21 Damsel; 22 Cordial; 23 Planet; 24 Recedes. Down: 1 Protect; 2 Torment; 3 Reveal; 5 Affluent; 6 Afraid; 7 Concur; 13 Ultimate; 14 Present; 15 Adulate; 16 Remote; 17 Middle; 19 Trails.

a 24 year-old Reykjavík resident studying pharmacology in Copenhagen, the 13 ‘Jolasveinar’ of Iceland all hail from the remote northern Icelandic highlands. They descend from their mountain homes one by one beginning thirteen days before Christmas to cause minor havoc on Christmas preparations. The municipality of Drobak, located 32 kilometers south of the Norwegian capital of Oslo, has declared that it is the real home of ‘Julenissen’. As well, North Cape, located on the island of Magerøya in northern Norway, has also laid claim to being the true dwelling of Kris Kringle. Many Swedes maintain that ‘Jultomten’ lives in the village of Jukkasjarvi, located in northern Sweden. It is here that Santa begins his exasperating expedition, pulling a big bag of julklappar (Christmas presents) through the deep snow. The Swedish postal system receives some 35,000 wish lists and letters addressed to Santa each year. Most Danes will tell you that ‘Julemanden’ lives in the Danish territory of Greenland. Denmark has won an extra argument that Saint Nick is Danish by stating that it plans to claim the North Pole as part of Danish territory. Seven-year-old Emilie Dibbern of Northern Zealand confirms this belief. ‘Julemanden lives in Greenland at the North

We’re all familiar with the fellow in the red suit, but does he live in Greenland, Sweden or Alaska?

Pole,’ she insisted, smiling. It is interesting to note that each year the World Santa Claus Congress is held in Copenhagen. The 4-day conference gathers more than one hundred Santas from all over the world, who meet at Scandinavia’s oldest amusement park, Dyrehavsbakken. During this festive ‘get-together’, resolutions are established such as the one proclaiming the offi-

cial address of Santa to be in Greenland. This holiday season, Mr. and Mrs. Claus took time out of their busy schedule to visit with children at Magasin in Copenhagen. ‘I just had lunch with my brother Sinterklass from the Netherlands yesterday,’ he said heartily, handing out pebernødder (Christmas biscuits) to the youngsters. ‘He told me he is busier than ever

this year. The number of children who have been good this year has almost doubled from last year,’ he chuckled. ‘That means we will have to work twice as hard to make sure all the good children receive their gifts on time.’ When asked where his real home is, he smiled warmly, ‘In the hearts and minds of children everywhere,’ he expressed with a twinkle in his eye.

COMMUNITY

THE COPENHAGEN POST 24 DEC - 8 JAN 2009

D I P L O M AC Y I N AC T I O N In the final Diplomacy in Action of the year we see some new faces and some already familiar ones. And, in a rare moment on the other side of the lens, we get to see Diplomacy in Action photographer Hasse Ferrold.

The ambassador of Argentina Mr Juan Carlos Kreckler (left) appeared with his wife Mrs Mariana Reyes de Kreckler, a talented artist. Above, Mrs Kreckler presents Hasse Ferrold with a Christmas gift - a beautiful piece of her art entitled ‘The Order of Dannebrog’

Christmas message from The Post tions this year from individual subscribers, together with domestic and international news media and organisations. We sought to promote this interest by continually improving and enhancing our news production and other journalistic products.

ESPITE A GLOBAL economic crisis, 2008 has been a challenging and successful year for The Copenhagen Post. There has been a growing interest for both our print and online edi-

The editorial development will begin in earnest from the start of 2009, when we are relaunching our website with a brand new design. Our news production will experience a greater diversification, with the content of the weekly print edition, news feeds and website focusing on our target audiences. Our key goal will continue to be to produce accessible, serious and quality coverage of the Danish news in English. As a result of the government’s efforts to attract international employees to Denmark, we have seen an

increased level of interest from public institutions and government ministries for our copywriting and translation services. Living in a world with a virtual information society where the first meeting is just a click away, the need for a well-written English website is unavoidable, whether it is for a private company or a public institution. Lately, we have had the pleasure of working on the English version of the Climate Ministry’s website, which is gearing up for a busy year with the COP15 climate conference. The Copenhagen Post supports a more international and multicultural Denmark. As the only comprehensive Danish news media in English, we are aware of the many challenges, barriers and frustrations that the international community in Denmark faces. We are working to alleviate this situation and, together with the Danish Bankers Association and the

Chamber of Commerce, we have established www.expatindenmark.com. The website provides a forum to answer both the practical and social questions of expats and for the exchange of knowledge about life as an international in Denmark. We look forward to yet another year of achievement and will continue to deliver the Danish news wherever it is needed. And with COP15 and other large events profiling Denmark internationally, 2009 looks to be another exciting year. We wish all of you a joyous Christmas and a happy New Year.

Jesper Nymark CEO

Expats enjoy Danish Christmas One new face on the diplomatic circuit is Serbian ambassador Mrs. Vida Ognjenovic who is pictured above at her embassy welcoming event. Diplomacy in Action says ‘Dobrodoshla’

Two not-so-new faces were out and about this week were US ambassador James P Cain (left) and Social Democrat Mogens Lykketoft, pictured at the ambassador’s leaving party

Learning how to make Christmas decorations and drink gløgg, expats came away from the evening just a little bit more Danish

Foreigners residing in Denmark got to learn how to celebrate Christmas like the natives

XPATS LIVING in Denmark were treated to a traditional Danish Christmas experience on 18 December when Expat in Denmark sponsored a yuletide event at the library of the Børsen stock

And finally, we get to see the new ambassador of Morocco Mrs Raja Ghannam, who was taking part in a meeting of women ambassadors at the Park Hotel. Diplomacy in Action says ‘Merhaba’

All pictures by Hasse Ferrold unless otherwise stated

exchange building. More than 70 representatives from 29 different countries were on hand to partake in the night's festive celebrations. Those in attendance were also introduced to various holiday foods and activities unique to Danish culture. Staples such as æbleskiver (Danish pancake balls), vanilla biscuits and gløgg (spiced, mulled wine) were served. Annette

Pilmark, a representative from the Danish social network company Spousecare, instructed guests on a variety of Christmas customs, such as how to create decorations and how to spot a 'nisse' (Nordic elf). The evening came to a festive conclusion with guests dancing around the Christmas tree singing traditional Danish Christmas songs such as 'Glædelig jul' (Merry Christ-

mas) and 'Nu er det jul igen' (Now It's Christmas Again). Kathrine Engberg of the Danish Chamber of Commerce said the overall impression from attendees was positive. 'It's a nice way for people to create new social and professional relationships,' she told The Copenhagen Post. There are currently over 1000 members of Expat in Denmark. (ws)

BUSINESS

THE COPENHAGEN POST 24 DEC - 8 JAN 2009

Danes hit by Madoff fallout Nordea Bank is among those set to lose millions due to the arrest of US banking magnate Bernard Madoff

NDIVIDUALS and businesses in Denmark stand to lose up to a half billion kroner through the fallout of U.S. banker Bernard Madoff’s fraud indictment. Madoff was arrested by FBI agents on 11 December and charged with securities fraud, after the agency was tipped off by the banker’s two sons. Victims of Madoff’s scheme reads like a who’s who of Hollywood and Wall Street big-wigs in the US. The overall fraud amount has been estimated at up to $50 billion worldwide. In Denmark, customers of Nordea Bank, Danske Bank and retirement fund PFA have lost around 430 million kroner on Madoff’s ‘Ponzi Plan’ scheme, where returns were based on potential future investment gains rather than on actual profits. Like many retirement funds, PFA used the ‘Fund of funds’ strategy for its clients, where

investments are kept in a portfolio of different funds as opposed to being put directly into investments. News bureau Six reports that Nordea stands to lose around 48 million euro, while Danske Bank indicated it will not be affected by the scandal. ‘But some of our customers – mainly private banking customers – have invested in Madoff’s Danske Leveraged Fond. The investments amount to about 10 million euro,’ Jonas Torp, the bank’s press officer, told news agency Direkt. According to the International Herald Tribune, French financial institution Société Générale conducted a routine investigation of Madoff’s business for its clients in 2003 and blacklisted the American’s Madoff Investment Securities firm after finding questionable account figures. But many European banks failed to take the same precautionary measures as the French bank. Across Europe, it is estimated that banks, pension funds and their customers will lose the equivalent of 54 billion kroner due to the Madoff scam. (rc)

SAS has been financially squeezed in recent months leading to pay freezes for some pilots

SAS to slash top employees’ salaries By Katie Rice Management and pilots agree to pay cuts as part of SAS cost-cutting measures

A Nordea Bank is one of the institutions hit by the fallout

BUSY WEEK in the aviation industry saw route capacities doubled and slashed and agreements reached between airline unions to save SAS. The financially squeezed Nordic carrier, SAS, has reached an agreement with the pilot unions to introduce a costsavings package to stave off the ‘serious conditions’ affecting the airline. Weeks of negotiation with

the unions resulted in an agreement yesterday that will see SAS pilots take a pay cut and introduce a pay freeze from 1 April when a new collective agreement comes into affect. It is unknown what percentage cut the pilots have agreed to. Mogens Holdgaard, the pilot representative for SAS Denmark, said they had accepted the terms after being presented with the worrying financial situation facing the airline. Early last week, the airline announced that it was cutting 5,000 Copenhagen departures for the winter season due to low loads and booking numbers. At the time it was announced that the 25 destinations affected would mostly be short-haul European routes

such as Brussels, Frankfurt, Munich and Manchester. Trade website travelbroker.dk later revealed that up to 40 intercontinental flights will also be canceled in January and February due to falling sales. Routes affected include Copenhagen to New York, Chicago and New Delhi. The Indian route was only opened on 29 October and it does not bode well if the loads are so weak that the capacity must be cut in spring. SAS hopes to transfer passengers on affect flights to Lufthansa. SAS deputy chief executive officer John Dueholm confirmed that management will follow suit and also accept pay cuts to save the troubled airline. ‘It’s part of the collective

agreement. We will match the pay cut taken by the personnel groups - anything else would be incorrect,’ said Dueholm to Børsen financial daily. As part of the ongoing costcutting measures, SAS has let go 1,000 of its 25,000-strong workforce and it still facing stiff competition from other airlines that moved into the Scandinavian market after the collapse of Sterling. One of the airlines to benefit from Sterling’s loss is Ryanair, which announced that it is doubling capacity on its Billund – London route. From 5 March next year, there will be 14 weekly flights to Stansted from the Jutland airport, which has seen almost 440,000 Ryanair passengers pass through its doors this year.

Film institute DVD set pulled A film’s owner signed a contract and took money from DFI but neglected to mention a co-owner of clips included in a collection

13-FILM DVD collection issued by the Danish Film Institute has been pulled off the shelves after a rights dispute over two of the short movies in the set. The collection of avant-garde and experimental films contained two clips from directors Wilhelm Freddie and Jørgen Roos. DFI thought it had secured the rights to distribute and sell the films via the collection through a contract with Roos’ son Peter, who received 15,000 kroner for the deal. But after releasing the DVDs, the institute was contacted by Birger RabenSkov, executor of Freddie’s estate, who said he owned half

the films’ rights. Raben-Skov told DFI he would not give his consent to include the two films in the collection. He said Freddie would not have agreed to his movies being part of ‘an arbitrary hotchpotch of so-called experimental film artists thrown together’. Dan Nissen, head of DFI’s Museum and Cinematek division, told movie magazine Ekko that the institute had negotiated the contract with Peter Roos in good faith. Film historian Carl Nørrested was more blunt about the ‘ruse’. ‘He pulled one over on DFI lock, stock and barrel.’ Roos himself said he had no obligation to tell DFI about the other rights’ owner and said the institute never asked him about it. The collection’s release reportedly cost DFI 75,000 kroner, not including any additional distribution and recall costs. (rc)

Public sector now makes up ver 26% of GDP

Largest public sector DENMARK’S public sector is now the biggest out of all developed countries, according to new figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). Sweden was bumped down the list to second place, because public spending is increasing at a slower rate in Sweden than Denmark. However, Swedish economic growth and prosperity is still increasing at a faster rate than its Scandinavian neighbours, reports financial daily Børsen. Mike Legarth, financial spokesman for the Conservative Party, said it was a bad develop-

ment for a liberal, centre-right government. ‘This is not something we should be boasting about. It’s a key issue for us to minimize public expenditure and the public sector,’ said Legarth, adding that the results were a step in the wrong direction. Danish public expenditure made up 26.1 percent of the GDP this year, while Swedish public sector accounted for 25.8 percent, according to the OECD. This is the first time in 20 years that Denmark has topped the tables for public expenditure. (kr)

BUSINESS

THE COPENHAGEN POST 24 DEC - 8 JAN 2009

Currency crisis worsens recession By Robert Cellini Exports the first Danish market to suffer under falling foreign currency values and a strong kroner

S A strong krone hurts exports

EVERAL leading economists say the plummeting US dollar and the pound sterling will have serious negative consequences on an already slowing Danish economy and job market in the near future, reports financial daily Børsen. Exports, jobs and overall growth with suffer dramatically from the weakening of Denmark’s most traded currencies.

Much of the blame for the fall in currency values is related to the lowering of interest rates in many countries. Both Sweden and Norway recently lowered their interest rates and their kroner have since fallen notably in comparison to the Danish kroner, whose comparative exchange rate has risen 3 percent in just one month. With the kroner of the two Scandinavian countries dropping along with that of the dollar and pound, four of Denmark’s five most important trade currencies have been weakened while the Danish kroner remains strong. The result is that Denmark’s ability to match prices on export

Pricey Denmark

Brøndby sponsor JESPER NIELSEN, who owns one of Brøndby football club’s top sponsors KasiGroup, has dropped plans to invest in the development of a first-division Danish handball club and will instead take his money to the German premier league club Rhein-Neckar Löwen. KasiGroup’s jewellery operations are based in Germany and they has now backed out of three large projects in the past few months, including a clothing deal and another with a Danish jewellery company. Nielsen said he has no plans to drop Brøndby.

Biggest bid THE ICELANDIC investor group that bought Hotel D’Angleterre in 2007 paid twice what other bidders offered, reports Berlingske Tidende newspaper. Nordic Partners bid 1.4 billion kroner for the five-star D’Angleterre, which was being sold by the Remmen family. It was not made public whether that figure was the final price for the hotel package - which included the Front and Kong Frederik hotels and two restaurants.

Interest rates cut by the National Bank in a bid to prevent the economy sliding into recession

goods has become considerably more difficult. Experts say Danish exports are also hurt by the kroner being tied to the euro by the European exchange rate mechanism. The euro’s value has also continually increased in relation to the world’s top currencies. Finally, large salary increases in Denmark over the past few years have also weakened the nation’s competitive abilities, according to the Finance Ministry. A ministry report from earlier this month indicated that the general high salaries have resulted in the country losing a fifth of its competitiveness on the global market since 2000.

T WAS AN early Christmas gift from the National Bank on Friday, as interest rates were lowered to 3.75 percent in response to the bleak outlook for the Danish economy. According to analysts, the half a percent point drop will help stabilise the housing market and lead to a quicker equalisation between Danish interest rates and those of the Euro countries. It is especially people with

flex-loans or other variable rate loans will immediately benefit from the reduction. Jes Asmussen, analyst at Handelsbanken, said the move was something of a ‘surprise’, as most experts did not expect a reduction before Christmas. ‘Considering that there’s still a lot of uncertainty and volatility in the financial markets, the decision has to be seen as a positive sign and indicates that there’s no longer the same pressure on the Danish kroner,’ he said. The move is broadly in line with other economies in Europe and around the world. (rc)

THE MARKET IN BRIEF

IN BRIEF WHILE NOT surprising to most who live here, it is now official that Denmark is the most expensive European country to live in. Figures from Statistics Denmark show that consumer prices were 38 percent higher in 2007 than the EU average. Ireland had the next highest consumer prices at 25 percent above the average. One of the newest EU countries, Bulgaria, was the cheapest place to live, with average prices 53 percent below their European counterparts. TV2 News reports that Denmark’s Nordic neighbour Iceland had consumer prices 58 percent above those of the EU average. But prices there have fallen consdierably after this year’s financial crack.

Interest rates cut

DanishSTOCK stock market DANISH MARKET

BEST PERFORMERS PERFORMERS BEST

WORST PERFORMERS PERFORMERS WORST

Year to date

THE GLOBAL RECESSION is hitting Denmark hard and the last week has seen downward adjustments from two companies on the C20 index of leading shares. Danisco presented its sixmonth financial reports on Tuesday and offered a surprising downward revision of 50 million kroner. The food production and enzyme company now expects a 2008/2009 profit of 950 million kroner compared to the previous estimate of one billion kroner. ‘I had expected that Danisco would maintain its expectations so of course the downward revision is a disappointment,’ said Rune Majlund Dahl, share analyst with Sydbank.

Danisco shares dropped by 18.5 percent between Monday and Friday to 221.25 kroner. Industrial company NKT, which produces cables, cleaning machines and flexible oil pipes announced a downward adjustment on Thursday for the second time in less than four weeks. Investors reacted accordingly and sent NKT shares dropping by 20 percent over the week. ‘The slowdown in the value chain is incredible. I’ve never experienced anything like it and it is even worse that the end of November,’ said NKT’s chief executive Thomas Hofman-Bang. Danske Bank and Carlsberg continued down the negative slope and shares fell by 12.7 and 10 percent respectively over the week. Danske Bank shares hit a low of 53.75 kroner – the lowest level since the start of 1997. The C20 index closed out the week with an overall fall of 1.66 percent.

ExchangeCROSS-RATES cross-rates EXCHANGE Price for 100 units DKK DKK USD 18,64 CAD 19,84 GBP 10,55 SEK 130,40 CHF 21,09 1963 JPY 13,41 EUR

USD

CAD

GBP

SEK

CHF

536,57 106,48 56,62 699,66 113,16 10534 71,93

503,91 93,91 53,17 657,07 106,27 9893 67,55

947,65 176,61 188,06 1235,69 199,85 18604 127,03

76,69 14,29 15,22 8,09 16,17 1506 10,28

474,19 88,37 94,10 50,04 618,32 9309 63,57

Int.STOCK stock indices INT. INDICES OMXC20 FTSE Norex DAX CAC 40 OMXS30 Dow Jones Nasdaq Nikkei

245,17 951,58 4639,10 3185,27 652,97 8579,11 0,00 8723,78

JPY 5,09 0,95 1,01 0,54 6,64 1,07 0,68

EUR 745,99 139,03 148,04 78,72 972,73 157,32 14645 -

Interbank-rates (%) INTERBANK-RATES (%) Denmark USA EU UK

1 mth.

3 mth.

4,547 0,474 2,804 2,331

4,845 1,498 3,082 2,978

Price

Year to date Year end

Spæncom A 1932,00 Spæncom B 1900,00 DanTruck-Heden 52,50 LD Invest Kontra 125,49 Bioporto 5,52 Ambu 77,82 Danske Inv. International 100,30 Sparinvest S.LongDanishBond132,00 KIF Håndbold 110,00 Auriga Ind. B 95,02 Danventures 0,59

1186,67 1201,75 39,00 103,10 4,91 69,72 94,09 125,90 105,00 90,90 0,30

+/62,81% 58,10% 34,62% 21,71% 12,40% 11,62% 6,60% 4,85% 4,76% 4,54% 96,67%

Bonusbanken Deadline Games Dicentia Tower Group Amagerbanken Walls Notabene.net NanoCover Enalyzer Lübker Golf Comendo

Last week Trifork Topsil Semi. Fast Ejendom DEP Land & LeisureB GourmetBryggeriet Brdr. A&O Johansen Pharmexa Søndagsavisen Gyldendal B ebh bank Roskilde Bank

Price

Year end

0,38 1,14 1,05 9,70 17,30 0,21 0,47 0,60 1,46 407,00 2,71

27,20 47,66 16,11 142,46 250,93 2,82 6,10 7,61 3,25 675,57 4,23

+/-98,61% -97,62% -93,46% -93,19% -93,11% -92,73% -92,23% -92,18% -54,95% -39,75% -35,93%

Last week

Price

Week ago

5,50 0,77 100,00 1,00 14,00 399,00 0,75 19,50 576,19 0,05 1,00

4,27 0,60 79,48 0,81 12,09 350,00 0,68 17,81 529,00 587,75 326,07

+/-

Price

28,84% 28,36% 25,82% 23,46% 15,81% 14,00% 10,72% 9,49% 8,92% -99,99% -99,69%

Zepto Computers 5,20 Ikast-Bording Elite Håndbold 0,70 Griffin IV Berlin B 0,50 Deadline Games 1,14 TK Development 20,11 Erria 54,38 FormueEvolution II 781,08

Week ago 8,03 1,00 0,66 1,50 25,99 70,00 1000,00

+/-35,27% -29,93% -24,59% -24,33% -22,63% -22,31% -21,89%

OMXC20 STOCKS KFX stocks Price

Energy D/S Torm Materials Novozymes Industry A.P. Møller - Mærsk A A.P. Møller - Mærsk B D/S Norden DSV FLSmidth & Co G4S Kbh. Lufthavne NKT Holding Rockwool Int.A Rockwool Int.B Vestas Wind Systems Consumer Staples Carlsberg A Carlsberg B Danisco Health Care Coloplast Genmab Lundbeck Novo Nordisk William Demant Hld. Financial Danske Bank Jyske Bank Nordea Bank Sydbank Topdanmark TrygVesta Telecom TDC

+/-

Year end

52 week high

52 week low

P/E

Mkt. Cap

55,76

-7,74

178,24

188,25

54,50

364

417,61

6,57

579,98

610,00

326,00

28230,96 28305,48 170,25 53,96 159,18 15,74 1350,00 106,18 353,04 338,17 285,20

-1453,28 -1428,54 -0,30 -2,19 -7,88 -0,47 0,00 -21,20 -31,96 -7,84 3,00

53859,62 53879,56 567,69 111,09 518,36 24,60 2307,89 454,93 1182,30 1187,99 546,85

60700,00 60700,00 655,00 135,00 598,00 25,00 2500,00 462,50 1235,00 1248,00 700,00

190,04 174,82 220,10

-14,97 -13,30 -16,14

471,64 497,68 361,10

555,98 565,86 384,50

181,00 147,75 216,50

15,06 15,06 25,56

674 2377 979

352,79 216,58 108,66 282,98 215,13

-17,55 -23,05 0,50 4,81 -17,53

441,19 311,24 138,00 334,63 471,01

484,50 348,50 146,00 352,50 479,50

312,00 176,00 87,75 246,00 158,00

17,44 -8,60 8,54 15,17

212 45 984 527 59

53,53 120,38 39,52 60,87 696,25 315,48

-3,52 2,98 0,60 0,57 3,21 -4,37

199,54 399,99 84,08 217,67 729,47 387,00

205,00 406,00 85,75 220,00 875,00 427,50

52,75 112,00 36,90 57,25 498,00 263,00

21,20 30,63 8,95 25,33 76,25 33,32

6988 540 2597 675 167 1700

204,86

1,96

275,01

310,00

180,00

42,39

992

16,12

543

25000,00 4056,10 25400,00 4056,10 120,00 85,85 52,25 5,61 140,00 24,32 13,30 1,14 1120,00 141,75 103,50 33,92 260,00 89,47 230,50 89,47 180,00 11,71

2198 2198 45 190 1064 352 785 474 131 89 185

EMPLOYMENT

THE COPENHAGEN POST 24 DEC - 8 JAN 2009

EMPLOYMENT

POSTS DENMARK THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

The julestue - a merry, traditional yuletide joy By Rebecca K. Engmann The traditional ‘julestue’ or Christmas room, is known today as a bastion of wholesome Danish Christmas cosiness

ODAY, DANES have come to know the traditional ‘julestue,’ or Christmas room, as a cosy atmosphere where holiday wares are swapped, hearty glögg is swilled, and peppernuts crunched by rosy-cheeked shoppers seeking companionship and refuge from the biting cold - and what could be less controversial than that? But in fact, the history of the Danish julestue is a history of subversive behaviour: so licentious, in fact, that King Christian V banned them outright in 1683. The julestue began as a series of parties held by a rotating series of hosts every second or third night during yuletide. According to Iørn Piø’s ‘Book of Christmas’, the parties - which began in the evening and ran well into the night - began when the high Christmas holidays were finished, and ran through Epiphany, 6 January, and sometimes even to Candlemas, 2 February. The julestue was, first and foremost, an arena for play and

leisure where young people entertained themselves with song, dance and comedy. Piø noted that many Christmastide games were actually mini-dramas, played on the floor in the Christmas room so that everyone could participate. Games and play were more central to the structure of the julestue than food, and alcohol was a regular lubricant in getting the guests warmed up: the centrepiece of the room was almost always the Christmas Barrel, chock full of ale, and the all-you-can-drink policy was self-evident. While adults held their own Christmas parlours which revolved chiefly around food, the playful julestue was a domain for the young. And after the comeback of the julestue in the 19th century, the Christmas merrymaking activity became a forerunner of the Youth Organisation. According to the ‘Book of Christmas’, terms like ‘playing Christmas’ and ‘drinking Christmas’ are as old as the hills in this country. But ‘holding a Christmas room’ is rooted in the latenight leisure activities of Catholic-era Denmark. It was very common for people of the age to make merry throughout the evening to stay up until Midnight Mass. These bleary-eyed, late-night fests became known as ‘night watches’ where people passed the time with games,

drinking, song and dance. Bawdiness was no stranger to these parties, even in medieval times. Historical journal Siden Saxo noted many stock stories of the late 1400’s involved maidens being expressly forbidden by their mothers from ‘Christmas drinking’ with cavaliers, out of fear that the young suitors would offend their virtue. According to Siden Saxo, social histories from Lolland-Falster include many references to Christmas games with erotic overtones. One such game, called ‘rolling the Christmas cake’, called for a young girl and man to lie atop one another on a table, forming the ‘dough’ that the other partygoers would then ‘roll’. Old-fashioned Christmas folksongs of the age were often suggestively narrative, and might include lyrics enumerating articles of clothing a young girl took from a man: a lucky (or unlucky) young man would strip according to each article of clothing mentioned in the song. In the 1500’s, however, church clerics turned a cold shoulder to the inherent sinfulness of late-night pleasure seeking activities, with words such as ‘unseemly,’ ‘ungodly,’ ‘loose,’ and ‘scandalous,’ used to describe a once widely-sanctioned folk activity. In 1629, King Christian IV issued an order condemning the Julestue for its immortality, though his

The modern julestue may look innocent enough, but in times past it was regarded as sinful

objection may have stemmed from bad personal experience. Siden Saxo reported an angry accusation by His Majesty against his former lover (and mother to 11 of his illegitimate children) Kirsten Munk, that she ‘danced, played Christmas, and made merry with the Duke of the Rhine and others as We lay before the enemy and were shot in the arm’. The cuckolded king’s successor, Christian V, took matters a step further in his Danish Law of 1683, which expressly forbid ‘all scandalous play in connection

with Christmas’, and promised ‘serious punishment’ for offenders. The illicit julestue continued to thrive in spite of the royal dictate: in 1726, Copenhagen police hung posters detailing the many risks of Christmas merriment, from drunkenness and disorderly conduct, to masked partygoers compromising the safety of the capital city streets. Christian VI passed a 1730 holiday law and a ‘total’ ban on Christmas rooms in 1735, His Majesty entertaining a deep interest in promoting an age of piety. Just as seemed that our Dan-

WEATHER WEDNESDAY

ish Christmas could get no drearier, the advent of the 19th century brought back the togetherness of the old-fashion julestue in new clothing. Around 1800, the Christmas tree was introduced as the new focal point of the julestue in fashionable Copenhagen, with the bawdy games and horseplay of the old Christmas rooms now winding their way back into today’s julefrokosts (Christmas lunches). In the meantime, the julestue has represented everything comfortable and holy about the holiday season.

24 - 30 DEC 08 THURSDAY

FRIDAY

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-5

Wednesday

Thursday

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CLOUDY WITH RAIN AND SNOW. Maximum day temperatures around 4 degrees, minimum night temperatures around minus 3 degrees. Light to moderate winds.

SUNNY. Maximum day temperatures around 2 degrees, minimum night temperatures falling to minus 5 degrees. Light winds.

CLOUDY WEATHER. Maximum day temperatures near 2 degrees, minimum night temperatures around minus 5 degrees. Light winds.

SUNNY. Maximum day temperatures around 1 degree, minimum night temperatures down to minus 4 degrees. Light to moderate winds.

SUNNY. Maximum day temperatures around 1 degree, minimum night temperatures around minus 4 degrees. Light to moderate winds.

This weather forecast is sourced from Denmark’s Meteorological Institute. For updated weather reports please visit http://www.dmi.dk