Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 03.djvu/377

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DENMARK 323 DENMARK delivered up to the British. The war, however, was continued, Denmark forming new alliances with Napoleon till 1814, when a peace was concluded by which she ceded Heligoland to England in exchange for the Danish West India Islands, and Norway to Sweden in ex- change for Swedish Pomerania and Rii- gen, which, however, she shortly after surrendered to Prussia, receiving in re- turn Lauenburg and a pecuniary com- pensation. In June, 1815, the king en- tered into the German Confederacy as representing Holstein and Lauenburg. In 1848 Schleswig and Holstein revolted and were not finally subdued till 1852. In 1857 the Sound dues were abolished. Frederick VII. died in 1863 and with him the Oldenburg line became extinct. He was succeeded by Christian IX. (Prince of Sonderburg-Gliicksburg) . At the beginning of 1864 the Danish terri- tory was politically distributed into four parts, viz., Denmark proper (consisting of the Danish islands and North Jut- land), the duchy of Schleswig or South Jutland, with a population more than one-half Danish, the remainder Frisian and German; the duchy of Holstein, gurely German; the duchy of Lauen- urg, also German. The measures of the Danish government compelling the use of the Danish language in state schools having giver* preat umbrage to the German populatioii of the duchies, the disputes resulted in the intervention of the German Confederation, and ulti- mately Holstein was occupied by the troops of Austria and Prussia (1864). After a short campaign the Prussians captured Alsen, overran the greater part of Jutland, and forced the Danes to accept peace (Aug. 1), by which they renounced their right to the duchies of Schleswig, Holstein, and Lauenburg. A difference now arose between Austria and Prussia as to what should be done with the duchies, and Prussia showing an evident intention of annexing them, the result was a war between the two powers, which ended in the total defeat of Austria at Sadowa, or Koniggratz, July 3, 1866. By the treaty which fol- lowed Austria relinquished all claim to the duchies, which thus fell to Prussia. Christian IX. died January 29, 1906. He was succeeded by his son Frederick VIII. The latter proved to be a popular sovereign, but his reign was short-lived, as he died suddenly on May 14, 1912, while on a visit to Hamburg. He was succeeded by his son. Christian X. Im- portant amendments were made to the constitution in 1914 and 1915. Among these provisions was the abolition of the property classification which hitherto prevented the poorer classes from voting for the Landsthing. Another amend- ment was passed for universal suffrage, including suffrage for women. The outbi'eak of the World War raised vital problems in Denmark. On ac- count of the bitter feeling toward Prus- sia as the result of the seizure of Schles- wig-Holstein, there was an overwhelm- ing pro-Ally sentiment in the kingdom. The government, however, remained neutral thi'oughout the war. Denmark suffered severely from the blockade es- tablished against Germany and in the loss of ships in the submarine warfare. This was to » large extent, however, off- set by the p' osperity of the agricultural classes a? a result of the demand for their products both in Germany and in the Allied countries. Germany secured enormous quantities of foodstuffs both by the regular method of trade and through smuggling across the border. By 1917, however, economic conditions in Denmark had become exceedingly difficult and it was found necessary to ration both bread and coal. The import of coal had stopped with the outbreak of the war to such an extent that it be- came necessary to curtail its consump- tion. Trade in wheat, butter, sugar, and other foodstuffs was strictly regulated. With the end of the war, conditions quickly improved. At the meeting of the Peace Conference in Paris, Denmark made known her desire to have restored to her the strictly Danish parts of Schles- wig-Holstein, and demanded that those parts in which the population was parti- ally Danish and partially German snould be allowed to decide for themselves their future political status. These articles were acceded to and provision was made by the Treaty that within 10 days after it had been put into operation the people in the zones of Schleswig would be al- lowed to decide for Danish or German nationality by a popular vote. The coun- try was divided into three zones, in the first of which, the farthest removed from Germany, the people would vote for or against reunion of Denmark en bloc; in the second zone the voting was to be done by municipalities, not later than 5 weeks after the vote in the first zone ; in the third zone no vote was to be taken. The plebiscite was held in February, 1920. The northern zone, or North Schleswig, voted by a large majority to join with Denmark; the southern zone, or southern Schleswig, voted to adhere to Prussia. North Schleswig, therefore, was incorporated into the kingdom of Denmark, on July 9, 1920. The occa- sion was celebrated all over the country. The king and queen made a progress into North Schleswig and were received with jubilation by the people. On Sept.