HISTORY Committee

http://www.natmus.dk/ This is the Danish National Museum

http://www.natmus.dk/sw4604.asp This is the Danish  Museum of Resistance 1940 - 1945

Danish - North American Relations Since World War II Conference

A Report by Ginie Nelsen Frank

October 14, 2002

 

The Danish American Heritage Society in cooperation with Dana College in Blair, Nebraska; the Danish Immigrant Archive at Dana College; Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa; and The Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, Iowa, gave a major conference on Danish - North American relations in Omaha, Nebraska, October 10-13, 2002.

 

Conference sessions examined the economic, social and cultural factors that motivated immigration…and the relations between Denmark and North America since World War II.

 

The conference was a huge success. Instead of the about 200 people they had originally planned, 393 attended. The conference was balanced with academics and professionals giving the topic presentations; and trips to Dana College, the Danish Immigrant Archive, Grand View College, and the Danish Immigrant Museum.

 

Two top diplomatic leaders spoke. Bo Lidegaard, a Danish historian and member of the Danish Foreign Service, gave the opening address on Thursday evening. Lidegaard described the role played by Henrik Kauffmann, the Danish Ambassador to the U.S. during WWII, who worked with the U.S. to establish military bases in Greenland during WWII. Kauffmann did this in spite of protests from the Nazi-controlled government in Denmark. Lidegaard is presently serving in the Danish embassies in Paris and Geneva and works with the U.N. and UNESCO. He is also scholar-in-residence at the Royal Library of Denmark.

 

Ambassador Edward E. Elson, Ambassador to Denmark from 1993 to 1998 spoke Saturday evening on the current relations between the U.S. and Denmark. Elson has received many rewards including the Great Cross of the Order of Dannebrog presented by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark in 1998. He also serves on many boards of businesses, banks and investment agencies worldwide.

 

Edward P. Gallagher, President of the American-Scandinavian Foundation spoke at the Friday luncheon. A highlight of Mr. Gallagher’s presidency has been the planning, construction and opening of the Scandinavian House: The Nordic Center in America in New York City, October 2000.

 

The Double Tree Hotel hosted with a lavish atmosphere. The meeting rooms were exquisitely decorated in red and white, Danish flags, and huge flower arrangements of mostly red roses with assorted foliage and a few dark red fall flowers.

 

I met Danish – Americans and Danes from all other the U. S. and Denmark. I am looking forward to the next Danish or Scandinavian conference, lecture series, or festival.

 

We had four Dania members at this convention. Peder & Doris Hoy, Kaj Kristensen and Roger Gearhart. They all had a great time.