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DANISH TRADITIONS

Why are flags flown in Denmark on September 5th?

It’s not a public holiday, Constitution Day or the Queen’s birthday, but Denmark’s flag is flown every September 5th from public buildings and buses across the country.

Published: 5 September 2019 11:28 CEST
Updated: 5 September 2022 09:27 CEST
Why are flags flown in Denmark on September 5th?
Danish soldiers prepare to lay a wreath at Kastellet in Copenhagen on September 5th 2021. Photo:Keld Navntoft/Ritzau Scanpix

Dannebrog, as the Danish flag is known, is flown on September 5th to honour the country’s soldiers and others who are stationed abroad, or have been in the past.

Veterans’ Flag Day was introduced in 2009 as a way of acknowledging the contribution of Danish troops in international military operations since 1948.

More than a decade ago, Danish soldiers were active as peace keepers in Afghanistan, notably the volatile Helmand province, where a number of casualties and deaths were sustained.

“We still send soldiers on missions around the world and as long as we are still doing that, we need to show our respect for those stationed abroad,” former Minister of Defence Trine Bramsen told broadcaster DR in 2019.

“It is so important and tribute should really be paid to those who put our values of freedoms before themselves and serve abroad,” the minister added.

Danish military personnel have in recent years served in missions including operations in the Arctic, training local military in Iraq, and providing protection in Afghan capital Kabul.

The world has changed significantly since flag day was last marked in 2021, the head of the Danish army Gunner Arpe Nielsen said.

READ ALSO: Denmark to send 800 Nato troops to Latvia

“The war in Ukraine has forced us to increase our presence in Eastern Europe massively. At the same time, we still have missions in Iraq, Kosovo and many places,” Nielsen said in a video shared by the Danish armed forces on Twitter.

Flag Day is marked with parades and the laying of wreaths in memory of the fallen, including at the Monument at Kastellet, a historic military barracks in Copenhagen.

Around 1,000 military personnel from Denmark are currently serving abroad, acting head of the Navy Carsten Fjord-Larsen states in the Beredskabsstyrelsen video.

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DANISH TRADITIONS

What’s open and what’s closed on May 1st in Denmark?

May 1st, or Labour Day, is widely celebrated in Denmark, with a large proportion of the workforce joining marches and attending political speeches across the country. But it's not a public holiday, so what's open and what's closed?

Published: 30 April 2024 15:25 CEST
What's open and what's closed on May 1st in Denmark?

International Workers’ Day, or Labour Day, is an occasion keenly celebrated by thousands across Denmark, a country known for its social democratic traditions.

In Denmark, the state does not give you the day off on May 1st like in other countries including Sweden and Norway. In other words, it’s not a public holiday like Christmas Day, Ascension Day or Maundy Thursday, for example.

You could be forgiven for thinking that May 1st is a national day off if, for example, you pass by Fælledparken in Copenhagen on Labour Day. You’ll see huge gatherings of workers carrying banners, people gathering to eat and drink, and major speeches by both union leaders and politicians.

Many workers in Denmark do in fact have the right to a half or full day off on May 1st, provided by the collective bargaining system, the Danish labour model on which working terms are negotiated and agreed between trade unions and employers’ confederations.

But what does this mean for operating hours at businesses and services across the country?

What’s closed?

Labour Day-related closures are arguably most common in sectors like construction and the production industry, where collective bargaining agreements are highly likely to stipulate a May 1st fridag or day off, as described by the Confederation of Danish Industry.

Builders, renovation companies and specialist production industries like carpenters all have the day off on May 1st under collective bargaining agreements, unless they have agreed to overtime on the day.

Social services like home carers are generally entitled to take the day off but can be paid Sunday rates if they work in the afternoon.

Your local borgerservice, the public-facing service desk at your local town hall, will probably be closed because public servants like municipal administrators have the day off. So if you need to pick up a new driving license, for example, leave this errand until later in the week or, in some cases, the beginning of next week.

GPs are generally open, but it’s best to check ahead because employers can choose to close their practices for the day (and thereby require doctors and other staff to use a day of their annual leave).

What’s open?

Childcare institutions like kindergartens and creches (børnehaver and vuggestuer) are not closed on Labour Day, so children can be dropped off at preschool as usual.

Schools are generally open. Last year, 10 of Denmark’s 98 municipalities closed for Labour Day, although both Copenhagen and Aarhus gave kids the day off.

Supermarkets and other shops are not generally closed on May 1st. Denmark is strict with shop opening times, with the Lukkeloven, or closing law, requiring most shops to remain shuttered on holidays, but this doesn’t apply on Labour Day.

Finally, if you are planning to do some sightseeing in Denmark on Labour Day, you’ll find most museums – like the National Gallery of Denmark, for example – treat May 1st as a regular day and remain open as normal. Others, like Museum Østjylland, close – so check ahead before you set out.

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