Denmark, the country of the Danes. According to Germanic language usage a “mark” is a remote place or a border area. For one thing, the word is known from the German speaking Austria as the landscape “Steiermark”, so briefly and to the point, Denmark means the area of the Danes. However, the area which was earlier under the Danish Crown was much bigger, and for a long period it also comprised German and Slavonic speaking people as well as other Scandinavians living at that time in present Germany, Poland, Norway, and Sweden, respectively. Due to unlucky wars the Danish kingdom diminished, until during the nineteenth century it broadly comprised its central parts, i.e. Denmark less Schleswig, disregarding Island, Greenland and the Faroes. The area of the Danes (Jutland, Funen, and Sealand with its surrounding islands) was inhabited all the years by descendants of the original North Germanic people Jutlanders and Danes. The name Danes goes back to the Old English word daun which is said to mean valley (dal in Danish) and thus the notion Danes means “lowland inhabitants”.
Through history there has been an insignificant immigration to Denmark of foreign people or cultures, i.a. Huguenots, Jews, Herrnhuts etc., but no more than a few thousand people in all who soon became part of the Danes and without problems took part in the various functions of society. Only with the heavy immigration from muslim countries, such as the Middle East, Africa and Asia during the second part of th twentieth century, did it create considerable financial, cultural, and social problems for Denmark although the purpose of the immigration was precisely to meet financial, social problems etc. in the emigration countries as well as the immigration countries.
However, looking back at the latest 30 years of immigration we must conclude that a certain group of immigrants alone creates essential problems. Nobody who has kept abreast of developments in recent times can feel doubt that the immigrants in question are muslim groups from North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia.
Danmarks Statistik (the Central Statistical Office)
In recent times the press has frequently mentioned figures such as 100,000, 200,000 whereas others insist on half a million or even up to one million. What is right? The press itself, and politicians when debating in the press, use notions and figures in connection with various immigration groups without further difinitions or differentiation between the groups concerned. This inadequacy often results in mistakes thus misinforming audience and readers. In these debates more participants have come up with very different figures as regards the number of muslims in Denmark, often based on very different grounds and sources to which they cannot usually refer.
In his book “Gud er stor - om islam og kristendom” (God is almighty – about Islam and Christianity), published in 1994, Bishop Niels Henrik Arendt states that there are 170,000 muslims in Denmark. When asked, i.a. in connection with his lectures about Islam, the bishop has explained that the figure have been found in “municipal telephone books”. However, in his lectures the bishop has not found it necessary to revise the figures upwards based on the immigration since 1994. Furthermore, it is doubtful whether the bishop has contacted all the approximately 300 municipalities (before the municipal reform in 2006/07), and it is doubtful whether the municipalities have been able to bring out figures ( number of muslims) which Danmarks Statistik declare not to have. However, the reliability of the bishop qua his position has led to the fact that great importance has been attached to the figure 170,000. Lars Hedgaard has often been quoted to set the number of muslims in Denmark to about 200,000 based on the screening of a list at Danmarks Statistik stating Christian names and muslim names, respectively. Howver, the bank of Danmarks Statistik are of no help.
Danmarks Statistik and Statistikbanken (the bank of statistics)
Earlier Danmarks Statistik had a table on Internet in which the inquirer could be informed of all first names according to frequency, but today the table of the “Statistikbanken” is unfortunately arranged in a way which only permits the inquirer to choose one name after which he will be informed of the number of persons in the country bearing that name. Nor does the table indicate whether the number only includes persons with Danish citizenship or whether it also includes foreigners living in Denmark with residence permit. If the figures, which Lars Hedegaard has chosen as his starting point, only comprise Danish citizens then his figures are based on the app. 200,000 Danish citizens of foreign origin, as the figures do not include the muslim part of the 270,051 foreigners living in Denmark (as on Janyary 1, 2006), several of whom have still not been granted Danish nationality. Thus, by re-arranging the tables and search possibilities Danmarks Statistik have prevented control and follow-up.
The conclusion of the above must be, among other things, that Danmarks Statistik must be persuaded to offer statistics and tables as soon as possible on which religious affiliations are shown, as an example, and to calculate the number of persons who have beeb granted Danish nationality, or who are descendants of persons who have been granted Danish nationality. Not only should the population be divided according to their citizenships and their Danish or foreign origin, but descendants should also be divided according to the Danish or foreign origin of their parents.
The present difinition of a “Dane” is unsatisfactory. Some years ago Statistisk Årbog (Statistic Annual) had a table stating the number of persons in Denmark according to their religious community. Twenty years ago it was mainly “Folkekirken” (the established church in Denmark), and various Christian sects such as Jehovah’s witnesses, the Jewish community and a small group of other sects. But some years ago this table fell out of Statistisk Årbog.
Pay attention to words and definitions
In 1985 our former Prime Minister, Poul Schlüter from the Conservative party said: “I know that many Danes feel uneasy about the open national borders for fear of being flooded with half a million or a whole million foreigners. This frightens people, but of course this shall not happen. For the time being refugees only amount to 0,3 % of the population”. Notice that Poul Schlüter talked about refugees. Neither did he mention foreigners nor immigrants. On January 1, 1985 the total number of inhabitants (persons with residence permit, i.e. including immigrants and their descendants) in Denmark was 5,111,108 according to Statistisk Årbog from 1987. A little arithmetic shows that 0,3% of 5,111,108 persons only amount to 15,333. Add to this that other figures from Danmarks Statistik reveal that the total of immigrants was 140,566 in 1985 while their descendants amounted to 23,360. That means that 163,926 persons or 3,2% of the inhabitants in Denmark were of foreign origin. Consequently, the number of immigrants was 10 times higher than the number predicted. It remains obscure what figures the former minister used as well as his interpretation of the word “refugees”. However, Poul Schlüther’s conclusion was that only a few would arrive and that the fear of the Danes was unfounded. Still, he said that it should alarm the Danes should the country be flooded by half a million or one million people, “but that will not happen”. Maybe Poul Schlüther’s calculations only comprised foreigners who had come to Denmark as refugees the year in question and who had not yet achieved residence permit or citizenship. However, Poul Schlüther’s estimate of the future was wrong. In January 2006 we soon approached half a million people, as quoted above, and so this number of people was reached only 15 years later. The question is whether half a million people of foreign origin have reached the limit which might now make the Danes understand that this number is worth discussing.
On the arena of politics there has been a considerable disinclination to release figures and decide how many immigrants Denmark is able to receive without the values and socio-financial basis of the country being destroyed. In the press the words “foreigners” and “immigrants” are often used at random without any proper and unambiguous definition of the group of persons referred to. A “foreigner” will normally be a person with residence permit in Denmark but who has kept his origin nationality, or has not yet been granted Danish nationality. Contrary to this a person can be considered Danish when he has a Danish citizenship either achieved by birth or granted according to the law (naturalization).
A “foreigner” will normally be looked on as a person who has immigrated in order to work or to marry. Today many of the persons who are mentioned as immigrants or real “refugees”, who have obtained asylium, have consequently changed their status from “refugees” to “immigrants” by way of permanent residence permits.
A “refugee” is an applicant for asylum who has not yet obtained residence permit. When he has got his residence permit he is considered an immigrant. Therefore, there are rather few “refugees” in Denmark. For one thing this number of refugees is being considerably reduced due to the tightening of the legislation. Spouses of immigrants who have been brought to Denmark by way of family reunion and descendants are not considered refugees but “immigrants”. When these various notions are mentioned in the press it is seldom explained to what group the press refers.
The following definitions are used by Danmarks Statistik
An immigrant is a person born in a foreign country and whoes parents are both of them foreign citizens or born in a foreign country (or one of the parents, if there is no information of the other). If there is no information about any of the parents, and the person is born in a foreign country, the person will be considered an immigrant. A descendant is a person born in Denmark where none of the parents are of Danish nationality. If there is no information of any of the parents, and the person in question is a foreign citizen, the person will also be considered a descendant.
A Dane is a person with at least one parent of Danish nationality and born in Denmark, irrespective of the person’s native land and citizenship. Should there be no information of any of the parents the person shall be considered Danish if the person is a Danish citizen and born in Denmark. What is a “foreigner” compared to “immigrants and descendants”? Briefly spoken, a foreigner is a person living in Denmark but who is not of Danish nationality. That means that a foreigner can live in Denmark with residence permit and work permit but without Danish nationality. This could be the English ingineer at a machine factory or the Thailand wife of the first officer at Mærsk.
Status: as on January 1, 2006 – there are 620,000 muslims in Denmark
I their statistics Danmarks Statistik use standing definitions of the conceptions of Danes, immigrants, and descendants. Danmarks Statistik organize various groups according to citizenship counting “Danes”, “immigrants”, and “descendants”. Still, Danes can also be “descendants of immigrants”. In Statistisk Årbog and other publications from Danmarks Statistik (see dst.dk on the subject) they calculate the number of Danes, foreigners, and their descendants. It is possible to get information about the number of persons of foreign origion and see if they still have their original citizenships or they have been granted Danish nationality (i.e. if they have been “neutralized”). It is important to the reader to know the definitions used by Danmarks Statistik of the notions Danes, foreigners etc. as these definitions are of crucial importance to understand the figures.
The whole country Citizenship Total
January 1, 2006 Danish Foreigners Both groups
a. Danish origin 4 957 171 7 053 4.964.224
b. Immigrants 123 102 227 334 350.436
c. Descendants 77 135 35 664 112.799
b+c. Immigrants and descendants 200.237 262.998 463.235
Total 5.157.408 270.051 5.427.459
Source: http://www.statistikbanken.dk/statbank5a/default.asp?w=1152
This table states that on January 1, 2006 there were 463,235 immigrants and descendants in Denmark 200,237 of whom were of Danish nationality, whereas 262,998 had foreign citizenships. What misunderstanding could these figures cause? Well, Danmarks Statistik use their definition on Danes, immigrants, and descendants. That means that within the group of Danes there is a big number of immigrants of first and second generation who are registered as Danes although their “culture” including language and behavior etc., might be strongly influenced by the Middle East. They have been registered as Danes if one of their parents, e.g. their mother, has been granted Danish nationality before the delivery of the child, even though the father might have been brought to Denmarks recently by family reunion from Libanon (Palestine). According to this definition the number of descendants will be modest and must cause surprise when the birthrate within families from the Middle East is taken into consideration. In newspaper articles only the number of foreigners is often mentioned which means the the number does not include those born in a foreign country but of Danish nationality which they have then been granted later. So we talk about a group of 262,998 (as on January 1, 2006) without including the numerous immigrants and their descendants who have given up their original citizenship for a Danish citizenship. This state of affairs is not mentioned which gives the readers the impression that the number of “strangers” is considerable lower than is actually the case.
How many muslims were there in
Denmark on January 1, 2006?
Immigrants from muslims countries (about 80% of 463,235) are about 370,000. Second and third generation of immigrants are registered as Danes which is equal to 150,000 – 200,000 immigrants. Illigal immigrants equal to 25,000 – 50,000 maybe more. That is equal to 620,000 persons. On the basis of the number of immigrants coming from countries which must be considered muslim countries it can be estimated that abour 80% of the number of immigrants are muslims. Among immigrants from e.g. Sweden and England there will also be quite many muslims. These are the figures Danmarks Statistik will neither confirm nor deny as the Danish politicians have not wanted clarity in terms of figures which might prove the extent of the most essential problem for the Danish society within historical time. We often read in newspapers that the authorities mention excessive frequency of crimes, certain illness, unemployment etc. among immigrants. But in order to compare immigrants with the ethnic Danish people it is necessary to know the number of both population groups. The question is whether some authorities know the exact figures. It is imperatively important to give the entire Danish population the accurate information to enable them to take a stand.
Acquisition of Danish nationality (neutralization)
The number of persons who been granted Danish nationality by neutralization (published by law in the Danish Legal Gazette and passed in Folketinget) only comprise adult applicants, whereas children, who are the offspring of these applicants and automatically obtain Danish nationality with their parents, are not included in the figures of the consolidation act. Consequently, the figures of foreigners stated by Immigrant services are higher that those of the consolidation act.
Differences in numbers
of citizenships of the
Stated by consolidation act and
Year Stated by Danmarks Statistik the figures of Statistikbanken
Consolidation act in Statistikbanken covering the year in question
1979 6.249
1980 3.780
1981 3.642 1982 3.029
1983 2.798
1984 2.740
1985 3.310
1986 3.623
1987 3.765
1988 2.273 3.747 1.474
1989 2.263 3.258 995
1990 1.824 3.028 1.204
1991 3.837 5.490 1.653
1992 2.789 5.118 2.329
1993 3.135 5.136 2.001
1994 2.439 5.767 3.228
1995 2.641 5.266 2.625
1996 3.919 7.289 3.370
1997 2.061 5.487 3.426
1998 3.848 10.277 6.429
1999 6.718 12.478 5.760
2000 9.022 19.323 10.301
2001 4.743 11.892 7.149
2002 10.101 16.662 6.561
2003 3.748 6.583 2.835
2004 5.740 14.976 9.236
2005 5.899 10.197 4.298____________________
Source: The Danish Legal Gazette 1987-2004 and Danmarks Statistik, Statistikbanken(http://www.statistikbanken.dk/statbank5a/default.asp?w=1152)
From 1979 til 2006 a total of 184,910 persons have been granted Danish nationality. This corresponds to about the entire population as on January 1, 2004 in 7 towns in South and North Schleswig: Tønder (8,033), Sønderborg (26,959) Aabenraa (16,255), Haderslev (20,974), Vojens (7,831), Kolding (54,941), and Vejle (48,817) corresponding in total to the 7 towns mentioned i.e. 185,110. The number of citizens stated by law and published in the Danish Legal Gazette is lower than that of Danmarks Statistik, cf. Statistikbanken.
Possible misunderstandings
If our starting point is the number of persons stated in the consolidation act, which is the legal basis for acquisitions of citizenships, we will get a number which is considerably lower than that of the Immigrant service as well as that of Danmarks Statistik. It is possible that the number of children, who are automatically granted Danish nationality with their parents, is not included in the consolidation act. Children born of these persons, after the latters have been granted Danish nationality, are registered as Danes if just one parent is of Danish nationality.
Anders Gravers, the leader of SIAD 
Our conviction is not based on naive imagination, nor on arrogance, nor on a lack of realism. On the contrary, it comes from a deep feeling of responsibility for our children and descendants, and for our country in general. We are of the opinion that our country is in peril, as stated in the old poem about Holger Danske. To us this famous poem means that when our country is faced with a real dilemma, the Dane (the personification of the original people) will show his true face and rise from his chair and do what has to be done.
