The Danish-German War of 1864 and British Politics

131 THE DANISH-GERMAN WAR OF 1864 AND BRITISH POLITICS War~en B. Morris, Jr. Department of History, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma In 1863, Denmark and the German ficult had the matter of succession not en powers found themselves engaged in a series tered into the already complex affair. The of conflicts that led to the outbreak of the Duchies were under the rule of the Danish Danish-German War of 1864. The effects King, as Duke of Schleswif·Holstein, and of this war were not confined to the coun were not considered a part 0 Denmark. The tries directly involved in combat, but spread Danish Kingdom was under the ux Regw to Great Britain and had a significant ef law of succession of 1665, and the royal fect on British politics. In the face of the line could be transmitted through the fe growing conflict, lack of a decisive policy male branch of the royal family. The by the British Prime Minister, Viscount Duchies were not, however, under this John Palmerston, caused a great deal of dis law, and, thus, the nearest male heirs to the cussion in the press and in public meetings, Danish King, the Princes of Augustenburg, and finally led to his near censure by Parl had a legal claim to rule over them (2, iament. Even Queen Victoria was affected p. 5). by the war and her interference was respon sible for the Government's lack of a de In January, 1848, King Christian VlII cisive policy. died, thus ending the Danish royal line based on male succession. In March, the In order to understand the effect of the new ministry in Copenhagen, insraIled as a war on the British, it is necessary, first, result of the Revolution of 1848, announced to examine the nature of the Schleswig that the Duchies were to be united with Holstein problem. The issues involved are Denmark under a new constitution. This complex and difficult to understand. Vis caused the Germans in the Duchies to re count Palmerston stated that only three volt and to set up a provisional government men had understood the problem and all at KieI. There followed a short war between its intricacies: the first was the King of Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein, which Denmark, who had died; the second was an had the support of the German Confedera unidentified Danish Minister, who had tion and Prussia (3). The war was ended gone insane thinking about it; lastly, there with the signing of the London Protocol was Palmerston himself, who had forgotten of May 8, 1852 by England, France, Sweden, it (I). Because of its complex nature, it is Denmark, Austria and Russia. This Proto doubtful whether very many members of col guaranteed the union of the Duchies, the British public or Government actually recognized the heir to the Danish throne, understood the true nature of the conflict. Prince Christian of Gliicksburg, as sole in heritor, and guaranteed that the Duchies The major cause of the problem was that would never become a part of the Kingdom the King of Denmark was also the Duke of of Denmark ("). As a corollary to tbe Pro Schleswig-Holstein. The population of Hol tocol, Prince Christian of Augustenburg re stein was German, while Schleswig was a nounced his claims to Schleswig-Holstein border area with mixed German and Dan (5). ish populations. The claims of the Danish King to the Duchies can be traced back to The issue was not solved by the London the time of Queen Margaret in the Middle ProtoCOl and it became a major problem Ages. After the close of the Napoleonic in 1863. A crisis developed on March 30, wars, be was awarded Holstein as a partial when King Frederick VII issued a procla compensation for the loss of Norway to mation claiming Schleswig u a part of Sweden. Since Holstein was a part of tbe Denmark proper. On July 6, the German German Confederation, the Danish King Federal Diet demanded the renunciation of was represented in tbe German Federal this announcement. On August 28, the Diet at Frankfurt am Main (2). Danish King rejected tbe German demands and procIaimed, on September 28, to a The problem would have been less diE- specially called Danish Parliament, the uni- Ploc. 0Ida. Aad. Sci. 51: 131-135 (1971) 132 ficatioo of Schleswig with Denmark under The Prussian involvement in the war a new constitution. On the same day, the caused a wave of anti-German feeling to German stateS issued a demand that this sweep England. Most Englishmen forgot action be rescinded or the invasion of Hol about the compleXities of the situation and stein would follow. Ignoring the German only saw it &S a battle between a weak na threat, the Danes approved the new consti tion, Denmark, and two great powers. One tution on November 13 (6). Two days British newspaper stated that all concerned later, the king died and Prince Christian persons should be disturbed to see little of Schleswig-Holstein-Sfinderborg-Gliicks Denmark attacked by such a strong com burg ascended the Danish throne(7) . bination as Prussia and Austria. A leading magazine maintained that the Danes had The new king adopted the proposed con done everything possible to avoid war, and stitution and the conflict intensified. The that Austria and Prussia had actually at German states claimed that the unification tacked Denmark, not because of the fail of Schleswig with Denmark and its separa ures of the Danes, but because of the de tion from Holstein under the new constitu mands of the German masses (13). Even tion was a direct violation of the London Punch departed from its usual humor to Prococol, thereby nullifying it and justify denounce the Germans for their "plunder ing a German invasion of Holstein and a and slaughter of the Danes" (14). renewal of the claims of the Prince of Augustenburg. The Federal German troops The press was not alone in its statements consequently entered Holstein on December of sympathy for Denmark and condemna 7, 1863 (5, pp. 170-171). On December tion of the Germans. There was an outcry 31, Prince Friedrich of Augustenburg pro of support of the Danes from many mem claimed himself the rightful Duke of bers of the British public. The strongest Schleswig-Holstein (8). expression of support for Denmark came The reports contained in the British from Ireland where a group of "Cent Gar press emphasized the popular support given des" volunteered their services to the Danish to the Duke upon his entrance into Hol King, who wrote a letter of thanks but stein. One magazine reported that with declined the offer (15). Other British sub· the departure of the Danish troops rejoic jects chose other expressions of support for ing broke out and national flags flew from the Danes. Several groups were occupied every window (9). Another reported popu in gathering funds for Danish relief. One lar demonstrations in favor of the Duke, of the first of these was headed by the the coveting of the walls with signs wel Marquis of Clanricarde (13, p. 141). On coming him, and violence against persons March 1, the Times reported that the "Re with known pro-Danish feelings (8, p. 42). lief Fund for the Wounded Danes and the This pro-German attitude on the part of the Families of the Fallen," under the leader press soon changed, however, into one ship of A. Westerhale, had sent 2,333 violently anti-German. Pounds to the Central Committee for Dan ish Relief in Copenhagen (16). Another The reason for this change in attitude 1,000 Pounds was sent to the Danish capi was the Austro-Prussian ultimatum to tal by the Liverpool Danish Relief Fund Denmark on January 16, 1864, which de (17). manded the revocation of the new consti tution within 48 hours. On January 21, The Prussian attack on Diippel, and the the Federal troops, composed of Saxon and bombardment of Sonderborg that accom· Hannoverian detachments, were joined in panied it, enhanced the development of Holstein by those of Prussia and Austria pro-Danish feeling in England. Even such a (S, p. 169). On February 1, the Prussians Germanophile as Queen Victoria wrote a entered Schleswig (10), and on February letter of protest to her daughter, Victoria, 18 they crossed into Jutland at Kolding the Prussian Crown Princess (18). Punch ( 11) . Meanwhile, the Danes had withdrawn suggested that an artist paint a picture into the fortress at D\ippel, which fell 00 of the "mangled mass of raw flesh and April 18, after a long Prussian siege, during blood" as a fitting memorial to the work which time the village of Sooderborg had of the Austrian Kaiser and the prussian been bombarded, and one-third of the town King. PlllUb informed the monarchs, cfestro1ed (12 ). ''Your Majesties cannot conceive the dis- 133 gust and detestation with which yoW' out respondence concerning the affair. The ma rage on Denmark is regarded" (19). jor leader of the opposition was Benjamin Disraeli who, in a speech in the House of It is a mistake to assume that the pro Commons on February 22, demanded that Danish movement represented all British the Government inform the people of its subjects. Some were very openly pro-Ger position and cease all delay in the publi man. In March, 1864, Blackwood's Ed;,, ~t.ion of the recon:Js. Disraeli took the po burgh MaganM carried a letter pleading Sillon that it was the duty of the members the German case. The unnamed author of Parliament to seek information on the expressed the idea that the Schleswig-Hol subject and that it was also their right to stein problem was the result of an oppressed receive it (21, CLXXIII, col.

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