DANISH MINORITY EDUCATION IN SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN Sonja Wolf ECMI WORKING PAPER #87 October 2015 ECMI- Working Paper # 87 The European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) is a non-partisan institution founded in 1996 by the Governments of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the German State of Schleswig-Holstein. ECMI was established in Flensburg, at the heart of the Danish-German border region, in order to draw from the encouraging example of peaceful coexistence between minorities and majorities achieved here. ECMI’s aim is to promote interdisciplinary research on issues related to minorities and majorities in a European perspective and to contribute to the improvement of interethnic relations in those parts of Western and Eastern Europe where ethno-political tension and conflict prevail. ECMI Working Papers are written either by the staff of ECMI or by outside authors commissioned by the Centre. As ECMI does not propagate opinions of its own, the views expressed in any of its publications are the sole responsibility of the author concerned. ECMI Working Paper # 87 European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) Director: Prof. Dr. Tove H. Malloy © ECMI 2015 2 | P a g e ECMI- Working Paper # 87 DANISH MINORITY EDUCATION IN SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN This paper examines the educational system of the Danish minority in Germany. The minority is settled in Germany’s northernmost state, Schleswig -Holstein, and is known to enjoy one of the most advanced minority protection regimes in Europe. One pillar of this regime is the educational system, which is the subject of this paper. It gives a detailed account of how this system developed over time, and the legal framework that came into being in order to regulate the Danish minority’s rights, freedoms and obligations in terms of education. Additionally, this paper aims to provide insight into the institutional setup of the Dansk Skoleforening (Danish School Association) and its institutions, and to examine how the legal provisions are transferred into practice. Sonja Wolf October 2015 ECMI Working Paper # 87 I. INTRODUCTION The minority protection regime in the Danish- minorities’ youth. Both the German minority German border region is often seen as one of in Denmark and the Danish minority in the most advanced in Europe and referred to Germany run their own fully accredited as a model for other minority regions. One of schools that enable their graduates to pursue the main pillars of this regime, next to further education in both countries. South of political participation, financial support, and the border, in the German federal state of civic engagement, is the education of the Schleswig-Holstein, the provisions for the 3 | P a g e ECMI- Working Paper # 87 schooling of the Danish minority are nationalisation and constitutionalisation, especially far-reaching and deeply rooted in mirroring European attitudes of the time. law, thus providing the minority with a highly Additionally, both the Danish King and the reliable educational system, tailored to its German confederation developed an increased specific needs. interest in the region, each with their own plan Besides the Danish minority there are of incorporating it closer into their respective also the Frisian ethnic group and a small sphere of influence. Loyalties divided community of Sinti and Roma settled in the between these powers split the population, and region. Additionally, a regional language, the resulting tensions culminated in war Low German, enjoys special protection and between 1848 and 1850. While Schleswig promotion in Schleswig-Holstein. While there remained Danish, the two camps within the are references to the protection and promotion population maintained their hostile attitudes. of language and the provision of respective In 1864 Prussia invaded the region together classes in public schools for the Frisian ethnic with Austrian troops, making the whole of group and Low German speakers, the Danish Schleswig part of what was to become minority is the only minority community with Germany.2 Subsequently, German became the specific regulations concerning its own school language of government in all of Schleswig. system.1 This school system is the subject of In its northern part, half the schools remained this paper, which examines its historical Danish-speaking for some time, however by development, legal background and 1888 teaching was conducted entirely in institutional setup. German, with the exception of religious classes. During this time the first German and Danish cultural associations were founded, II. HISTORY among them a school association that aimed at organising graduate exchanges for Northern The duchy of Schleswig, which is today split Schleswig youths to Denmark, in order to in two by the national border between provide the opportunity for them to improve Germany and Denmark, is the traditional their Danish. The last decade of the 19th and settlement area of German and Danish first decade of the 20th century saw a speaking people with corresponding cultural considerable decline of the Danish movement traditions and loyalties. Initially constituted of in the middle and southern regions of various small city and municipal units, each Schleswig, especially in the city of Flensburg, governed by their own Duke, the region came while in northern Schleswig Danish loyalties under Danish influence in 1773. Political remained unchanged despite great developments in early 19th century Schleswig assimilation pressure. The onset of the First were marked by movements for 4 | P a g e ECMI- Working Paper # 87 World War (WWI) brought all Danish enrolment was restricted to the children of organisational work to a halt, as many of the persons whose native language was Danish. young men were called to military service. The language of instruction was Danish and Following the war, US President Woodrow only two hours per week were dedicated to Wilson’s 14 points speech offered an non-obligatory German classes. 1,000 opportunity for the Danish-minded population children applied for enrolment in the public of North Schleswig to demand self- minority school, of which only 239 were determination. A formal claim for a plebiscite accepted, due to the strict criteria applied by was made in October 1918 by H.P. Hanssen the school authority. In order to cater the and was incorporated into the Treaty of demand of the remaining Danish children in Versailles. The treaty stipulated a plebiscite to Flensburg and its surroundings, travelling be held in Schleswig in 1920 in order to teachers were employed by the Danish School determine the affiliation of the municipalities Association. Additionally, a private middle with mixed populations, which resulted in the school was founded in October 1920 and the redrawing of the border and the emergence of first childcare facility in 1921. Three years national minorities on each side of the later, the private Duborg School in Flensburg border.3 was founded with massive financial support After the new border was established from Denmark and is today the oldest the new Weimar constitution came into force minority school in South Schleswig.4 It was for the German part of Schleswig, which only in 1928 that admission to Danish schools (based on the provisions of the Versailles became based on the parent’s free decision in Treaty) recognised the minority and granted all of South Schleswig. The financial situation certain rights to its members. Among others it of the schools depended on their status; while included the right to use Danish in public public schools were funded by the respective events, provisions for the establishments of municipality, private schools were paid only public minority schools, and the right to small subsidies and the larger part of the costs establish private minority schools. Ever since, had to be covered by other sources, which the Danish minority schools in Schleswig- usually was primarily the kin-state. These Holstein have been a central part of minority provisions were sustained during Nazi rule policy in the region. The Danish School and the Second World War (WWII), and two Association, which was the owner of the additional private schools were even founded private minority schools and responsible for in 1935 and 1936. However, the parents of their coordination, was founded the same year children enrolled in Danish schools faced the border was revised. Additionally, a public increasing discrimination as Hitler’s Danish school was established, however domination continued, and from 1936 5 | P a g e ECMI- Working Paper # 87 onwards student numbers declined steadily. 1954 provided the Danish Ministry of Foreign After the war all minority schools were Affairs with a welcome opportunity to transformed into private schools under the demand a permanent settlement of the ownership of the Danish School Association.5 minority issue in order to “create a better The first steps after WWII towards atmosphere for the ratification debate” settling the issues around the Danish minority, concerning Germany’s accession in the including education, were made in the Kiel Danish parliament. Pressured in this manner, Declaration, which was issued in 1949 and Germany suggested negotiations which was the first document to formally state that eventually lead to the Bonn-Copenhagen affiliation with a minority is a matter of free declarations.7 Two of the main pillars of the choice and cannot be questioned by the declarations are the right to freely affiliate authorities. Additionally, the declaration also with the minority and the right to establish made statements about the Danish schools, and run cultural institutions, including stipulating that the Danish minority is entitled schools.8 In addition to restating that the to set up its own general and vocational Danish minority may set up their own schools schools as well as childcare facilities, and that, and kindergartens as was mentioned in the parents and guardians can freely decide if Kiel Declaration, the Bonn Declaration states their children are to attend a Danish school.