Federal President Frank Walter Steinmeier and Elke Büdenbender visited the Kingdom of Denmark from 12 to 14 June 2021. The celebrations marking the centenary of the demarcation of the border between Denmark and Germany, which had to be postponed in 2020 due to the COVID 19 pandemic, took place at the site of the Dybbøl redoubts and in Sønderborg.
On the first day of the trip to southern Denmark, the Federal President visited the city of Kolding, which has been a UNESCO Creative City since 2017. At Design School Kolding, he met students and teachers. The evening saw the official start of the visit with a dinner with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
The celebrations took place on the second day of the trip. Queen Margrethe II and the Federal President attended a Danish-German service in Haderslev Cathedral. In Aabenraa, the Federal President and the Prime Minister then visited the Deutsches Gymnasium für Nordschleswig, a bilingual Danish-German grammar school, and met representatives of the German minority. Afterwards, the first part of the celebrations took place at the king’s redoubt
at Dybbøl, in the presence of Queen Margrethe II, the Prime Minister and the German guests. This was followed by the official ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the peaceful demarcation of the Danish-German border in Alsion cultural centre in Sønderborg. The visit ended with a dinner hosted by Queen Margrethe II.
Overview of the programme:
Saturday, 12 June 2021
- Journey to Kolding
- Design School Kolding
Tour of the school and discussion of sustainable design with students and teachers - Hotel Koldingfjord
Official welcome by the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Denmark Mette Frederiksen, followed by dinner together
Sunday, 13 June 2021
- Kolding
Talks with Prime Minister Frederiksen Haderslev, Haderslev Cathedral
Welcome by Queen Margrethe II of the Kingdom of Denmark, Crown Prince Frederik, Prince Christian of Denmark and the mayor of the town of Haderslev, Hans Peter GeilThereafter
Special service in the cathedral- Aabenraa, Deutsches Gymnasium für Nordschleswig (bilingual German-Danish grammar school)
Tour of the school site and presentation of various activities by the German minority in Denmark Sønderborg, Dybbøl redoubts
Ceremony at the Dybbøl redoubtsThereafter, German Museum of Nordschleswig
Tree planting by the Federal President and Queen Margrethe IIThereafter, Alsion cultural centre
Official ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the peaceful demarcation of the German-Danish border- Trip aboard a sloop to the Royal Yacht Dannebrog
Dinner hosted by Queen Margrethe II
Monday, 14 June 2021
- Return flight to Germany