logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2025
7m 54s

The Danish Empire - without Greenland?

KAY XANDER MELLISH
About this episode

Denmark, as Danes like to tell you, is a little country. But it used to be a much bigger country, a bit of an empire. Norway was once part of Denmark. Iceland was once part of Denmark. The southern half of Sweden and a bit of northern Germany used to be part of Denmark. What is now called the US Virgin Islands used to be part of Denmark.

And Denmark had colonies in Africa and India, which is why when you'll go into many Danish supermarkets – even online supermarkets – you'll see a section called Kolonial, or Colonial.

It features long-life products, like spices and nuts, that used to come from trading posts in the faraway Danish colonies.

Over time, through war losses and independence movements, the Danish Empire shrank…and today we're going to talk about how it might shrink further.

The US has made clear that it wants Greenland to be part of its own territory. Are they serious about this? And what do the Danes think?

 

Up next
Jan 22
Danish Movies and TV as a Guide to Danish Culture
Watching Danish movies and TV shows is a great way to survive the long Danish winter—and if you're learning Danish or trying to understand Danish culture, it's even better. Many films are available online for free. Whatever your taste, there are Danish films for it: Danish film n ... Show More
9m 9s
Dec 3
December: Little Nisse, Big Money: The Danish Year Part 12
The nisse is a centuries-old figure in Danish folklore, and every December these tiny, mischievous spirits take center stage. While Santa Claus makes one big appearance late in the month, the nisse are active the whole season long. With their short stature and bright red hats, ni ... Show More
7m 4s
Nov 22
November Rain and "daylighting" buried rivers: The Danish Year Part 11
<p>November always seems like the rainiest of Danish months, but it isn't, actually. October is. But November feels rainier, because the sky is so grey, and it gets dark so early, and the rain sometimes comes down in little freezing pellets.</p> <p>Denmark is a watery country, no ... Show More
8m 35s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2025
265. Danish Greenland: Eradicating Inuit Culture (Ep 3)
How did the Danish missionary Hans Egede combine capitalism and religion in his colonisation of Greenland in the 1700s? Why have we forgotten about Danish colonialism in India and Greenland? When did Greenlanders gain self-determination? Anita and William discuss how the Danes co ... Show More
40m 33s
Mar 2025
Friendships (Part 3 of 3) - The SWL Culture Guide To Denmark
Things are never quite as scary when you’ve got friends. But what happens if you leave them all behind? Uproot your entire life and move to a new country? To Denmark of all places! Where people are notoriously reserved and will do almost anything to avoid making eye contact with ... Show More
13m 58s
Jul 2019
Faroe Islands (S4.01)
Full shownotes at www.80dayspodcast.com/faroes &#124; Support: www.patreon.com/80dayspodcast &#124; Vote for us at www.podcastawards.com Education category &#124; In this episode of 80 Days: an exploration podcast, we’ll be talking about Faroe Islands, an autonomous group of i ... Show More
2h 7m
Jun 2025
Denmark Should Not be Rich
How does tiny, cold Denmark defy the odds to become one of the richest nations? Despite sky-high taxes and a lack of oil wealth, it boasts free education, universal healthcare, and global giants like Novo Nordisk. Unpack the Nordic model, flexicurity, and explore why high taxes h ... Show More
20m 45s
Jul 2025
Can Greenland go it alone?
Until this year Greenland rarely made the international news and probably only the islanders themselves took much time to contemplate their future. But then US President Donald Trump said he wanted to annexe it for its strategic position and mineral wealth. So the question has be ... Show More
26m 52s
Mar 2025
Greenland
In this special episode of the Reuters World News podcast, we visit Greenland – the Arctic island that usually flies under the radar. But since U.S. President Donald Trump recently revived his desire to buy, or take, the autonomous Danish territory, Greenland is taking center sta ... Show More
23m 13s
Jun 2024
Livias hverdag i Danmark (Beginner - Episode 15)
tail spinning
4m 50s
Jun 2024
Vandreture og vandreruter (Intermediate - Episode 13)
<p>This podcast episode is about hiking - in Denmark. </p><p>I have done a fair share of hiking, but mostly outside Denmark. </p><p>Today, I will, however, be focusing on routes in Denmark and my hiking experiences from Denmark.&nbsp;</p><p>So pack your bags and let’s get going.& ... Show More
9m 26s
Oct 19
610. Nelson: The Battle of Copenhagen (Part 3)
With fears that the powerful Danish fleet would join with the French against the British, what great gamble did Horatio Nelson take? After taking the drastic decision to attack the Danish fleet in their own harbour, what challenges did Nelson and his men face? How did the bloody ... Show More
1h 7m