hidden europe 26

Radishes in Hesselø

by hidden europe

Summary

As long as the radishes grown on Hesselø remain red and white, so shall the island be forever Danish. At least that is the perspective of one of the island's last remaining residents. Hesselø is a little remnant of Denmark that is coveted by Sweden - a rare instance of strife disturbing a Nordic harmony of nations.

The ease with which Denmark allowed Iceland to secede from the kingdom, and the generosity of spirit which most Danes have shown towards Faroese aspirations for selfgoverning nationhood are symbolic aspects of a peculiarly Nordic peace. Outsiders looking at Scandinavia are often seduced into thinking that these are countries where diplomatic voices are simply never raised. But the case of the tiny island of Hesselø reveals that there are occasionally moments when even Scandinavian feathers are ruffled.

This is just an excerpt. The full text of this article is not yet available to members with online access to hidden europe. Of course you can read the full article in the print edition of hidden europe 26.
Related article

Marking Time: New Train Services for 2020

The hidden europe award for ingenuity in creating new European rail travel opportunities is awarded to Austria's state rail operator, Österreichische Bundesbahnen (ÖBB). We look at what ÖBB will offer anew for 2020, and examine too what's new on the rails in Russia, Germany and elsewhere across Europe.

Related article

Sea fever

When one time English poet laureate John Masefield extolled the lure of the ocean ("I must down to the seas again..."), he clearly didn't have Cunard's luxury Queen Elizabeth II ship or the same company's new super liner Queen Mary in mind.