Swiss-Danish Diplomacy and Relationship
18 October 2020
Official diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Denmark have existed since 1920. At first glance, however, their history shows little common ground.
As Shakespeare already wrote, Denmark is one of the oldest European monarchies. As far as is known, the Vikings never entered Swiss territory.
Denmark was never part of the Roman, Merovingian, Carolingian, Burgundian or Holy Roman Empires. Its aristocracy played a dominant political and economic role until the nineteenth century.
That country also governs (autonomous) overseas territories, including Greenland. Denmark is a unitary state; it experienced the aggression of its German neighbour (1864 and 1940-1945).
Its geographical location and landscape are also very different. The country is a member of the European Union.
What unites the two countries is their centuries-old commercial spirit, innovative mentality, and scientific interest, their respect for pacta sunt servanda, democracy, and human rights.
The Swiss scholar Alfred de Quervain (1879-1927) travelled to Greenland in 1912 to research glacier- and climate.
The data he collected during his seven-week expedition are important to climate science today. Switzerland is still conducting glacier and climate research in Greenland.
In 1887, Switzerland established an honorary consulate in Copenhagen, which was converted into a Consulate General in 1921, an envoy in 1945, and finally an embassy in 1957.
The Danish chargé d’affaires took up his post in Bern in 1918, and in 1920, the first accredited plenipotentiary 1920 took office.
One hundred years later, Switzerland and Denmark still maintain excellent relations. Even their national flags are similar.