Difficulties with immediate history
The late author and philosopher Villy Sørensen once said that people easily overlook the meaning of their immediate history in their eagerness to investigate and learn about history further back. Contemporary history risks shadowing for important events and cultural features, in that sense the years just before one was born are more difficult to relate to and grasp the meaning of than the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
Danes identify themselves with agriculture
Another reason for the lack of interest or difficulty in understanding industrial culture is that Danes traditionally identify themselves as an agricultural country (photo by Ulrich Schnell). But Danes often forget that the sea has played an important role in Danish history, not only in the Viking Age, but also up in the 20th century as tradesmen and shipbuilders.
The way society is organized today and our perception of many things are in reality due to the industrial age and one of the aims of the “Year of Industrial Culture 2007” will be to overcome this collective oblivion. A vast range of exhibitions, publications, concerts, TV-programs, and activities initiated by Danish museums, universities, industries and other contributors will seek to increase the visibility and awareness of the Danish industrial-cultural heritage.
Industry in Denmark
Industrial culture is often associated with massive factories and smoking chimneys rather than as part of a national identity. Yet experts say that the industrial age has formed us in more ways than we often realize. Any major city in Europe has a goods station, once an important link to the rest of the nation and continent. Another visible sight are industrial centres, just think of the Ruhr district in southern Germany, Denmark doesn’t have large scale industry in the same way as Germany or Poland, nonetheless there are still industrial butchers, large combined heat and power stations (photo of H.C. Ørstedværket, Copenhagen), and traditional factories although most production has been moved to China, India and the former Eastern European countries.
How industry has affected our perspective
We take much for granted that rightly is due to the Industrial Age, for instance the fact that we consider change and growth as being the norm. Yet before the industrial age the norm was to take one’s bearings from the past through old traditions passed down from one generation to the next. Just think of trades, handicrafts, cooking, stories, dances, songs and celebrations that didn’t change much over the centuries. The industrial age brought new conceptions of constant developments and growth that have influenced us more than we generally realize.
We can also thank the industrial age for the way we clearly distinguish time between working hours and leisure time - or as they say in the military, off-duty hours. Now this is changing once again with the advent of cell phones, laptops, possibility of working at home and so on. In an agricultural society work and leisure merged together in farm work.
Also the way in which we socialize with each other on the job and in the private sphere has gradually changed. In contrast to an agricultural society where there is a large degree of interdependence, an industrial society works through many abstract personal relationships. Generally speaking people no longer visit the local butcher or baker, but go to impersonal supermarkets. People move more depending on where there are jobs to be found rather than taking over their parents’ business or creating new jobs in their local community.
The industrial culture brought mass production facilities; work hours dictated by machines and enormous distinctions between rich and poor were certainly not eliminated. In Denmark 
democracy was introduced in 1849 with a constitution. At this time neither poor people, nor women had the right to vote. But slowly with the need for more manpower in the large emerging factories, women started working long hours in the factories and the perspective on women and workers changed. For instance 12,000 women in 1915 marched for the right to vote (photo) and thousands fought for the right to organize themselves in unions. These changes are radical in the sense that now ‘ordinary people’ were regarded as citizens and equal partners in political discussions and decision-making. So the industrial age also brought about changes in the perception of democray.
DI, Danish Industry supports initiative
DI supports the Year of Industrial Culture 2007, not only financially, but also with a number of activities. Besides an updated version of the publication “Industry Museums”, DI is going to launch DVD’s about industrialisation in Denmark. This is done in collaboration with the National Museum and can be used as educational material for the lower secondary grades.
Related article
“Year of Windmills” in Holland, Whats in a windmill?
Ruhr, from land of coal and steel to arts, culture and entrepreneurs, Ruhr District
Related information
Year of Industrial Culture 2007, Link
Danish Industry, DI
Birgit O'Sullivan
- 5. februar 2007