Knight of the Dannebrog. A Socio-Statistical Study

Knight of the Dannebrog. A Socio-Statistical StudyAuthor(s): Helge AndersenSource: Acta Sociologica, Vol. 4, No. 2 (1959), pp. 7-15Published by: Sage Publications, Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4193504 .

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Knight of the Dannebrog. A Socio-Statistical Study

by Helge Andersen

From time immemorial every community has had its social attributes - medals of various descriptions intended to indicate rank and status. Such badges of honour have been of different kinds through the ages, from entire costumes to pinned-on symbols.

Time and again these attributes have been abolished by revolutionary move- ments, but invariably the victorious rebels have subsequently introduced a new kind of attribute. Thus the most recent large-scale revolution, the Russian, has long ago introduced an extensive, thoroughly graduated system of decorations. Moreover, Communist Russia has made a complete innovation in her system of orders and decorations by adopting the rule that the same person may be awarded the same decoration repeatedly. In such cases the recipient simply places several specimens of the same order beside each other on his breast.

So we may as well once for all accept these visible signs of dignity as a pheno- menon deeply rooted in the human mind. People may smile at the decorations, but the fact remains that large sections of the population have dreams and hopes of being among the chosen few, and that those interested frequently make supreme efforts to obtain their wish. This fact alone should be sufficient justification for our considering the institution of orders and decorations as an interesting sociological problem calling for analysis.

It is not the intention here to give an exhaustive account of the sociological structure characterizing the system of orders and decorations, but merely to deal with a number of scattered traits found in the Danish system, on the basis of statistical surveys of the bestowal of decorations.

The programme of the Social Democratic Party contains a clause calling for the abolition of the system of orders and decorations. By virtue of this, the Danish Social Democratic leaders have so far - with a few exceptions - agreed to decline acceptance. One deviation from this course occurred, however, when the Prime

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Minister Th. Stauning interpreted the claim of the Social Democratic Party to mean that an exception was constituted by the Order of Merit ("fortjenstmedal- jen"), which order - in gold - he was immediately afterwards awarded himself.

The Order of the Elephant - either awarded automatically, or unattainable.

The highest Danish order is the Order of the Elephant, which only exists in one class, that of Knight of the Order of the Elephant. It is a fact that either one is born to be a Knight of this order, in which case one will get it at one's confirmation or on another solemn occasion, or it is unattainable.

The exception proves the rule. During the last few generations the King has seen to it that there were one or two exceptions, in the preceding generation H. N. Andersen, the founder of the East Asiatic Company, and in the present, the nuclear physicist Niels Bohr.

The Order of the Elephant is frequently bestowed on foreign princes and presidents; besides, the two great commanders in the Second World War, Mont- gomery and Eisenhower, and Churchill were awarded this order.

The Order of the Elephant can only be bestowed on males, but in very pressing cases this rule may be evaded: thus visiting queens may be awarded, not the Order of the Elephant, but its insignia, which to all intents and purposes amount to the same thing.

The Order of the Dannebrog.

It is not every year that the Order of the Elephant is awarded, so it is natural that interest should centre round the Order of the Dannebrog, which its several classes and degrees may give much pleasure to those concerned. Starting from the lowest rung, here are the divisions:

The Silver Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog ("Dannebrogsmandenes hxderstegn")

Knight of the Dannebrog ("Ridder af Dannebrog") Knight of the Dannebrog, 1st degree ("Ridder af 1. grad af Dannebrog") Knight Commander of the Dannebrog ("Kommand0r af Dannebrog") Knight Commander of the Dannebrog, iste degree ("Kommandor af 1. grad af

Dannebrog") Grand Cross of the Dannebrog ("Storkors af Dannebrog") Grand Cross Commander ("Storkomnuand0r").

To this it should be added that Silver Crosses are no longer awarded, and that ordinary mortals may as well leave out of account the last group, which only comprises the Kings of Norway and Sweden and three Danish princes.

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The numbers in each group appear, from the survey, which divides them into Danes and foreigners. This very division shows the great importance attaching to the system of orders and decorations in official international co-operation. Ob- viusly, the highest and most expensive classes are specially intended as export articles, while the home market is but scantily supplied. On the whole it should be borne in mind that among diplomats, orders and decorations are the most coveted souvenirs. They simply form part of the uniform and the ceremonial.

Who have been awarded the higher classes of the Order of the Dannebrog?

On the basis of the Official Yearbook for 1955 ("Hof- og Statskalenderen"; in no case have we considered the alterations introduced after 1955) we have ascertained what persons and how many have been awarded the various degrees of the Order of the Dannebrog. The result is as follows:

Danes Foreigners Grand Cross Commander .......... ..................... 3 2 Grand Cross .30 333 Knight Commander, 1st degree ........ ................... 142 504 Knight Commander .394 c. 1200 Knights who have previously been awarded the Silver Cross . c. 1000 Knights, 1st degree .............. ...................... 332 160 Knights .c. 5500 c. 2500 Silver Cross ............................................ c. 2200

As already mentioned, the highest degrees are pre-eminently distinctions accorded to foreigners. Thus there are 11 times as many foreign holders of the Grand Cross as there are Danes.

The various professions or occupations of the 30 Danes are as follows:

8 ambassadors and officials in the foreign service 5 judges 3 Court officials 3 administrative chiefs 3 officers 3 chief administrative officers of counties (,,amtma!nd') 2 members of the Royal Family 1 ex-minister I professor 1 businessman.

This distribution is interesting from the point of view that the list shows clearly that it is the group of public servants who are awarded this high decoration. It can hardly be doubted that the highest Government officials are underpaid compared with the corresponding posts in trade and industry, and that this is in some measure

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compensated for through the bestowal of decorations which tend to surround the Government posts with a suitable nimbus of dignity.

A single businessman has been included - the exception that proves the rule viz. Mr. A. P. M0oler, the shipowner.

The majority of the 333 foreigners are ambassadors to Denmark, but there are also a considerable number of foreign Cabinet ministers, foreign presidents, and officials at foreign Courts. A few women are included, thus the former American ambassador Mrs. Anderson.

There is a special refinement in connexion with the Grand Cross, which may be awarded as a pectoral cross with diamonds. This is almost exclusively used in the case of foreigners. Only two of the 30 Danes have been awarded the diamonds, viz. Mr. Bernhot, Lord of the Bedchamber, and Lord Rewentlow, the ambassador.

85 p. c. of all commanders of the 1st degree are public servants.

It is only the selected few who may be awarded the Grand Cross, but even when we move down to Commander of the 1st degree it is surprising to find this class to be completely dominated by public servants. It comprises a total of 142 persons, 121 of whom are public servants, and 6 are ex-ministers, while there are only 15 individuals who can be described as businessmen.

This is a distinction which to a certain extent is conferred on administrative officials for faithful and long service; it is presented to them at or immediately before their resignation.

Here again it is the officials of the Foreign Office who account for a fairish number of the decorations, though the military leads numerically. The professions recurring in the lists ate those of judges, chief administrative officers of counties, professors, heads of ministerial departments, etc.

The comparatively few businessmen who obtain this distinction are in most cases the representatives not only of large-scale enterprises but also of trade organizations. Their slight number emphasizes the fact that even the eminent businessman does not officially rank with the public servant. There is hardly anybody who would maintain that the ratio of competent administrative heads and competent industrial leadets is one of 10: 1 in favour of the public servants.

How, when, and why are decorations awarded?

We have here surveyed the manner in which the decorations are distributed by different professions and occupations. It would be impossible to list the total number of decorations awarded; hence we have confined ourselves to 4 years, 1950-51 and 1953-54. This is not a random selection, but 1952 saw a radical change in the institution of orders and decorations, so that it is of some interest

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to see how this arrangement functions in actual practice. That is why we have chosen a period before and one after. 1954 was not quite normal, the approaching alteration of the rules having delayed a number of awards.

The three X's connected with orders and decorations are, of course, the how, the when, and the why. Let us deal with them in that order in spite of their undoubted internal connexion.

The question how may best be answered by stating that normally awards are dependent on applications. In accordance with ordinary human modesty, the application is drawn up by friends and is written on folded paper, addressed "to the King". The paper need no longer be folded, but formerly this was imperative, and it is still common practice.

It is not every decoration that is awarded on application; occasions may occur on which it is given without an application, in certain situations even spontaneously. It is particularly these acts of spontaneity that appear to most people as one of the most natural and delightful traits of the system. An amusing instance occurred when Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard visited this country. The Prince became so enthusiastic over the famous Danish open sandwiches that he immediately summoned the chef and presented him with one of the decorations of the House of Nassau. It is precisely such awards without application that occur in connexion with official visits.

In connexion with the problem how one question frequently asked is the following: in what circumstances does the presentation itself take place? In certain cases the decoration may be presented by the King or a high official, but as a rule it is simply the democratic way of sending it by post that is resorted to.

When. The system of orders and decoration is a purely Royal prerogative: it is the King, and only the King, who decides about awards and about the time of presentation.

This is not an invariable rule; however, it is avoided as far as possible to bestow decorations as birthday presents. This does not mean that it is never done, but it is against accepted practice. Thus the King personally presented Dr. Vilhelm Andersen, the professor of literature, with a decoration on the occasion of his birthday, but then it is most unusual for the King to go on birthday visits.

Still there exist certain rules which are, however, not even definitive. Thus the recipient of a decoration must normally have attained to a certain age and maturity, probably at least 40 years, apart, of course, from ballet dancers who are usually awarded their decorations at an earlier date, since the ballet is an art whose performers age quickly, and who lead more hectic lives than most other people.

Besides there are some automatic rules; for instance it is tacitly assumed that an assistant secretary in the Civil Service ("kontorchef") is made a Knight a

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couple of years after his appointment. Corresponding unwritten rules apply in other spheres. Thus Mr. Knud Kristensen's Cabinet revived a custom that had been falling into disuse in the course of the Social Democratic administrations extending over many years, viz. that the members of a Cabinet may be awarded decorations after their resignation. As a result Mr. Knud Kristensen, Mr. Hauch and Mr. Halfdan Hendriksen were created Knight Commanders of the 1st degree, while 9 other ministers were made Knight Commanders. This is a custom which has been continued by the later Eriksen Cabinet, only a higher class has been awarded, that of the Grand Cross. In the case of Government officials it is not only to assistant secretaries, but also to professors and other public servants that similar established - or nearly established - rules of awards apply.

Why. There may 'be various reasons for awarding a decoration, but the following statement by Dr. B. S. Kornerup, Historiographer of the institutions of orders and decorations, probably approaches nearest to the point; he writes:

"'The institution of orders and decorations is in Denmark considered a Royal prerogative. It forms an independent institution distinct from the administration. If one traces the development of this institution from the establishment of the Order of the Elephant in late mediaeval times through the new establishments and remodellings of the system introduced by Christian V, Frederic VI, and Fre- deric IX, one will have noticed how each age has endeavoured to make the Orders of the Knights reflect leading ideals in different epochs, and how with altered social conditions the Orders have been intended to serve the purpose which may bc summed up in Frederic VI's classical dictum, that of being "an outer sign of recognized civic worth".

This is undoubtedly a prudent definition, and when one views the problem in terms of sociology, it is highly interesting to note the different uses to which the orders and decorations have been put through the ages. It is noteworthy that our present King has been mentioned among those who have created innovations of the system.

These innovations have been laid down in two ordinances - one dated October 10, 1951, and one March 21, 1952 - under which the Ordcr of the Dannebrog has been entirely reorganized. The first ordinance introduced the equality the women, who henceforth were also eligible for awards. The second ordinance introduced a levelling, the socially inferior group, whose members had till then been presented with the Silver Cross, being now abolished in practice. Prior to 1952 the principal rule had been for subordinate officials and performers of minor public duties, e. g. parish executive officers ("sognefogeder"), rangers, etc., old and deserving workers at the Royal Dockyard ("Holmen"), lifeboatmen, museum attendants and others, to be awarded the Silver Cross, whereas other groups were created Knights in the first instance. This social classification was abolished, probably because it

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was realized that such a division is no longer in harmony with the structure and ideals of society.

Under the new system the first order bestowed is that of Knight. At the same time this has been divided into two degrees, the 1st degree adding a rosette to the ribbon. The Silver Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog has not completely disappeared; now it is termed "the Honorary Badge of the Order of the Danne- brog" ("Dannebrogsordenens hxederstegn") and is only presented in special cases and only to Danish citizens who are already members of the Order of the Dannebrog.

The implications of this re-arrangement appear from the table surveying the awards of the four years; at the same time the occupations and professions tell us why the decorations have been bestowed - civic worth seen against the back- ground of occupation.

Awards 1950 and 1951 1953 and 1954

Silver CrossSivr Kghs holders who Knights Sivros s Knights Knights are Knights Cross 1st degr.

Court and nobility ....... 3 2 - 5 Foreign service .......... 7 15 11 12

Officers ................ 48 76 36 192 N.C.O.'s etc. ............ 21 15 23 Heads of administrative

organs ................ 10 3 - 11 3 Judges ................. 15 13 - 16 17 Chief administr. officers of

counties .............. 2 3 1 Bishops and clergymen . .. 5 32 - 3 25 Educationists .8 40 2 7 59

High police officers ...... 2 19 1 5 37 Higher functionaries of State

Railways, etc. 15 56 2 17 74 Professors .............. 16 32 18 20 Other public servants 25 137 40 151 Independent businessmen

and others ............ 17 84 21 106 Chief physicians and

surgeons.- 20 - - 30 Other professions ........ 17 60 - 20 64 Sea-captains, pilots - 11 - - 18 Mayors .2 5 4 Danes abroad. Danish consuls abroad 9 4 6

Higher functionaries - 8

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Landed proprietors .5..... . - 1 - 7 Farmers ................ 7 35 46 1 87 Smaliholders.- - 1 - 2 Parish executive officers . -- 19 14

Rangers.. - 12 - 4 Harbour-masters ......... 2 Receivers of wreck -.- - - 3 Lifeboatmen ............ - - 9 - 19 Police inspectors ......... - 23 53 Constables.- - 13 - 18 Medium and lower State

functionaries .......... - 1 71 - 39 Museum attendants, etc. - - 62 5 Workers ................ - - 47 - 14 Sailors.- - S5 Clerks, etct. - 18 -.-

Independent retailers 12 1 12 Independent master artisans 1 29 6 - 27 Fishermen .......... . - -5 1 Others ................. 2 5 16 17 26 Artists .6 21 - 7 39 Trade organizations ...... 3 2 - 2 8 Works foremen etc.- S - 17

As repeatedly emphasized, this distribution over the various degrees shows that holders of public posts and situations still have a preferential status. People engaged in trade and industri take up a lower position in respect of decorations.

There is no systematic accounting for the reason why a person is awarded a decoration since, as mentioned, the awards are decided by the King, and no motives are given. Consequently a grouping by occupation and profession is our only guidance.

It should be observed, however, that there exist a special group of awards forming a category apart, viz. trade organizations. Those representatives of trade and industry who are at the head of their organizations are particularly numerous among those decorated, to some extent no doubt as representatives of their trade.

We have made no direct distribution of the decorations by sexes since it is quite natural that the first year in which decorations were open to women should have been characterized by an attempt to make up for lost time. These figures would give a wrong picture. Simultaneously with the admission of women to the system, another innovation was introduced: a special ribbon for women. The pronounced individuality of female dressing being recognized, the austere ribbon has been replaced by a decorative bow, however, in the colours of the Order of the Dannebrog. This means that women Knights have had their free choice of

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the colours of their evening gowns considerably curtailed as it is desirable that the colours should match.

The Order of Merit, "Ingenio et Arti'. Besides the two great orders there are a number of others, the bestowal of

which depends on specific rules. The most important of these is the "Ingenio et Arti" medal which may be awarded in gold, in silver with a clasp, and in silver.

The "Ingenio et Arti" in gold is extremely rarely awarded; there are only about 30 holders. The silver medal may be presented with a clasp, which means that the ribbon is provided with a clasp containing an inscription stating the direct reason for the award; in most cases participation in an arctic expedition. Thus a man like Peter Freuchen had two clasps, one for the Danmark expedition and one for the fifth Thule expedition.

As far as the silver "Ingenio et Arti" is concerned, the new ordinance would appear to have brought about an alteration, so that persons who according to the former rules would have been warded the Silver Cross will now be given the silver medal instead.

As is seen from the name, the "Ingenio et Arti" is an appreciation of artistic achievement, and it is almost exclusively presented to singers, musicians, actors, and dancers.

Finally, there exist a host of various medals belonging partly under the Danish College of Heralds, partly under a ministry. For instance this is true of the "Medal for Noble Feats", the "Medal for Saving Drowning People", a great number of memorial medals, and the honorary badges awarded for meritorious service.

This survey is incomplete unless we conclude by mentioning the most amusing of all decorations, a reminiscence of the past, viz. the Key of the Lord of the Bedchamber, which is worn on the coat-tails and is awarded on a person's being appointed to the office of Lord of the Bedchamber.



Knight of the Dannebrog. A Socio-Statistical Study

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