{"id":2157,"date":"2025-12-15T14:20:46","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T13:20:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ledgerly.dk\/?p=2157"},"modified":"2025-12-15T14:20:46","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T13:20:46","slug":"greenlands-history-a-brief-summary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ledgerly.dk\/en\/greenlands-history-a-brief-summary\/","title":{"rendered":"Greenland's History \u2013 A Brief Summary"},"content":{"rendered":"

Self-Government \u2013 Home Rule \u2013 The Kingdom of Denmark<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1721, the Danish-Norwegian priest\u202f<\/span>Hans Egede<\/span><\/b>\u202farrived in Greenland. His mission was to convert the Inuit (the Indigenous population) to Christianity. Later, the Danes also sought to profit from fisheries and whaling.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1933, the\u202f<\/span>International Court of Justice in The Hague<\/span><\/b>\u202fgranted Denmark authority over Northeast Greenland in a case brought by Norway, which claimed sovereignty over East Greenland. The conflict arose because Norwegian hunters increasingly used the area during the summers in the late 19th century.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Until 1853, anyone wishing to enter the inhabited parts of Greenland had to apply for permission from the Danish state, which was difficult to obtain unless the applicant had an approved purpose. Hunting was usually not considered sufficient.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A\u202f<\/span>1924 agreement<\/span><\/b>\u202fbetween Denmark and Norway gave Norwegians the right to hunt in uninhabited areas, build cabins, and operate weather and radio stations. The countries agreed, however, that the question of sovereignty over East Greenland remained unresolved.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1933, the court ruled in Denmark's favour and concluded that the Norwegian occupations were illegal and invalid. Norway recognised Denmark's sovereignty over all of Greenland, but was allowed to continue activities under the 1924 agreement until 1959.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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World War II and Changing Governance<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During the Second World War, contact between Denmark and Greenland was cut off. The governors\u202f<\/span>Eske Brun (1904\u20131987)<\/span><\/b>\u202fand\u202f<\/span>Aksel Svane (1898\u20131991)<\/span><\/b>\u202fassumed administrative control to maintain Greenland as Danish territory. They also entered into an agreement with the\u202f<\/span>United States<\/span><\/b>\u202fregarding the protection and supply of Greenland.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After the war, Denmark signed the\u202f<\/span>UN Charter<\/span><\/b>, committing itself to improving conditions in its colonies. The following year, Denmark formally registered Greenland as a colony with the UN.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Modernisation and the G50 Reforms<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u202f<\/span>Greenland Commission<\/span><\/b>\u202fproposed a series of social, political, and economic reforms for Greenland. These proposals, known as the\u202f<\/span>G50 Plan<\/span><\/b>, were adopted and marked the beginning of large-scale modernisation. The goal was to bring Greenlandic society closer to Danish standards. Fishing was to replace hunting as the main occupation, and the population was encouraged to move to towns near newly built fishing facilities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Birthplace Criterion<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u202f<\/span>birthplace criterion<\/span><\/b>, Introduced in 1964, this system governed the salaries of state employees in Greenland. People born in Greenland\u2014or living permanently there before the age of five\u2014received lower wages and poorer conditions regarding housing, travel, and benefits than Danes sent from Denmark. The motivation was to avoid large wage gaps and to protect the competitiveness of private Greenlandic businesses.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the system became politically controversial. After Home Rule was established in 1979, the Greenlandic government administered the system until it was abolished for wages in 1989 and for other employment conditions in 1991.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Closure of Qullissat<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The coal-mining town\u202f<\/span>Qullissat<\/span><\/b>, one of Greenland\u2019s largest towns at the time, was closed when the state-run mine was deemed unprofitable. The decision was made jointly by the\u202f<\/span>Danish Parliament<\/span><\/b>\u202fand the\u202f<\/span>Greenland Provincial Council<\/span><\/b>\u202f(the pre-Home Rule council). At the time of evacuation, the town had more than 1,000 residents. Supplies were discontinued, and residents were offered housing elsewhere.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Qullissat was known for its active labour movement, which advocated for miners\u2019 rights, and for its vibrant cultural life. The music genre\u202f<\/span>Vaigat music<\/span><\/b>\u202foriginated there.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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EC Membership and the Path Toward Home Rule<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Greenland became a member of the\u202f<\/span>European Community (EC)<\/span><\/b>\u202ftogether with Denmark, even though a majority in Greenland opposed membership.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u202f<\/span>Danish-Greenlandic Home Rule Commission<\/span><\/b>\u202fwas established after Home Rule had first been discussed in a purely Greenlandic committee (1971\u20131975). In Narsaq in 1976, a new tradition called\u202f<\/span>Aasivik<\/span><\/b>\u202femerged\u2014summer gatherings where young Greenlanders discussed politics and Greenlandic identity.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The 1977 Aasivik meeting resulted in a joint statement demanding recognition of the Greenlandic people. One of the founders was\u202f<\/span>Aqqaluk Lynge<\/span><\/b>, who later became the first chairman of the political party\u202f<\/span>Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA).<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The First Political Parties<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The first Greenlandic parties were formed around this time:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n