Andersen, Eirikur Gilstón Corfitz

Jeppesen, Eske Rasmus

Rosenkrands, Tobias Løndorf

The Spanish Civil War broke out on the 17th of July 1936 and the conflict soon became the center of attention for most European states. An estimate suggests that around 500 Danish men took up arms and joined the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War 1936-39. This situation caught the attention of the Danish news media that were divided in their feelings towards the volunteers. In this thesis we’ve analyzed the four Danish newspapers Arbejderbladet (AB), Social-Demokraten (SD), Nationaltidende (NT) and Jyllands-Posten (JP) to find out exactly how they portrayed these Danish volunteers, and why the newspapers were divided between unreserved support or absolute distrust in the volunteers and the organization of them. The portrayal of the volunteers depended totally on the political and ideological orientation of the different newspapers. With a Europe in turmoil and the rising concerns that the continent was heading towards a new major war Danish politicians focused on keeping Denmark neutral. Especially the two right-wing papers NT and JP were in accord with this view. They were mainly concerned with national affairs and were worried that the volunteer’s participation would put the neutrality of Denmark at risk. Meanwhile the communist newspaper AB applauded the volunteers and emphasized their international solidarity with the Spanish workers. According to AB the volunteers served as the militant extension of an ongoing ideological war between communism and fascism. SD was closely connected to the Danish ruling party Socialdemokratiet who took part in signing the law that prohibited volunteers travelling to Spain, and recognized this politically neutral line until the return of the volunteers in 1938 where the papers strong ideological aversion to fascism and solidarity with the working left came out in the open as they praised the war effort of the Danish volunteers.The Spanish Civil War broke out on the 17th of July 1936 and the conflict soon became the center of attention for most European states. An estimate suggests that around 500 Danish men took up arms and joined the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War 1936-39. This situation caught the attention of the Danish news media that were divided in their feelings towards the volunteers. In this thesis we’ve analyzed the four Danish newspapers Arbejderbladet (AB), Social-Demokraten (SD), Nationaltidende (NT) and Jyllands-Posten (JP) to find out exactly how they portrayed these Danish volunteers, and why the newspapers were divided between unreserved support or absolute distrust in the volunteers and the organization of them. The portrayal of the volunteers depended totally on the political and ideological orientation of the different newspapers. With a Europe in turmoil and the rising concerns that the continent was heading towards a new major war Danish politicians focused on keeping Denmark neutral. Especially the two right-wing papers NT and JP were in accord with this view. They were mainly concerned with national affairs and were worried that the volunteer’s participation would put the neutrality of Denmark at risk. Meanwhile the communist newspaper AB applauded the volunteers and emphasized their international solidarity with the Spanish workers. According to AB the volunteers served as the militant extension of an ongoing ideological war between communism and fascism. SD was closely connected to the Danish ruling party Socialdemokratiet who took part in signing the law that prohibited volunteers travelling to Spain, and recognized this politically neutral line until the return of the volunteers in 1938 where the papers strong ideological aversion to fascism and solidarity with the working left came out in the open as they praised the war effort of the Danish volunteers

Helte eller Kanonføde?: Danskere i Den Spanske Borgerkrig

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Roskilde Universitet