The South Tyroleans and Cimbrians were a little surprised when the ascent to Knivsberg ended after just a hundred metres. "Mountains look a bit different for us", the captain of the South Tyrolean men's team, Martin Ritsch, remarked. Jan Riber Jakobsen, the mayor of the municipality of Apenrade, must have sensed this astonishment and caused some amusement when he welcomed the more than 1,000 guests to the EUROPEADA Culture Day on the "Rocky Mountains of Southern Jutland". The official part also included welcoming speeches from Jasper Andersen, Chairman of the German Youth Association for North Schleswig (DJN), FUEN Vice President Gösta Toft and EUROPEADA Project Manager Ruwen Möller.
Die Toten Hosen in Frisian
The colourful backdrop of 24 different jersey colours made for impressive photo opportunities right from the start in the open-air arena. The first Laola-wave swept through the packed stands even before a word had been spoken or a note played. The five-piece North Schleswig band Sihav kicked off the musical programme with a mixture of rock and pop music and sophisticated lyrics. The atmosphere reached its first boiling point when singer Inken Stamer sang the song "An Tagen wie diesen" by Die Toten Hosen in Frisian.
In contrast to the last Europeada Culture Day in Carinthia in 2022, the 24 participating minorities did not present themselves one after the other on stage, but in a specially erected tent city. There was plenty to taste, hear and see as you strolled around: Cheese from Luserna, pickles from Lusatia, ham from Hungary, vodka from Upper Silesia, pálinka from Romania, wine from Italy, plus plenty of information.
Lots of smiling faces
Small clusters of people gathered in front of the tents to sing and dance. The Slovenians from Italy were warmed up by a trumpet, the Germans from Hungary by a guitar and the Roma from Romania by a DJ who created a party atmosphere that also infected the Ladins in the neighbouring tent. The organisers managed to provide all the guests with delicious hamburgers in two large tents. A total of around 70 volunteers were involved that afternoon.
"It was exactly the mood we wanted: a relaxed atmosphere, lots of smiling faces, the traditional costumes, the colourful and diverse atmosphere," says DJN director Thore Naujeck, who organised the festival together with the Association of German North Schleswig People (BDN). "The players sang their national songs and celebrated themselves."
A mountain with great significance
Knivsberg is not only the cultural centre of the German minority in North Schleswig. It also has great historical significance for the minority. "There isn't a child who has visited the German institutions who doesn't know what Knivsberg is," says Naujeck. Until 1945, the 46 metre high Bismarck Tower stood here, which was blown up by Danish resistance fighters shortly after the end of the war. The history of the Knivsberg Festival, which brings together around 4,000 people every year, dates back to 1893. In 2024, it had to be cancelled due to a storm warning - so the North Schleswig people were all the more pleased to be able to host the Europeada here.
The German minority has existed since the referendum in 1920 and today comprises around 15,000 members out of a total population of 250,000 in North Schleswig. "EUROPEADA strengthens the sense of togetherness in the minority," says Naujeck, who is taking part in the North Schleswig team for the second time.
Final picture with a view of the fjord
An extra stage was set up next to the tents on Wednesday, where some minorities presented themselves musically. The stars of the afternoon were the Sorbs, whose traditional costumes had already caused a stir beforehand. "The atmosphere was at its peak when people danced exuberantly to the Annemarie polka," writes the newspaper Nordschleswiger. Next to the stage, those present were able to test their skills in football darts, bumper ball and other games.
At the very end, the photo motive from the beginning was topped when all the teams settled down on the mountain and made the Laola-wave again. The marvellous view of the sunlit Aabenraa Fjord finally reconciled all those who had expected more mountain air from Knivsberg.
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