Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-05-13
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
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wears since he assembled the throne
under the name of Christian x; his
father. Frederik VIII, had died under
then somewhat obscure circumstances
in Hamburg, so he, as the oldest son,
succeeded him on the throne.
When he was proclaimed king,
from the balcony of Amalienborg
Castle in Copenhagen, Chrlctlan said
briefly in a speech to the throngs
gathered in the castle square:
"a mournful message today affects
all Danes. The King, my dearly be-
loved father, who expected to return
well and strong, has suddenly died.
Profound sorrow has become the lot
of my much beloved mother and of
all those closest to him. Every Dane
participates in that sorrow. A heavy
responsibility has been placed upon
my shoulders, but l hope the same
confidence that was shown my father,
will be shown me, also. Denmark's
happiness, Denmark's freedom and
independence shall be my goal. That
is the heritage which l shall protect,
so help me God. To this all Danish
men and 1 pledge ourselves. God
save and bless our ancient country!
Long live Denmark"
That moment of simple ceremony
will be commemorated in Copen-
hagen-indeed, throughout all Den
mark-on May Is, and elaborate fes-
Invites are being planned for the oc-
caSion.
Christian was to the purple born
although for a time it did seem a
rather remote fact that he was ever to
wear it, for his grandfather, Chris
tian TX, had sat on the throne ever
since 1863-he died in l906-and his
father, Frederik, reigned for six years.
The present Christian was born
on September 26, 1870; he was care
fully trained at court noted for
its sensible frugality and, somewhat
unusual in the careers of destined
monarchs, studied at university,
that of Copenhagen; he was popu-
lar among his fellow students whom
he always admonished to forget that
he was of royal birth-he simply
wanted to be one of them. Having
completed his academic studies he
went through a course of military
training and in due time advanced
to the rank of major-general and
commander of a brigade.
On April 26, 1898, he married
at Cannes - Princess AleXandrine,
daughter of Grand Duke Friedrich
Franz III of Mecklenburg-S chwerin;
he then pursued his military career
and also continued the study of prob
lens of state which some day might
become his to solve.
Finally, on that May day in 1912
he became king, AleXandrine queen,
of Denmark, and it is no exaggera-
ton to say that they have always
since enjoyed an unusual measure of
popularity. While Christian was
merely prince-before his father be-
came king and he himself crown
prince-he had had an opportunity
of becoming acquainted with people
in various parts of Denmark, being
garrisoned in number of cities. He
was praised for being democratic,
easily accessible, perfectly human"
never ostentatiously displayin G
princely rank, never insisting on
whatever prerogatives might have
been his. That praise sounds with
still greater force now, for his peo-
pie know him even better than be-
fore.
&c int {I.0 L.,
and his people can look at in re-
trospect-now, quarter of a CEN
fury after his ascending the throne
One development that characterized
his first year as king was the build
ing of the worlds first Diesel-motor
ships for ocean travel-those owned
by the Danish East Asiatic Steam
ship Company; they were then con-
Sidered a technical and engineering
marvel, and wherever the Danish
colorS were shown on the far seas
of the world, praise was given to the
ingenuity of men who, in spite of
the diminutive size of their country,
had developed such wonders
The year 1914 began peacefully in
Denmark as well as elsewhere; in
April the king mingled jovially with
the veterans of the last Dano-Ger-
man war on the fiftieth anniversary
of the fall of the Dybboel forts, April
ID, 1864, after heroic defense by
the Danish soldiers against a far
superior foe-and a little later the
king and queen paid official visits to
London, Paris, Brussels and The