international living

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Guldagergaard
- ceramics in many languages
From Kiev to Korsør
- living the dream
The Minipig
- an international bestseller
NO 4 | 2014
Welfare steaks with eco labelit`s all about attitude
THEME:
INTERNATIONAL
LIVING
Ceramic research centre on the world map
06
The minipig – an international hit
10
Slagelse is a perfect hit
14
Danish is for everyone
20
Welfare steaks with Eco label
28
LEDER: Stén Knuth
– visited by top artists from around the globe
Outside the city of Slagelse, you can still see the large ramparts which
encircled what was once the Viking fortress of Trelleborg more than a
thousand years ago. Contrary to common belief, research shows that
many of the warriors who manned the castle actually had ethnic roots
outside of Denmark.
Today, the place is no longer visited by warriors, but people from all over
the world still come here to work and study. Amongst others, artists
flock to the international ceramic
research centre,
Guldagergaard, and at Gerlev Sports Academy you can meet students of
both Chinese and Polish descent. And that’s just a few examples.
We still need inspiration from abroad
SLAGELSE.NU
Publiced by: Slagelse Kommune
Editor:
Slagelse Kommune
Center for Plan og Byg
Tlf.: 58 57 90 92
plan@slagelse.dk
Writers:
Lene Augustsen, CRELA Kommunikation
René Madsen, Slagelse Kommune
Sabrina Spangsdorf, Slagelse Kommune
Christina Kabel Kommunikation & PR ApS
Layout:
Ole Lund Sørensen, Slagelse Kommune
Ulla Otbo, Slagelse Kommune
Fotos and illustrations:
Evan Hemmingsen, Evan Foto
Colourbox
Slagelse Kommune
We have lots to offer in our municipality, too. We have great schools and
first-class childcare. You can live in the forest or by the beach, or in the
lively city with its thriving cultural and athletic life and several theatres,
cinemas and sports clubs. And both the railway and the highway cut
right through our municipality, which is situated in the heart of Denmark
– close to both Copenhagen and the island of Funen.
– world leading suppliers of minipigs for the pharma industry
– Romas chose Slagelse for his bachelor’s degree
– Slagelse Language Centre has 440 cource participants from 65 nations
A thousand years ago Trelleborg was centrally located as well. Hence the
Danish king Harald Blue Tooth’s need of a castle in Slagelse. Nowadays
we don’t need to attract warriors to man Trelleborg, but our businesses
and educational institutions still need people from around the world
to come here and share their knowledge and skills with us. The Vikings
needed this a thousand years ago – and we still do today.
Mayor Stén Knuth
– the sustainable and eco-friendly mindset
The city of Korsør is a long way
from Ukraine
Close to the train, only two minutes from the
ocean, and a large house with room for four
children. The Nikitin family from Ukraine chose Korsør simply because it’s so nice there.
Alice and Andrii Nikitin met when they were
both studying software development at the
University of Kiev. Even though Andrii landed a good job after his studies, he dreamt of
better living conditions and more interesting
projects. Hence, he looked for work outside
Ukraine and, during a recruitment event in
his home country he was offered a position
with Microsoft in Denmark.
- When I told my boss about it at the time,
he offered to relocate me to their department in Nærum. That way I was able to
stay with the same company, get new challenges and better working and living conditions, and I was able to bring my family
with me to Denmark, he says.
From Kiev to Korsør
The family moved to Denmark in 2008
and lived in Vedbæk close to the capital
at the beginning.
- It was expensive, but comfortable
to be living so close to Copenhagen.
We thought there would be other
foreigners, so we wouldn’t stand out
so much, explains Alice.
But as the family grew, they began to
dream of having a large house with
a large yard and of owning their
own home. They started to look for
houses, but it took a long time before
they decided on Korsør.
- Once we discovered Korsør, it was
very obvious that this was where we
wanted to live. Copenhagen is only a
short train ride away, so back then it
was a good fit with my work. Today I
work from home, says Andrii.
- And the beach is only two minutes
away. In Ukraine, it was “only” six
hours by car if we wanted to go to
the beach, explains Alice, who says
that the children, nine-year-old Ivan,
seven-year-old Arthem, four-yearold Solomia and one-year-old Zoe,
have benefited in particular.
No walls around the back yard
Alice and Andrii say that they have
been met with a very open and free
country. They describe the Danes’ inner sense of freedom, which is very
special.
- We’re happy to have our own house
in Denmark, but it took us a little
while to get used to the openness
here. In Ukraine people don’t have
open back gardens, but rather large
walls surrounding the back gardens.
We’re probably a bit more reserved.
Danish people are generally more liberated and don’t have quite the same
need to withdraw from others, explains Alice, who definitely sees it as something positive, but to which she is
unaccustomed.
The Nikitin family also met this
openness in a family-to-family project organised by Slagelse Municipality, which they quickly joined. This
gave them an opportunity to meet
others and they have had some great
experiences through their network
with other families and children.
- It’s a good project that has given us
a strong network and some fantastic
experiences – especially for the kids,
who have made new friends, says
Andrii.
Room for the children
Naturally, the four children take up
much of the family’s time on a dayto-day basis. And this is another
thing that’s so great about Denmark,
because no matter where they bring
their children, there always seems to
be enough room for them.
- It makes it so much easier to have
children when they are considered
in restaurants, at swimming pools
and the library. The kids are so much
more visible here and people want
good conditions for them. We also
see that the kids have more free-
dom when they play in Danish nurseries – their day is not as controlled
by adults. School is totally different,
too. In Ukraine, schools are very
strict, the days are long and the kids
have many hours of homework every
night. Therefore most kids get tired
of school early on, but it’s definitely
not like that here, says Alice, who
compares her children with those of
her sister.
- From an academic point of view there’s no difference, but my boys love their
school and that’s so great, she says.
Korsør may be a long way from Ukraine, but Alice, Andrii and their four
children have become experts in making the most of both cultures. Korsør has room for everyone and this is
where their family feels at home.
04-05
Ceramic research centre
on the world map
We want to create an international ceramic power centre. That was the exact wording of the vision for Project “Guldagergaard”. A vision that has
now been entirely fulfilled, but is still thriving in
the daily operation and development of Guldagergaard - International Ceramic Research Centre in
Skælskør.
Every year, 150 artists from all over the world descend
upon the beautiful Guldagergaard. Guldagergaard offers
a sense of peace and quiet so the artists can immerse
themselves, seek inspiration for new works of art, make
new friends and conduct in-depth research within ceramic
artware.
Guldagergaard is an international ceramic power centre;
in fact, it’s one of the leading centres in the world.
- We love the local support and our beautiful surroundings,
but we work on an international basis and think from an
international perspective. And I believe that’s very, very
important. If we don’t aim at being amongst the top three
centres in the world all the time, we will lose our justification. Guldagergaard was created for that purpose and
it remains our purpose, explains Mette Blum Marcher, Director of Guldagergaard - International Ceramic Research
Centre.
Un-Danish and uncompromising
en periode,
så kan du også se det på lønnen. Og så kan jeg godt
The idea of creating an international ceramic
reArbejde for to bliver
belønnet
lide
friheden,
at jeg selv kan planlægge min dag, når jeg bare er
search centre originated from a classic Danish
Nicolai tog elinstallatør
uddannelsen
oven
i
IBI
specialet
og
færdig
til
deadline.
Men det allerbedste ved at være selvstængrassroots movement with some very strong-wili marts startede han
så
firmaet
Controel,
som
især
rådgiver
dig
er,
at
du
kan
løse
en opgave på den måde, som du synes er
led female ceramic artists at the helm. They sucelektrikerfirmaer om
projekteringen
af IBI
laver detaljerede
bedst.
ceeded
in realising
theogdream
and established
a Det synes jeg er utroligt rart!
planer og forslag.self-governing
Bl.a. til en heltinstitution,
ny nulenergiskole
i
Haslev,
which is now run by the
som bliver proppetresearch
med IBI centre.
udstyr.
Blogs, messer og alt det andet
- Branchen er blevet
taget
lidt
på
sengen
med
alle
de
nye
mu- These great women are all skilled artists,Sammen
and med CVR nummeret er der også fulgt en masse admiGuldagergaard
ligheder, og der ereven
ikke ret
mange
erwere
specialiseret
nistrative opgaver,
som godt kan være svære at skulle klare ved
back
thensom
they
workingi atatlave
an internaden her slags ting.tional
Og samtidigt
koster
de
enkelte
komponensiden
af
det
”almindelige”
the artists payarbejde.
for accommodation, all meals and
level. Hence, it was natural for them to think
ter som man bruger
til
IBI
mange
penge,
og
så
er
det
kun
riDet
er
så
ulempen ved
være selvstændig
– når –duand
kommaterials
and at
electricity
for the firings
Daoutside of Denmark. The breakdown of the natiomeligt at kunden får
mest
muligt
ud
af
dem,
forklarer
Nicolai.
mer
træt
hjem
efter
en
intensiv
40
timers
arbejdsuge
hos
nish electricity prices aren’t exactly cheap. en
We
nalities that we accept has always been 80% from
Livet som succesfuld
selvstændig
givetDenmark
lange arbejdsuger
ogsåcompete
lige burdepricewise
skrive et blogindlæg,
planlægge
with other centres,
soen
we
abroad
and 20%har
from
and only thekunde
best og såcan’t
indtil nu, men detget
er ok
mener
Nicolai.
messe,
rette
tekster
til
på
hjemmesiden,
bogføre
og
følge
op
på
have to offer something different and very attracin, which in itself is rather un-Danish, but also
- Jeg kan godt lide,
at der er
en meget
direkte to
belønning
for et tilbud…,
fortæller
han.
tive,
which,
thankfully, we’ve managed to do so far
a crucial
factor
with regard
Guldagergaard’s
inarbejdsindsatsen som
selvstændig
–
at
når
du
arbejder
for
to
i
Men
faktisk
er
det
allersværeste,
at man
står alene
beslutand hopefully our global
success
will med
provide
a loternational success. You can only achieve the kind
ningerne
ansvaret
mindre
firma.
benefit,i etsays
Mette
with a smile.
of recognition that this place has enjoyed over
the ogcal
- Selv
past 15 years if you are uncompromising with
re-når du får ansatte er det stadigt dig, som har ansvaret. Dig
der
skal tage de store beslutninger for firmaet, forklarer Nicolai.
gard to your strategies, explains Mette.
Guldagergaard
Derfor er han flyttet
ind på Vækstfabrikken i Slagelse. Det er
et avanceret kontorfælleskab
iværksættere
og mindre
Only 2½ hours from London
Guldagergaardmed
was26
originally
a family
farm with
virksomheder,
som
Slagelse
Kommune,
EU
og
Væksthus
Sjæl- The
Keeping Guldagergaard amongst the international
an associated fruit orchard and tulip fields.
land
står
bag.
family lived on the farm up until 1900, when the
elite does require constant focus, however. Hence,
Detsebetyder at alle
bl.a. får entook
vækstkonsulent
tilknyttet
firmaet
municipality
over the buildings
and
the land.
Mette constantly works across the borders. She
ogand
der er forskellige
gratis
i altGuldagergaard
fra regnskaber,– tilInternatiomareks exhibition agreements throughout Europe
In 1997,
thekurser
current
kedsføring
og
ideudvikling.
nal
Ceramic
Research
Centre
was
established.
ensures that all the research centre’s results are
- Og så synes jeg
også,are
at det
giversimilar
en godcentres
signalværdi
at være and
communicated internationally.
There
seven
worldwide
vækstfabrikant.
Det
viser
at
du
vil
noget
med
dit
firma,
at detthree
Guldagergaard is rated amongst the top
- We usually say that we’re located 2½ hours from
ikke bare er noget
du recognised
sidder og putter
med derhjemme!
most
centres.
Guldagergaard is loLondon. Actually, artists from most of Europe
cated
in
Guldager
City
Park
in Skælskør, which is
come here – even for just a couple of hours – and
open
to
the
public.
The
park
contains an old maHer
er
nogen
at
spille
bold
med
then go back home. In that way we’re centrally lonor
garden
with
rare
trees
and
plants, and several
Det
er
vidt
forskellige
firmaer
som
bor
på
Vækstfabrikken,
- it
cated in Denmark with a good infrastructure and
ceramic
artworks
by
recognised
Danish
and
specialister, arbejdsmiljørådgiver, bogholdere m.m. og det erintera large airport. Art moves all the time, you know,
en fordel. national artists are exhibited in the park.
so we can’t just lean back and say that we’re kun
doing
- Dettogiver både ”kollegaer”, nogle andre selvstændige at spille
okay. Denmark is a relatively expensive country
bold op mod. Og så er det da fantastisk at sidde og grille med
visit and we are the only centre in the world where
Read more
erhvervsfolk en fredag eftermiddag og få nye
users have to pay for their stays. This meanskommunens
that
input der (Vækstfabrikken deler adresse med Center for Er-
WWW
Mette Blum Marcher
06-07
30-31
For the second time, she has made
the trip from Belfast, Ireland to
Guldagergaard in Skælskør. The
last time she did it as a research
assistant. This time around, the focus is on her own art.
Rhiannon Ewing-James is 24 years
old and already recognised for her
work, which combines ceramics and
plastic.
Rhiannon Ewing-James
From Belfast to Skælskør
How did you hear about Guldagergaard?
From a professor at Belfast School of Art
at the University of Ulster, where I was
studying contemporary applied arts.
And Guldagergaard is simply the place.
Anyone with an interest in ceramics
knows Guldagergaard, and most people
dream of staying here. In my case, my
first visit made me want to come back. I
kept feeling that I needed to come back,
so it’s great that it’s actually happened.
What makes this place so special?
The whole atmosphere surrounding
the place. It’s a very international environment that I don’t think you’ll find in
many other places. It provides a fantastic network for living and working with
other artists for an extended period of
time. We each work with our own projects, but we inspire each other. For me
personally, Guldagergaard has opened
up a new world and I’ve discovered the
many opportunities that are available
out there with regard to my work.
What is your impression of Denmark?
Right off the cuff, I’d say it’s a beautiful
country. Last time I was here I didn’t get
a chance to see much. This time I’m going to be here for quite a while, so I’m
hoping to get around more. I’m also going to attend language classes and get a
degree in Danish, and I’m really looking
forward to that. I believe that Denmark
has a lot to offer and I’m definitely going
to try to experience as much as possible
while I’m here.
08-09
06-07
The Minipig is an international hit
The story about Ellegaard Göttingen Minipigs is an exceptional story about a regular pig farm that grew into one of the
world’s leading suppliers of Mini pigs for
the pharmaceutical industry.
It’s wonderful in the countryside, approximately 15 kilometres from Slagelse, where Jens
Ellegaard is the fifth generation on the family
farm. It’s a quiet and peaceful area very close
to nature. Not necessarily a place you would
associate with an international business. But
that’s exactly what it is.
Since 1992 Lars Ellegaard, and later Jens Ellegaard, have worked hard to develop the
family business into one of the strongest in
the production of Mini pigs and they currently deliver to a large part of the world.
- My dad, Lars Ellegaard, produced SPF
pigs and was approached by Novo Nordisk in the 1970s. They wanted to use the
SPF pigs in their diabetes research – later on they wanted Mini pigs. Naturally,
that made us curious and we started to
investigate the market, explains Jens,
now the CEO of Ellegaard Göttingen
Minipigs.
Jens Ellegaard
Fakta om Ellegaard Göttingen Minipigs
Had to learn a new professional language
However, it turned out that moving from traditional farming to the pharmaceutical industry and the world of research wasn’t that easy.
- We suddenly had to learn an entirely new professional
language and we quickly learned that there was a large
gap in the background knowledge with regard to pigs as
research animals. There is a great tradition of using monkeys and dogs for research, which is why there’s a lot of
material about this that maps out their physics, anatomy
and physiology, which is very important for research. So,
we started from the bottom and established a good partnership with a number of researchers who helped us map
the Mini pigs, explains Jens.
The mini pigs are produced in collaboration with
Georg-August-University in Göttingen, which manages the breeding work and genetics.
Quality, animal welfare, respect and collaboration
are the values on which Ellegaard Göttingen Minipigs build their business.
Animal welfare plays an important part in production. Good animal welfare produces good research
results, so that is a must. The pigs also have daily
contact with humans and are trained so that they
are easier to handle for researchers.
Moved to the United States
The partnership with the researchers and the universities
is still an important part of the company’s business foundation, which has also made it easier to focus on exports.
- There is simply a natural international vision in research
and we brought that into our production. We delivered
most of it to Europe, from the initial mini pig production,
and, over time, we began to look at the United States as
well.
Therefore Jens travelled to the United States in 2001 to
establish a partnership with Marshall BioResources in the
production of test pigs, and the first breeding group of
mini pigs was flown to the United States in 2003.
- Marshall BioResources were breeding dogs for research,
so they were familiar with the industry. They wanted to
breed mini pigs under license for us, but they wanted me
to be part of the agreement, so I spent three exciting years with Marshall together with my wife, he says.
10-11
Go west
The right partners
However, the United States was not the only new exporting adventure, because in 2010 the mini pigs began to
gain footing in Japan, and three years later Oriental Yeast
Co. started to breed mini pigs for the Japanese market.
- When the transportation time is long, it is definitely
preferable to breed the pigs locally, but it requires that
we find the right partners. Most recently, we have succeeded in finding a local distributor in Korea, so pigs are
now being flown from Denmark for delivery to the end
users, explains Jens Ellegaard.
Great international understanding
The international vision that characterises Ellegaard Göttingen Minipigs has also meant that the US ambassador
to Denmark at the time, Laurie Susan Fulton, visited the
company.
- Of course I’m thrilled that people have us in mind when
the focus is on international business in the area. The
meeting with the ambassador was an exciting experience
and we had a good conversation about our production in
the United States. I was also invited to a private view at
Guldagergaard (sic: international ceramic research centre). On that occasion I met the Japanese cultural attaché
and was naturally able to talk about Japan and our work
there. We generally have a great international understanding and I feel that that is important if you want to export. It also requires a thorough knowledge of the market
and any partners. You need to take the time it takes and
then be very sure that you want to appear on the market,
advises Jens, who is currently contemplating China and
perhaps India or South America as new export markets.
The small pigs from Denmark have certainly become an
international success, and primary production will continue to take place in the company close to the family farm
just outside Slagelse.
Foto: Evan
Foto: Hans
Foto: Hans
Trier
Foto: Evan
Hemmings
Hemmings
en
Trier
en
VIDEO:
Minipigs
12-13
For the past three years, 22-year-old Romas Steponaitis from Lithuania has been studying for his
bachelor’s degree at the University of Southern
Denmark in Slagelse. It has resulted in a French
girlfriend, visits to exciting companies in con-
Slag
nection with his instruction and an outdoor life
almost like back home.
else
erfe
is a p
ct fit
Romas
Romas’ studies for an English-language bachelor’s
degree in finance and IT at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) in Slagelse are well underway,
and the 22-year-old lad from Lithuania is happy that
the combination is offered only in Slagelse – not in
Copenhagen.
- I’m not a city person. Back home in Lithuania I
grew up in a small town where we were self-sufficient in most things, and once a month we’d go to the
big city to buy things that we couldn’t make ourselves. So Slagelse is a good fit for me. There are plenty
of opportunities for picking mushrooms and fishing
and outdoorsy stuff like that, which I love. And the
cost of living is quite different than in the capital,
explains Romas.
It’s been almost three years since he came to Slagelse
for the first time and was met by Roman – another
international SDU student – at the train station. He
was an “academic advisor”, a job that Romas has now
taken over, so he was the one welcoming new international students and helping them get settled this
autumn.
The house that no one wants to leave
SDU also arranged for accommodation in a large
house on Lillevang Street, which acts as a mini SDU
dorm with two Danish and seven international students.
- It’s a great house – none of us ever wants to leave.
There’s always someone to talk to, to have a cup of
tea with in the kitchen when you come home. And
someone to watch football with, and when we do go
out once in a blue moon, we usually go to a pub with
the other eight, says Romas.
It was also in this house that he met his girlfriend,
Pauline, from France, who was studying finance in
Slagelse. She has gone back home to do a PhD, but
she plans to come back. Romas, too, would like to
stay once he finishes his master’s degree.
- I’d like to work here for at least six to eight years
afterwards. People care about the environment here,
too. If you catch a fish that’s too small, you put it
back in. And people are friendly. You can ask anyone
for directions and they’ll help you. That’s not always
the case elsewhere, explains Romas, who has worked
in places like London to earn money for his studies.
Working with the right companies
But one of the best parts is the student environment
in Slagelse.
- You’re on a first name basis with your professors
and they see you as an equal person. You won’t see
that in Lithuania, where professors are not nearly so
egalitarian. We also had endless amounts of dry theory back home and exams every week to check that
we had read everything. In Denmark, the instruction
is based on the fact that we’re adults who can take
responsibility. We also work with the right business
case studies, says Romas.
One of his professors at the University of Southern
Denmark works as a programmer for Nordea on the
side and another professor is a manager at Legoland,
which makes the instruction more lively and hands-on.
- That’s one of the reasons why a Danish master’s
looks better on a CV than one from Lithuania, if one
day I decide to go somewhere else in Europe, says
Romas.
24-25
14-15
As a very small dot on a big world map, it may be hard to see Slagelse Municipality as an international player in the world of sports.
However, the fact is that the area offers many great opportunities
for sports with an international dimension.
23-year-old Veronica Julinkova has seized
one of those opportunities and left the
Czech Republic to attend Gerlev Sports
College, where she is spending four
months developing her dance skills, getting to know others and discovering how
a stay at a Danish college might help her
career.
- In the Czech Republic we don’t have this
type of school at all, so it’s totally different, but really exciting. I had a chance
to go to Denmark as part of my studies.
I’m taking Management of Travel Trade
and Sports, and the sports faculty work
together with Gerlev Sports College so
that we can experience an exchange stay.
When I heard about it I decided right
away that I wanted to go and luckily my
application was accepted, says Veronica,
who used to dance a lot and hence chose
dance as a specialised subject.
Local sport with an
international vision
Developing social skills as well
She describes her first introduction to
Denmark and the Danish tradition of
higher education as interesting and somewhat challenging. The close relationship with the other students can be
somewhat intrusive at times.
- I’m a private person, so I’ve had to get
Veronica Julinkova
used to being together all the time. The
first couple of days there were many joint
physical exercises that brought you close
to others. So I decided to just go with the
flow and develop my social skills along
the way. I think Danes find it somewhat
easier to be physically close to others.
Maybe it’s more part of your culture.
Otherwise it’s been great to be in Denmark so far, even though I’ve spent most
of my time at the school. I’m definitely
happy that I got this chance and I’m enjoying it here, says Veronica.
Training with an international aspect
Michael Kjeldsen knows better than anyone the importance of international
partnerships for young athletes. He is
one of the country’s most distinctive and
visionary badminton coaches and has
helped several top Danish players achieve international medals. He now runs an
international badminton academy, the
Badminton Academy, alongside his work
as the director of Team Skælskør-Slagelse
Municipality.
- At Team Skælskør-Slagelse Municipality,
we work strategically at developing the
local talents. That is our strategy and the
conditions are very unique and allow the
Michael Kjeldsen
talents to thrive. On the other hand, we
also see that once they get to a certain
level, it’s important that the training has
an international aspect as well. Therefore
we make sure that they attend international competitions and we offer them
training twice a week at the Badminton
Academy, he explains.
Slightly better
The Badminton Academy was the first of
its kind in the world when Michael founded it 15 years ago. Today there are many
more, but the Badminton Academy continues to be the largest of its kind and the
academy boasts the best players outside
of Asia.
16-17
Gerlev Sports College
- When we started working with Team
Skælskør-Slagelse Municipality, it was
part of the strategy right from the start
that we wanted to give the players international training through the Academy
and it has definitely had the effect we
wanted. It allows them to train with players from other countries, which helps
prepare them for international competitions and the playing style of other countries. The international focus helps them
develop and get slightly better than their
opponents, he says.
Strengthening education
At Gerlev Sports Academy, Veronica appreciates the cross-border collaboration
which gave her the opportunity to come
to Denmark. Because it helped to add a
totally different emphasis to her studies.
- Of course it matters that I did an international exchange programme in sports.
It just adds an extra dimension to the
education. Being with so many different
nationalities also helps me gain lots of
experience from other cultures, which
I wouldn’t have got otherwise, Veronica
says.
Works hard to develop partnerships with universities from other
countries.
During an academic year, the college hosts up to 90 students from
10 different countries, including the UK, Norway, the Czech Republic,
Iceland, Poland, the United States, Germany, Korea, China and Brazil –
however, the majority of students are still Danish.
www.gerlev.dk
You are welcome to visit previous
editions of Slagelse.nu
( all in Danish )
WWW
Sports with an international focus
Slagelse Municipality has many different organisations, clubs and
schools that offer sport with an international focus, e.g. in swimming,
water polo, gymnastics, acrobatics, football, dance, golf, badminton,
tennis and horseback riding.
Team Skælskør Slagelse Municipality Elite Power Centre
Dansk Badminton Forbund (DBF – Danish Badminton Association) and
Team Skælskør-Slagelse Municipality decided to partner up on an elite
power centre. The purpose of the elite power centre is to offer ambitious players between the ages of 11 and 21 the optimal training environment by focusing on the individual development of each player.
www.tssbadminton.dk
WWW
18-19
Margot Hansen
The Danish language is for everyone
Fakta om Slagelse Language Centre
Slagelse Language Centre is located at 18 Sct. Pedersgade, Slagelse
At Slagelse Language Centre, everyone can learn Danish. The focus is not on educational background,
nationality or why people are in Denmark.
It’s simply about getting better at Danish.
Right now Slagelse Language Centre has 440 course participants from 65 nations. The participants have different educational backgrounds and circumstances, which Principal Margot
Hansen and her colleagues handle to the best of their ability.
- We have all types of students. People who are illiterate and
highly educated, European employees, refugees and immigrants. They all have in common that they want to learn the
Danish language or improve their command of it. We help
them to achieve that based on their individual situation, explains Margot.
The instruction at Slagelse Language Centre is organised in a
way that allows everyone to participate. Instruction is offered during the day, in the evenings or at weekends, so that
students can combine the language course with their studies,
work and family lives.
Different circumstances
The training courses at the language centre are courses approved by the Danish government and are offered at three
levels with the aim of receiving the offer of a job at the end. All
training is divided into modules and all modules are completed
with a final exam.
- For our students, the exams are an important motivational factor and a good management tool for our teachers. All
course participants have individual circumstances for learning
and we take that into consideration. There’s a big difference
between having no schooling at all and being highly educated
back in the home country and speaking several different languages already. No matter who you are and how different you
Courses offered:
Danish1: for students with no schooling
Danish2: for students with limited schooling in their home
country
Danish3: for students with medium to long schooling
Other offerings: Preparatory Course for Adults (FVU) in reading and math, Danish with a focus on the job market, etc.
Courses are offered during the day, in the evenings, as weekend courses or as e-learning.
are, we will find the right teaching model at one of our 18 different levels, explains Margot.
Cross-disciplinary collaboration
Slagelse Language Centre collaborates with the business
community, the Job Centre and educational institutions in
several contexts. And Margot emphasises the importance of
the Language Centre being part of this partnership, so that
language barriers do not prohibit anyone from getting an education or a job.
- If you would like to start training within a certain trade, but
simply don’t have the academic skills in, e.g. math, we will plan
the teaching so that the instruction is in Danish, but the focus
is on math and math terms. We also help educational institutions to offer Danish as a second language as an elective. That
has been a great success, amongst others within the training
of social and healthcare workers. We are generally very focused on being market oriented in our instruction, and we support our students in reaching their goals so that they can move
on in their education, and we can help make things easier for
them at work on a daily basis. We also offer on-site courses for
companies if they have a group of foreign employees who can
be taught together, she says.
The facilitators are more than teachers
- We are here for anyone who wants or needs to learn Danish and we have a multitude of nationalities. Each student
has their own personal story and different strengths. Hence
we always take for our starting point the fact that everyone
is here to learn Danish. Our facilitators are crucial to the
quality of our courses. Hence, the Ministry of Education
has very high requirements of their educational level. As
a minimum, they are all required to have a teaching degree and a master’s in Danish as a second language, explains Margot, and she adds: and we see that it makes
a difference.
The facilitators at Slagelse Language Centre are not
only different when it comes to academics. Their social commitment to the students is also important, as
the facilitators often end up as counsellors in various
contexts.
- I feel that we play an important role, not only on
a daily basis for the students, but generally with
regard to settling down in Denmark and the local
area. You know, we teach Danish community culture and local conditions as well. The Danish instruction is also about getting to know Denmark
and we take on that responsibility, says Margot.
Read more
WWW
Students at Slagelse Language Centre
20-21
How to find a home
If you want to rent a home
There are several ways to find a dream home to rent. You can search for private rented accommodation
through large property portals such as www.boliga.dk or www.lejebolig.dk. Alternatively, you can put
your name down for a rental property with the local housing associations in the city/town(s) that you
would like to move to.
Once you have decided to move, there are some important considerations that you need to make with regard to what kind of
home you want to have in your new city.
Links to websites of our local housing associations
First and foremost, you need to consider whether you want to purchase or rent your home, because this is crucial to where and
how you look for a home. Once you have decided that, it’s a good idea to clarify what type of home you are looking for. Are you
looking for a flat, a terraced house or a detached house? How big do you want your home to be and what should it contain?
Once you have considered this, you can start searching.
If you want to purchase a home
The most obvious way is to visit a local estate agent and/or their websites. These can give you an overview of what is for sale –
the flats, terraced houses and detached houses throughout the area.
If you purchase a home, it’s always a good idea to clarify with your bank how much you need to borrow. Otherwise you risk
finding your dream home and learning that you can’t afford it after all.
Local estate agents:
WWW
If you want to build your dream home…
If you are dreaming of adding your own touch to your dream home, you can buy a building
plot instead.
In Slagelse Municipality there are several areas with vacant single-family plots of land. You can
find these on Slagelse Municipality’s website at www.slagelse.dk, and more.
The local estate agents often sell building plots as well, so it might also be a good idea to enquire with them.
See a map of our available plots for sale
WWW
WWW
Danbolig Korsør
WWW
Nybolig Skælskør
WWW
Home Korsør
WWW
Home Slagelse
WWW
Kirsten Johanne Thomsen
WWW
EDC Korsør
WWW
EDC Skælskør
WWW
Robinhus-Mægleren Sif Bjerregaard
WWW
Danbolig Slagelse
WWW
EDC Slagelse
WWW
Nordbo
WWW
Realmæglerne Jan Thanning – Slagelse
WWW
Download via AppStore
WWW
Nybolig Korsør
WWW
Download via Google Play
WWW
Nybolig Slagelse
It is designed for all new smartphones based on the IOS or Android operating systems. The app is in Danish.
Find your dream home with an app!
Slagelse Municipality has developed an app that contains information about and links to estate agents, housing associations,
etc. With Find Bolig (housing) in Slagelse, you can:
• Register your move
• Find municipal building plots for sale
• View houses and flats for sale
• Get an overview of all housing associations in the municipality
• Find rented accommodation
• Experience Slagelse in sound and pictures
• Read the magazine for newcomers, www.slagelse.nu, and read about other newcomers’ experiences in Slagelse Municipality.
The app is free and can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play
22-23
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Getting around
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Omø
24-25
On the island of Omø in the Great Belt, they serve
sweet pier steaks and lots of warm-heartedness.
The pier steaks have their own story and tie into
the story about the Bull’s Eye, the Hauling Spot,
the Village Pond and the tempting Island Wrap.
Open-faced sandwiches on the
island map
- Danish speciality in disguise
Anette, Lis, Katja, Eta og Lise Lotte
It’s all about open-faced sandwiches!
A dish that may be more Danish than anything else and
which is available in hundreds of varieties, but which
is often made very traditionally without much change.
Five creative island women have now changed that and
have conjured Omø’s very own open-faced sandwich
specialities. But, to go back to the beginning, we need
to start in 2010 when the idea of launching the Omø
Cultural Days was born and a group of volunteers
started the huge job of bringing about even more life
on the island for both residents and tourists.
Omø Cultural Days
One of the women behind the idea of the cultural days
is Lise Lotte Luukkanen, who has owned a holiday
home on Omø for seven years. She saw how there was a
shortage of activities during peak season and, together
with the other instigators, she had the idea of showing
the island’s diversity over three fantastic cultural days.
- Basically it’s because we want to keep the island ali-
ve and help the island’s business owners. We want to
show the world how beautiful it is here and what we
can offer. The cultural days were initiated to get tourists moving, attract a few more one-day visitors and,
of course, to offer fun and exciting activities for all age
groups, she says.
Director of the DR Danish Broadcasting Corporation’s Concert Hall
But let’s get back to the open-faced sandwiches for a
moment.
It all began with the planning of Omø Cultural Days
2013. The task group was having a meeting and the five
women – Anette, Lis, Katja, Eta and Lise Lotte – had to
come up with something new for the agenda yet again.
- It all began because we knew that Leif Lønsmann,
Director of the DR Danish Broadcasting Corporation’s
Concert Hall, was going to give a presentation about
the history of the Danish Top Ten and I know him a
bit and know that he loves open-faced sandwiches. We
agreed that if we combined the Danish Top Ten music with open-faced
sandwiches, it couldn’t get any more
Danish than that, says Lise Lotte.
- Initially, we thought we were just
going to serve the classic varieties,
such as the Vet’s Midnight Snack,
Eggs & Shrimp, Roast Beef, etc.
However, we quickly started developing our own varieties and then we
got creative, adds Katja Rasmussen,
who has lived on the island for 16
years and is the local nurse. She also
used to work as a sandwich maker
and soon became the head of the
project.
The story of the Pier Steaks
The result was four open-faced
sandwiches named after different places on the island
– with a local twist on top. And then there’s the Pier
Steaks; I guess the best way to describe them is openfaced dessert sandwiches with some form of female
attributes. A heavenly taste of pumpernickel, Nutella,
marzipan and a bit of macaroon to top it off.
- We got the name Pier Steaks from the local “New
Omø Song”. A song that was written in 1975 by The
Stamps, which we like to sing at festive events here on
the island. The refrain includes “the many sweet pier
steaks” and they just had to be on the menu, too, explains Lis Stuhr, who has owned a house on Omø since
1990, but who will be residing in Korsør for a little
while yet.
Guaranteed success
The local open-faced sandwiches were a huge success
at the “New Open-faced Sandwiches on the Danish
Top Ten” event! The same as during the Omø Cultural Days in 2013, today five women are working on
introducing the open-faced sandwiches to the island to
give everyone chance to order the Bull’s Eye, the Hauling
Spot, the Village Pond, the Island Wrap and Pier Steaks
at all local eateries.
The open-faced Omø sandwiches
The Hauling Spot
A pan-fried fish fillet with shrimp, seaweed salad, red caviar,
tartar sauce, lime and lemon wedges and a dash of smoked
seaweed.
The Village Pond
Roasted duck breast with coleslaw of red cabbage, orange
and cranberries topped with Jerusalem artichoke/apple puree, oranges, walnuts and cranberries.
The Bull’s Eye
Minced beef with red pesto, chopped red onion, pickles, capers and chopped, pickled beets and grated horseradish.
Island Wrap
Potato salad with herb dressing wrapped in lettuce and topped with dill, red onion and radish crowns.
The new Omø song
Refrain:
On Omø’s green land with the fresh blue beach,
with its many sweet pier steaks
- So much is happening – in our dock
when summer comes around once again.
Read more about Omø Cultural Days
WWW
30-31
26-27
It’s like driving straight back into an old Danish movie when you
cross the dam to the island of Glænø by Skælskør and turn into the
court of Toftegaard with Henrik Terkelsen’s from www.kalvesalg.dk.
Welfare steaks with
Eco label
Here where green grass fields surround
a beautiful old farm with a breath-taking view of the ocean, a herd of Jersey
cattle and calves stand inside the fold
enjoying life.
A life that would normally only last a few
hours for the calves, because each year,
several thousand Jersey bull calves are
put down. Because there’s no room for
them in the milk production and they
are only regarded as an unnecessary
bi-product – a production method that
prompted Henrik to supplement his career with the role of eco-friendly and sustainable meat producer.
- I’m a partner in an architecture firm
and lived in Copenhagen for many years. In the mid-90s I needed a change
and my wife, Helle, and I looked for a
holiday house in the countryside. After
searching most of Zealand for the perfect place, we finally found the gem here
on Glænø. We obtained permission to
make a home out of the old barn and
fell completely in love with the place immediately, he says, and continues:
- In 1999 we had an opportunity to
purchase the farm where we had been
renting the “barn” and I contemplated
what we could use it for. When I heard
about the fate of the bull calves, I contacted my neighbour, Carsten Søgaard
from Grønholtegård farm, and together
we decided to start meat production
with eco-friendly Jersey calves. Carsten
is already an eco-friendly plant producer
and since cattle production and plant
production supplement each other
well from an eco-friendly perspective,
and since his production focuses on sustainability as well, it was a natural partnership, says Henrik.
“Nursing aunts” and calves on grass
Henrik’s energy and commitment are
contagious and he vividly tells the story
of how www.kalvesalg.dk has grown.
- Normally newborn bull calves are de-
stroyed, but we buy them from eco-friendly dairy farmers together with some
dairy cows who have served their time
and are done producing milk anyway –
they are our “nursing aunts”. We put the
herd on grass, typically two calves, each
with their own nursing aunt, and then
they graze here, have a good time and
are fattened up. The good grass and feed
combined with the bull calves’ need for
milk help increase the nursing aunts’
milk production and help the calves fatten and grow muscles. After a season on
grass and, sometimes a winter in loose-housing, the calves and the nursing
aunts are slaughtered, explains Henrik.
It’s about attitude
In addition to their Jersey grass calves,
Carsten and Henrik also have a herd of
steers that is being fattened up for sale.
The core value for the production is the
same – always eco-friendly and as sustainable as possible.
- It’s about the attitude towards food
and our eco system. We have a responsibility and we are taking it on. There is
generally a market for food production
like ours, but it’s about being visible. We
don’t have a problem selling our products and we are also building a large stable to allow us to increase production,
he says, while showing us a large field
area with tons of logs that are being cut
into planks.
28-29
- So, these are the materials for the stable. We got them from the forest just
over here. The entire construction is going to be sustainable, so the wood must
be local as well so that we don’t pollute
too much through transportation. And
wood is a CO²-neutral building material.
And, by the way, once everything is finished, the building will produce energy.
Food prices and Velfærdsdelikatesser®
(welfare delicacies)
The whole thought process surrounding
sustainability and production of eco-friendly meat has earned www.kalvesalg.
dk the designation Velfærdsdelikatesser® (welfare delicacies) in collaboration with Dyrenes Beskyttelse (the Danish Animal Welfare Society) and the
company was also awarded the Børsen’s
food prize in 2010/2011.
- Of course both Carsten and I are delighted about the recognition and we
know that we’re onto something right.
We are also part of a number of organisations and networks that work with
local, eco-friendly and sustainable food
production. It’s very rewarding working
in this way and I do hope that our values
will spread to other food and meat producers. It’s actually possible to run a profitable business that focuses on animal
welfare and sustainable production methods, explains Henrik before he needs to
get going – because as an eco-friendly
farmer there’s always something to do.
Kalvesalg.dk
The production of Jersey veal was launched in collaboration with the Danish
Animal Welfare Society and is 100% eco-friendly and sustainable. The natural rearing process produces very good and tasty meat. The meat is sold
through client lists that allow you to subscribe to an emailing list and receive
information on slaughtering. The meat can be picked up at Boeslunde Røgeri
(smokehouse) or in Copenhagen. www.kalvesalg.dk sells approximately 80
animal units a year.
Read more on www.kalvesalg.dk
WWW
Velfærdsdelikatesser®
Velfærdsdelikatesser® is a new development within animal welfare meat. It
aims at promoting natural, diversified livestock at small, eco-friendly holdings.
The scheme currently includes producers of Jersey grass calves, black and
white welfare pigs and Gotlander sheep and lamb. The Danish Animal Welfare Society supports the concept together with a number of pioneers within eco-friendly farming. The meat quality stands out from ordinary ecofriendly meat products, both when it comes to cut and quality.
Source: www.dyrenesbeskyttelse.dk
WWW
30-31
please call a few days in advance to set
up a gathering. This is also the way to
meet the Danes. If you want to visit
them, start by inviting them to your
home and they are likely to feel obliged to invite you to their home, as long
as the visits are scheduled. You might
think that the Danes can seem very formal and less spontaneous, and yes, to
many foreigners that would be the case.
However, Danish families often have a
very busy life with both parents working, many leisure activities and prioritizing time with their family, so strict
planning is a necessity and considered
quite normal.
Facts about the Danes:
Meet the Danes
• Danes get confused and embarrassed if you compliment them
• Riding a bicycle in the winter is
Coming to Denmark as a foreigner is
not always easy. Danes have a reputation of being reclusive, irreligious and
difficult to get to know. Even though
Denmark is called ‘the happiest place
in the world’ it can be hard to break
into Danish society and also understand that strange behavior. So let me
give you a little generalization of the
Danes.
If you think of Denmark as a ‘coconut
society’ with a ‘ketchup effect’ it might
help your way into the lives of the Danes. It takes a while to break into the
Danish world, but once you are in you
will have a friend for life and experience
an excess of niceness and friendliness.
Danes are reserved and even a bit socially shy. They will wait for you to
make the first move. But why is that?
Well, one of the main values in Denmark is the respect for privacy and
independence and autonomy. So it is
more polite not to stop and help so-
meone who is struggling with a large
suitcase than it is to just walk over and
assume that they need help. Danes assume that if you need help you will
ask for it. If you help someone without being asked to do so that would
be rude.
This respect for privacy and independence also comes across in the privacy
of the home. Danes do not like surprise visits. They simply do not know
how to handle unexpected guests. So,
considered normal in Denmark
• Danes love their licorice: in candy, gum, ice cream, cakes, food,
drinks – anything goes
• Danes never sit next to someone
on a bus if there is a free seat
anywhere else
• The majority of Danes do not
like wearing bright colors during
autumn or winter. Wear a red
coat and you will be stared upon
Equality and democracy is a way of
life for Danes, not just a political issue.
Danes have a very low level of power
difference between every member of
society. Everyone is treated and addressed in the same way, there is little
respect for authorities and they are honest about their opinions which mean
that they sometimes come off as blunt
or rude. But do not be fooled, they do
not intend to be rude; it is more ‘what
you see and hear, is what you get’. And
equality is important too. That is why
most Danish men do not open the door
for a woman or take her luggage if it
is heavy; that would violate the respect
of equality between the sexes.
The biggest cultural chock to most
foreigners often comes at social events
and the Danish way of drinking alcohol. ‘Hygge’ is central to socializing. In
essence, hygge means creating a nice,
warm atmosphere and enjoying the
good things in life with good people
around you. The warm glow of candlelight is hygge. Friends and family –
that is hygge too. And let us not forget
the eating and drinking – preferably
sitting around the table for hours on
end discussing the big and small things
in life – that is hygge. Even though
drinking alcohol is normal be aware
that it is forbidden in most workplaces
and schools so do not bring the Merlot to the parent-teacher meeting. Not
drinking alcohol is viewed with curio-
sity and sometimes seen as suspicious;
mind you this kind of behavior is also
bestowed upon other Danes who do
not drink alcohol, so you are not alone.
The way to handle it is to keep saying
‘no thank you’ and answering all the
weird and curious questions you are
bound to get.
Danes celebrate religious holidays
(Christmas and Easter) be brewing an
extra strong beer. And talking about
religion; Danes have so many religious
holidays, but few Danes rarely practice
or even believe in any specific religion.
Religion is seen as something private
and not particularly relevant or important in your life except when getting
married or having your child baptized,
but even in those situations traditions
overrule religious beliefs.
So, the next time you meet a Dane,
just keep on knocking on that coconut
shell and sooner or later you will meet
the ketchup effect of friendliness and
warmth.
32-33
Labels for the entire world
It was actually a bit of a coincidence that Nilpeter ended up in
Slagelse. However, it is no coincidence that we stayed on. Here
we are able to find skilled technicians, great nature and we are
close to Copenhagen and Funen as well at Jutland, explain Steen
Bang Larsen from the international label company.
Steen Bang Larsen always tries to avoid
the topic when dinner guests ask him
what he does for a living.
- It sounds so incredibly boring that I’m
the CFO and director of the production of a company that produces labelling machines. And that I’m in charge
of logistics, production management,
procurement and processes as well, he
adds with a big smile.
But Nilpeter was actually elected Owner-Operated Company of the Year in
Denmark in 2012, and since it was founded in 1901 it has grown into an international business with 500 employees
and departments in the United States,
South America, Asia and East Africa.
Nilspeter’s headquarters are located
in the outskirts of Slagelse and this is
a good spot, says the CFO with who
wears many hats.
- It’s a beautiful city close to the beach
and the forest. And it does mean a lot
that Slagelse has the lowest municipal
taxes of all the municipalities in the
area and the fact that there’s no contribution margin [a special industrial
tax that some municipalities charge],
explains Steen Bang Larsen.
Independence is more important than
the salary
The freeway that runs by Slagelse is
also important as many of the machines are transported to Hamburg, where they are loaded onto cargo vessels.
- And we’re just an hour away from
Copenhagen and Copenhagen Airport,
which means a lot when our employees from abroad come to visit with
clients and when we send technicians
abroad.
Nilpeter is amongst the best in the
world at producing advanced machines that print labels. From labels for
wine bottles and labels for oil canisters to stamps and quick-scratch coupons. 98 per cent of all machines are
exported, which is why Nilpeter could
easily move the entire production to
India or somewhere else where production costs are lower.
- But we’re staying in Slagelse. Some of
the things we like about Denmark are
that you can trust officials and that the
legal system is fair and works well. It’s
not like that everywhere in the world.
And when you produce advanced machines, having good employees who
are able to think for themselves and
who don’t need to be managed and
can take responsibility is much more
important than the payroll cost itself,
explains Steen.
Student jobs and industrial training
Many of the 250 employees in Slagelse
have been with the company for a long
time and since Slagelse accommodates the University of Southern Denmark, Zealand Institute of Business
and Technology and Selandia, who
train industrial technicians amongst
other things, the supply chain is taken
care of.
Skilled industrial technicians in particular are always sought after and Nilpeter
has lots of responsibilities, challenges
and trips for them.
- Our industrial technicians go out to
ensure that the machines have been
erected properly and that they are off
to a good start. That requires employees who are professional and take
pride in doing their job well. And not
least someone who solves problems
immediately rather than brushing
them off thinking that things will work
themselves out. And this is where the
Danish mentality is perfect, and Danes
are good at other languages, too, says
Steen. The only downside to running an
international business of Nilpeter’s size
from Slagelse is the freeway construction on the way to Copenhagen.
- It has taken three years and created
a lot of congestion, delays and frustration along the way. At the same time,
you often drive by long stretches of
road construction where all machines are parked without moving. The
Government should have demanded
that they work around the clock so
they could have finished the job in six
months. Fortunately it’ll be over soon,
says Steen.
04-05
34-35
Winter is coming
to the Great Belt Bridge!
The Great Belt Bridge is the landmark of Slagelse
Municipality and is also used in the official logo.
The bridge is one of the most photographed items
outside Copenhagen. Many great photos have depicted the bridge in every season. We want to share
some of the beautiful pictures of the bridge which
we have done throughout all the seven volumes of
Slagelse.nu. We end our magazine with a beautiful
winter shot of the bridge and sea.
FOTO: Elisabeth Vildhøj
FACTS ABOUT THE BRIGE:
EAST BRIGE:
EAST TUNNEL:
TRAFFIC AND STATISTIC:
Constructed: 1988-1998
Design by: Dissing+Weitling architects
Tunnel opened: 1 June 1997
Bridge opened: 14 June 1998
Total length: 18 km
The high bridge (West bridge) length: 6,790 m
The low bridge (East bridge) length: 6,611 m
Tunnel length: 8,024 m
Total cost (in 1988 prices): 21.4 billion DKK
Connects: Zealand and Sprogø
Length: 6,790 m
Suspension bridge (between the two anchor blocks): app. 2,700 m
Suspension bridge, free span: 1,624 m
Passage height, waterway: 65 m
Pylons (bridge towers), height: 254 m each
Cables, two parallel cables: diameter 83 cm, length 3 km
Cable strands: 18,648 strands in each cable of 5.38 mm
Bridge piers: 19 each weighing 6,000 tonnes
Connects: Zealand and Sprogø
Length: 8,024 m
Built: 1988-1996
Used for: Train tunnel
Construction: Two bored tunnel tubes with one track in each
Materials: Tunnel walls are 40 cm thick consisting of 62,500
concrete elements bolted together
Deepest point: at the deepest point the tunnel is 75 m below
sea level
Number of cars using the ferries in 1996: 8,330 cars per day
Number of cars crossing the bridge in 2011: 29,626 cars per day
60% of the cars crossing the bridge use a BroBizz commuter card
Price to cross the bridge in a car (2014): 235 DKK each way
Number of train passengers using the ferries in 1996: app. 12,000 per day
Number of train passengers crossing the bridge in 2011: 22,895 per day
A/S Storebælt’s revenue in 2011: app. 3.2 billion DKK
(Source: www.storebaelt.dk)
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Borreby south of Skælskør is a fortified
manor house, called a master castle.
The castle was built in 1556 and is
today one of the best preserved buildings from the Renaissance era. Borreby originally belonged to the Friis
family. It was, however, over when the
last heirs of the building, the brothers
Oluf and Waldemar Daa, lost the castle in the late 1600. In an attempt to
find money to keep the castle Waldemar Daa tried his luck with alchemy,
but it was all in vain. Waldemar’s attempt was immortalized by Hans Christian Andersen in the fairy tale ”The
Wind Tells about Valdemar Daae and
his daughters”. The castle is today privately owned, but there is free access
to the outer courtyard and the park
from where you can see the castle’s
historic buildings.
In Greenville, Michigan, USA,
the town hosts an annual Danish
Festival. In 2014, the festival celebrated its 50th anniversary and
the celebration included theater
with plays from Hans Christian
Andersen, Danish breakfast,
Danish appleskives and Tuborg
beer, a Lego competition and
much more. The first Danish
Festival was held in 1965. Today,
the festival has a steering committee with 23 people, one employee, more than 35 project teams
and more than 100 volunteers.
The festival is visited annually
by 80,000 visitors. Greenville has
previously been twinned with
Skælskør and this year they received a letter from the mayor
of Slagelse Municipality wishing
them a happy anniversary.
The Danish open sandwiches Smørrebrød
Although Ludvig Holberg mentions ”butter bread” (Danish: smørbrød) in his play ”The Political
Tinker” from 1722, the history of
smørrebrød as we know it only
dates back to the 1880s. Holberg’s
”bread and butter” was a piece
of bread with grease smeared on
top. The high-piled sandwiches
known as smørrebrød (Danish
open sandwiches) began to show
up at Copenhagen restaurants in
the mid-1800s. The oldest known
menu of open sandwiches is from
1883 and was presented by restaurant Nimb in Tivoli in Copenhagen. Smørrebrød is a pure Danish invention and comes in many
variations.
The world’s oldest movie theater
can be found in Korsør. It opened on 7 August 1908 and still
functions as a movie theater in
the same building and with the
same interior, though it has been
renovated through the years.
Only the technical set-up has
been completely replaced, so
that today movies are shown digitally, in HD and in 3D. Korsør
Cinema was accepted into the
Guinness Book of World Records
in 2008.
Slagelse Municipality has a
beaming culture scene. With
4 theaters for both adults and
children and even a theater placed
at the old manor castle Borreby,
just outside Skælskør, the dramatic program is filled every year.
Slagelse Teater, Childrens Theater and Krabasken Amateur Theater are all placed in Slagelse. Besides theaters, Slagelse also boosts
6 venues: Kongegården in Korsør, Korsør Culture and Community Center, Kosmorama and Det
Røde Pakhus in Skælskør, and finally Slagelse Musikhus and Badeanstalten in Slagelse.
Borreby castle
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slagelse.dk