Tuesday 4 September 2012

The full-rigged training ship Danmark in Øresund

The Denmark today sailed with 13 of its 15 square sails rigged.

The full-rigged training ship Danmark, one of the world´s classic tall ships, today sailed through Øresund on its way from Dublin to Copenhagen. The ship was built in 1932 in order to replace the København, which was lost at sea, as Denmark´s principal merchant navy training ship. 

The Danmark is operated by the Maritime Training and Eduction Centre, MARTEC, in FrederikshavnThe 77 x 10m ship has a crew of 15 and 80 trainees on board. She can be rigged with 26 sails with a total area of 1,632 m2, including fifteen square sails. 


The Danmark meets  M/S Havstrygeren, a traditional fishing boat,  now serving  the  sport fishing community.

The Danmark has an interesting history, which includes six years of service in the US during World War II:

During World War II, Denmark became occupied on April 9, 1940 while the training ship DANMARK was on a routine training mission in U.S. waters (Jacksonville, Florida). In agreement with the Danish Ambassador to the United States, the Honorable Henrik Kauffmann, Captain Knud L. Hansen placed his training ship at the disposal of the U.S. Government; however, neutrality prevented the acceptance of the offer until December 7, 1941 when Pearl Harbor was attacked. 

From that point onward and until the end of the WW II, DANMARK and Capt. Knud L. Hansen served under the Stars and Stripes training some 3000 U.S. officer cadets. These young men received a first-class education in responsible seamanship under Capt. Knud L. Hansen’s capable leadership and strict discipline; later they would serve in the U.S. Navy. 


The First Officer of DANMARK during the war was Knud Langevad, and he was in charge of training the U.S. cadets. He also convinced U.S. authorities of the value of learning seamanship on a tall ship, and following the war the U.S. Coast Guard purchased its well-known tall ship the U.S. EAGLE, to replace the DANMARK. This close Danish-American teamwork lasted until September 26, 1945, when DANMARK and her Captain were returned to the Danish Government with full honors. The Danish gesture is still remembered and appreciated in the USA. 
After 6 years abroad the vessel returned to Denmark. Most of the cadets who left Denmark by the vessel in 1939 signed off in Jacksonville and during the war they did service on board allied ships About 60 cadets became American citizens. 

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