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In the nineteenth century, the hotly disputed border region between Denmark and Germany was the focus of an intricate conflict that complicates questions of ethnic and national identity even today. Beyond the Border reconstructs the experiences of both Danish and German minority youths living in the area from the 1950s to the 1970s, a period in which relations remained tense amid the broader developments of Cold War geopolitics. Drawing on a remarkable variety of archival and oral sources, the author provides a rich and fine-grained analysis that encompasses political issues from the NATO alliance and European integration to everyday life and popular culture.
“It provides a valuable contribution to everyday culture in border regions, on cultural remembrance and history of young people, and raises awareness of the need for the German-Danish border region to find new narratives beyond the regionally often used ‘From the against each other to the together'. After all, life in a minority is always a question of belonging that must not be allowed to be misunderstood as a simultaneous non-affiliation.” • H-Soz-Kult
“This brilliant and persuasive book clearly traces the hybridity of national affiliation—and thus the construction of identities in local border regions—in vivid detail.” • Knud Andresen, Research Center for Contemporary History, Hamburg
“This is a strong, engaging book on a fascinating and largely unexplored topic in contemporary European history. Beyond the Border brings fresh perspectives to our understanding of Western Europe during the long 1960s.” • Alan McDougall, University of Guelph
Tobias Haimin Wung-Sung is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Southern Denmark, Sønderborg. His research interests mainly include social and cultural developments in post-war Western Europe.
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
A Note on Language, Terminology and Translations
List of Abbreviations
Chapter 1. Strong Spirits and Healing Wounds: The Minorities during Conflicts and Aftermath, pre-1955
Chapter 2. Unlikely Cold-War Allies: Young Challenges to the Border Struggle and Isolationism, c. 1955-1962
Chapter 3. New Ideas of a United Europe: Generational Differences on Being Danish, German and European, c. 1955-1963
Chapter 4. Contesting, Celebrating and Questioning: Generational Differences on the Past and Politics, c. 1960-65
Chapter 5
. Young People Enjoying Life and Having Fun: Life Is Too Good to Fight a National Struggle
c. 1957-1967
Chapter 6. But Who Are We…? Independent Young Voices on Kin-State Relations and Perceptions of the Meanings of Belonging to a National Minority c. 1965-1970
Chapter 7. Young People of Their Time? Gender, Global Interests and (Non) Rebellions c. 1967-1971
Conclusion
Index