On 4th August 1916, the American government issued a declaration to the Danish government that it would not raise objections if Denmark extended its interests in Greenland to include the entire island. This was perhaps surprising given the 1832 Monroe Doctrine intended to limit European colonialism. The declaration paved the way for recognition of Danish sovereignty by other nations.
2019.06.21 |
The declaration (reproduced below) was included as an appendix to the contract concerning the sale of the Danish West Indies to USA, both of which were signed on 4th August 1916. The American foreign minister Robert Lansing (1864-1928) signed the declaration on behalf of the USA in support of Denmark's claim to sovereignty over Greenland.
Since 1721, Denmark had had a presence predominantly on the west coast of Greenland, but a greater number of Danish expeditions started to reach the previously impassable areas in north and east Greenland from 1880s. In 1894, Ammassalik (now Tasiilaq) on the east coast became a permanent trading post, for example. A private trading post in Thule (now Qaanaaq) in north Greenland was founded in 1909/10, eventually being sold to the Danish state in 1937.
The declaration was extremely important:
The Danish West Indies transferred to the USA on 31st March 1917 and were from then on called the United States Virgin Islands. On 21st May 1921, Denmark formally declared that all of Greenland was subject to Danish rule.
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The declaration, which was an appendix to a sales contract of the Danish West Indies to America, was signed by American foreign minister Robert Lansing. Picture: The Danish National Archives (Rigsarkivet). |
Thanks go to danmarkshistorien.dk for alerting us to this source.