Denmark is the oldest monarchy in western Europe having been established in the 10th century. The only real documentation of the birth of Denmark is the Jelling Stones which are often referred to as the birth certificate of Denmark. The stones were made in memory of the first royal family. The first king of Denmark, Gorm the Old, erected a stone in memory of his wife around 940. When Gorm died, his son, Herald, took over as rightful king and erected another stone in memory of his father and mother. The current queen of Denmark is Queen Margrethe II and the prime minister is Andres Fogh Rasmussen. The neutral politics of Denmark ensured the country a smooth journey through World War I, but not through WWII, when Denmark was occupied by German forces 1940-45. In 1949 Denmark was one of the founding members of NATO, In 1972 Denmark voted for joining the European Communities, EC (changed in 1993 to the European Union, EU). Today Denmark – especially considering its relatively small size – is an active player on the International political scene.
The national flag of Denmark is a red flag with a white cross. It is the oldest country flag in the world still in use today. It is called the Dannebrog. Legend has it that during the Battle of Lyndanisse (also called the Battle of Valdemar) a mysterious flag fell from the sky among a bunch of Danes during a critical point in the battle which led to their victory. No records support this account, but it is still a very popular legend among Danes.
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