|
 |
|
Eva Skotte Caspersen
Honorary Consul of Lithuania
to Denmark
|
Since the Viking Age a 1000 years ago, the Danes have been fascinated by the Baltic Sea and the people who have been living on its shores. Trade and war have been two main activities of the Danes.
During these years the Danes fought all the countries around the Baltic Sea - but not once did they fight the Lithuanians. Several times during the years when Lithuania was an independent Kingdom and later when it joined the Polish-Lithuanian Union, Lithuania and Denmark formed several alliances against their common enemies - Germany, Sweden and Russia.
According to written history, there were no military hostilities between Lithuania and Denmark for a millennium. However, trade between the two nations never ceased.
In the Viking Age and in the early Middle Ages, Danish traders used to buy amber, furs and slaves in Lithuania. Amber came from Lithuanian beaches, animals were trapped in Lithuania’s enormous forests for their valuable furs and Lithuanian warlords sold their beaten competitors into Danish slavery.
Later on, as ships became larger and slavery was banned, Danish commercial interest moved into Lithuanian flax, hemp, tar and wax: flax was used to make huge sails for the ships in that era; hemp was used for shipping ropes; tar was used to protect the ropes and the ship’s planks; and wax was used to polish many a vessel.
Around 1900, the sailing ship era came to a close and Danish commercial interest in Lithuania changed from the maritime sector to horses and milk. Lithuanian horses became famous in Denmark for their endurance and beauty. At the same time, the Danes began to move into the Lithuanian dairy and agriculture sectors.
The Second World War ended commercial relations between Lithuania and Denmark. Lithuania was occupied, though Denmark never recognised Lithuania’s occupation.
Today trade is the cornerstone in the two countries relations. Denmark is one of the biggest foreign investors in Lithuania and more than 300 Danish companies work in Lithuania. We can mention the wood processing, metal, textile and electronics sectors. The Danes are also involved in many of Lithuania’s largest enterprises. Denmark receives 5 per cent of Lithuanian export and in some years the trade balance favours Lithuania over Denmark.
Lithuania and Denmark cooperate in almost every field - in the EU, in NATO, in peace missions in Iraq, in Afghanistan and in Kosovo. We are neighbours who enjoy close and friendly ties.
|
|
