Interesting WI for post-1945 Scandinavia

[PDSKK9737]

There are many TL of the Cold War period for other European countries, but for Denmark, Norway and Sweden, they do not seem to have received much attention. Apart from occupation by the Soviet Union in World War III, and the near improbability of a communist and military coup, What events could change the history of the Scandinavian countries and liberate them from the wonderful but boring hegemony of the Social Democratic Party?

I have some ideas:
Bertil Ohlin formed a non-socialist government in the 1948 Swedish general election and successfully implemented Swedish-style New Deal liberalism, allowing the Swedish People's Party to replace the Social Democratic Party.
In Norway, Farmers' Party chose to disband due to its pro-Nazi history during World War II, and the Christian Democratic Party, which split from the Norwegian Freedom Party, decided to return. Conservative Party also merged or formed an alliance with the Liberal Party in order to create a unified right wing party. In this way, Norway has a political party similar to the Italian Christian Democratic Party, forming a two-party system with the Norwegian Labor Party, and even gaining advantages by inducing the split of the Labor Party.
Denmark's Social Democrats are not as strong as those in Sweden and Norway, and they need a coalition with left-wing liberals to stay in power. There are many ways to keep the Danish Social Democrats out of power. I think it is an interesting idea that Mogens Glistrup's Progress Party could achieve greater success. His ideas are very similar to Javier Milei.

What other events might have changed the history of the Nordic countries? It can be more than just changes within a democratic framework. Is there someone who can establish right-wing authoritarian rule or further socialist change in these countries?

 

[Jürgen]

In Denmark one of the biggest POD would be an annexation of South Schleswig or parts of it, whixh would radically have changed Denmark. It would have established a much larger German minority, but also resulted in more center-right voters. Flensburg would also have grown into a bigger city than in OTL and likely have competed with Odense to be second biggest town in Denmark. We would also see different tertiary education in Denmark, in OTL Odense University was made into South Danish University by fusion with several other smaller tertiary education , here we would see a university being established in Flensburg and these smaller tertiary education in South Jutland would become part of it instead of Odense, this also open up for a seventh regional university in Esbjerg, instead of its two colleges simply being part of South Danish and Aalborg universities.

 

[Lalli]

In Denmark one of the biggest POD would be an annexation of South Schleswig or parts of it, whixh would radically have changed Denmark. It would have established a much larger German minority, but also resulted in more center-right voters. Flensburg would also have grown into a bigger city than in OTL and likely have competed with Odense to be second biggest town in Denmark. We would also see different tertiary education in Denmark, in OTL Odense University was made into South Danish University by fusion with several other smaller tertiary education , here we would see a university being established in Flensburg and these smaller tertiary education in South Jutland would become part of it instead of Odense, this also open up for a seventh regional university in Esbjerg, instead of its two colleges simply being part of South Danish and Aalborg universities.

Would Denmark seriously want more land and speciality more Germans?

But yeah, there is not really lot of intresting options which would affect to Cold War deeply. But perhaps Sweden would join to NATO but it probably would require communist Finland.

 

[Jürgen]

Would Denmark seriously want more land and speciality more Germans?

Some wanted it, but the political establishment didn’t, but it was a close thing and the Danish parties in South Schleswig got around 50% of the vote in 1946 local election with only Husum and Eckernförde counties having German majorities.

 

[PDSKK9737]

It would have established a much larger German minority, but also resulted in more center-right voters.

Are Danish Germans' political leanings to the right? Or is it that more German minorities will make more Danes move to the right because of ethnic issues?

 

[rfmcdonald]

Some wanted it, but the political establishment didn’t, but it was a close thing and the Danish parties in South Schleswig got around 50% of the vote in 1946 local election with only Husum and Eckernförde counties having German majorities.

Was there still some potential ambiguity about ethnic identity in South Schleswig, perhaps, people of mixed ancestry considering re identifying ethnically at a time when a German identification seemed unwise?

 

[The Lethargic Lett]

In terms of notoriety, avoiding the assassination of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme has always struck me as the most significant Scandinavian Cold War what if scenario. However, there's probably some specialist in Scandinavian history out there who could point to some seemingly small thing that would have a gargantuan butterfly effect.

 

[Giant Man Eating Rabbits]

What other events might have changed the history of the Nordic countries?

Denmark & Norway instead of joining NATO form a defense alliance with Sweden & Finland?

Would that be effective?
How would it effect NATO?

 

[walmart]

Note Crisis and Night Frost Crisis come to mind

 

[PDSKK9737]

Note Crisis and Night Frost Crisis come to mind

Considering the impact of external political pressure on the political situation, if the Soviet Union decided to change its policy towards Finland and invade Finland, the situation in Scandinavia might become tense. Border conflicts around the Åland Islands, Norrbotten and Finnmark, as well as the large number of Finnish refugees, will have a direct impact on Norway，Denmark and Sweden. Perhaps in this case, the right-wing forces will become active, and the ceremonial monarchy and the absolutely neutral military will try to intervene in politics?

 

[KingSweden24]

In terms of notoriety, avoiding the assassination of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme has always struck me as the most significant Scandinavian Cold War what if scenario. However, there's probably some specialist in Scandinavian history out there who could point to some seemingly small thing that would have a gargantuan butterfly effect.

Palme surviving could - and it’s a big could - have led to a worse performance for the Social Democrats at the 1988 elections. He was starting to get a bit long in the tooth by the time he was murdered after almost two decades in charge of the party, but it would have been before the Swedish economy really went kaput in 1990ish.

The big butterfly if you can call it that is that it forecloses on Ingvar Carlsson being much more than a footnote

 

[Lalli]

Denmark & Norway instead of joining NATO form a defense alliance with Sweden & Finland?

Would that be effective?
How would it effect NATO?

Sweden is not really easily abandoning its neutrality. And not sute if Stalin would accept Finland joining to Scandinavian defense alliance. What for this alliance even would be? It probably would be closer with NATO anyway.

 

[Jürgen]

Are Danish Germans' political leanings to the right? Or is it that more German minorities will make more Danes move to the right because of ethnic issues?

The geography and the social classes of South Schleswig would make the Danes there mostly vote Liberal. The Germans would likely vote for a pretty standard centrist minority party.

 

[Jürgen]

Was there still some potential ambiguity about ethnic identity in South Schleswig, perhaps, people of mixed ancestry considering re identifying ethnically at a time when a German identification seemed unwise?

There’s no real distinction between Danes and Germans in the region, most Schleswigian Germans in 1946 descended from assimilated Danes and both group shared religion and was related to members from the other group, and deciding which group one belonged was very much a question about just deciding it. One former North Schleswigian told her family changed group by her father walking out one day in 1945 raising the Danish flag and telling his family that now they spoke Danish at home.

 

[Reisen Storm]

There was a thread about Denmark being part of the Warsaw pact and being communist. Was interesting since it would have made Denmark the most riches Warsaw pact member.

 

[Lalli]

There was a thread about Denmark being part of the Warsaw pact and being communist. Was interesting since it would have made Denmark the most riches Warsaw pact member.

Link? But seriously I can't see Soviets being able or even willingful to take Denmark. But at end of WW2 Soviets briefly occupied Bornholm. Perhaps Stalin instead giving that back to Denmark decides to create communist government. But not sure if this is very likely. Was there even any seriously taken communist Danish politicians or parties on that time?

 

[Reisen Storm]

Link?

Sure here you go.

WI: Danish People's Republic

so in Alternatehistoryhub's American Greenland video (X) he largely rolls with the idea that the USSR liberates Denmark instead of the British, and creates a communist state. but that's largely regulated to the background to justify America yoinking the island. But i want to explore what this...

www.alternatehistory.com

 

[rfmcdonald]

There’s no real distinction between Danes and Germans in the region, most Schleswigian Germans in 1946 descended from assimilated Danes and both group shared religion and was related to members from the other group, and deciding which group one belonged was very much a question about just deciding it. One former North Schleswigian told her family changed group by her father walking out one day in 1945 raising the Danish flag and telling his family that now they spoke Danish at home.

I think it entirely possible, then, that you could not only get more of South Schleswig's population identifying as Danish in that scenario, but that you might not get a much larger German minority. Danes speaking German as a home language is an imaginable category.

 

[rfmcdonald]

Sweden is not really easily abandoning its neutrality. And not sute if Stalin would accept Finland joining to Scandinavian defense alliance. What for this alliance even would be? It probably would be closer with NATO anyway.

The Scandinavian defense union project failed because Scandinavians, especially the Danes and Norwegians, did not think even a united region could stand up to great powers.

In the case of a Communist Finland, I think it much likelier than Sweden will follow its Scandinavian neighbours into NATO.

 

[Jürgen]

I think it entirely possible, then, that you could not only get more of South Schleswig's population identifying as Danish in that scenario, but that you might not get a much larger German minority. Danes speaking German as a home language is an imaginable category.

It’s an existing category, but such a group even if they identify as Danish will still tend to vote for a regional party.