History of the Armistice

Denmark. No. 72, 11 August 1848

Neue Rheinische Zeitung.

† Copenhagen, 5 August. The “Fädreland” of 2 August contains a long semi-official history of the armistice. It emerges from it that Lord Palmerston as early as 18 May had drafted and sent in an “armistice basis” extremely advantageous to Denmark. Whereas in reality only Schleswig was the point in dispute, this project declared both Schleswig and Holstein and Lauenburg to be in dispute; consequently all three duchies were to be evacuated by both sides. (One recalls how in the final armistice this ran out into the occupation of almost the whole of Schleswig by the Danes, while the Germans were to withdraw to Mecklenburg and Hanover.) Then the provisional government, or as the “Fädreland” says, the “insurrectionary government”, was to make way for an interim government appointed for Schleswig by Denmark, for Holstein by Germany, etc. Prussia insisted on retaining the existing “insurrectionary government”.

The negotiations were conducted for a time in London, until finally Sweden, “within certain limits”, declared Denmark’s cause to be the cause of the whole of the North.

Thereupon the negotiations entered their second stage and were transferred to Malmö. The Danish government submitted to the Swedish-Norwegian government a new draft armistice, which was said to be more favourable to Prussia. The Swedish-Norwegian government unreservedly gave it its backing, the Russian government offered it its moral support, and King Oscar’s cabinet secretary Manderström travelled with it to Berlin. At the same time the British government did not fail to address admonitions to Prussia. The sustained resistance of the Danish army (?), the armaments, the enthusiasm of the Danish people are also said to have contributed to making Prussia more amenable.

To this was added the effect of the blockade, the “experience that the Schleswig-Holstein insurrection had no real roots among the people, that in Schleswig there was a Danish population sincerely devoted to Denmark.”

“But the main point was that the direction of German affairs took a most unexpected turn and threatened to make Prussia merge into Germany, in a quite different way from what had been intended. Enough, with a new ministry a spirit far more conciliatory towards Denmark entered than before.”

The fruit of this was the dispatch of Mr. Pourtalès to Malmö, and the conclusion of the well-known armistice project. During the negotiations, the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Baron Stjerneld, represented Danish interests in a manner “that would have done every honour to a Danish statesman.”

During the negotiations, however, Wrangel attacked the Danish army several times without provocation, the army having orders to avoid a battle.

On 2 July the armistice was ready and only required ratification. It was effected without difficulty, with some additions demanded by Prussia and granted by Denmark. Everyone regarded the matter as settled.

On 15 July, Reedtz and Pourtalès, dispatched the one to Hedemann, the other to Wrangel, to obtain the formally necessary signatures of these two generals, met near Kolding. With the greatest embarrassment and to the greatest surprise of Mr. Reedtz, Mr. Pourtalès confessed that Wrangel refused to agree to the dissolution of the insurgent army and to several other points concerning the provisional position of the duchies. The negotiation continued the next day, but the demands of the Prussians became more and more impudent. (Wrangel, of course, stood behind the timid Pourtalès.) In the end, Wrangel even demanded that the Imperial Regent must ratify the convention, “the Imperial Regent, an authority not yet constituted at all and bound in its efficacy to the Frankfurt National Assembly!”

Sweden now came down even more decisively on Denmark’s side. Together with Reedtz, the Swedish general Oxholm went to the Prussian headquarters “to bring Wrangel to reason”; with them Baron Lagerheim and Sir Henry Wynn, the Swedish and English envoys, “who wished to convince themselves with their own eyes of such incredible things.” They accomplished nothing.

“Thus the convention, brought about by Lord Palmerston after protracted and difficult negotiations, accepted by Prussia on England’s admonition, with Russia’s counsel, under Sweden’s urgent appeals, ratified by Denmark on the urgent advice of all friendly and allied powers, has foundered, foundered on the objections of the very person who merely had to execute it—on the objections of a Prussian cavalry general!”

Unheard of!

— The blockade of the Elbe, Weser and Jade begins on 15 August; likewise that of Stralsund and Greifswald.