For the 1.5 million people in the U.S. of Danish heritage who seek to learn more about their lineage -- or for others with strong interest in exploring Danish history and traditions -- VisitDenmark, the official tourism office of Denmark, has launched a new microsite: www.visitdenmark.com/heritage. The site enables Danish-American visitors to discover and celebrate their Danish heritage via a link guide that helps research Danish roots while providing information on the history and patterns of Danish immigration to the U.S.
Practical ideas and instructions for organizing a Danish heritage trip to explore specific ancestral regions are offered, along with tempting and often familiar descriptions of regional cuisine available to today's travelers to the "old country." Travel tips and suggested accommodations include valuable information on programs that provide personal introductions to Danish families, and even home-cooked meals, as part of the "Dine with the Danes" program at www.dinewiththedanes.dk. Meeting the locals is also possible through such accommodations as a B&B, traditional inn, working farm or house-swapping program.
Contemporary visitors can walk in the footsteps of their ancestors at living history museums and open-air museums located throughout the country, including the Open Air Museum "Frilandsmuseet," the Old Town Museum in ?rhus, Funen Village, Hjerl Hede and the co-operative Village Nyvang. Here, traditional houses, farms, stores and school rooms recreate the authentic environments that typified Denmark in days gone by.
Visitors can also participate in the largest Independence Day celebration held outside of the U.S. each July 4th in Rebild Bakker, located south of Aalborg in Jutland. The 190-acre national park was donated by Danish Americans in 1912 as a location for thousands of people to celebrate the holiday while remembering those who left Denmark to seek a new life in America.
In addition to visiting the VisitDenmark's new heritage web site, Danish Americans can also consult the Danish State Archives which provides a number of Internet services for searching for ancestors online. Individuals whose ancestors emigrated to the U.S. between 1869 and 1908 can find information at the Danish Emigration Archives in Aalborg. Another useful website for Danish genealogy research is www.MyDanishRoots.com. For more information, visit www.visitdenmark.com/heritage or www.visitcopenhagen.com.
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