Le Nord : revue internationale des Pays de Nord - 01.06.1943, Qupperneq 114

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LE NORD
gathers for courses of three to five months. Gradually High
Schools of a different character have developed, but most of them
are still characterized by Grundtvig’s spirit. This amongst other
things involves liberty for the headmaster to plan the instruction
as he likes. The choice of subjects is not fixed, nor do the
teachers need to have definite qualifications. In accordance with
Grundtvig’s stressing of the “living word” in contrast to the
written word, it means that the teaching takes place more through
lectures and conversations than through textbooks. Finally it
also means that the school is characterized by a national-Christian
spirit. Christianity generally does not occur as a particular sub-
ject, but characterizes the teaching of Danish history, civics, etc.
It is also Grundtvig’s spirit which has stamped the free for-
mation of associations and societies which is so highly character-
istic of Danish popular life. The country has become a pioneer
country as regards co-operative societies, etc. Often, it is true,
people have built on Grundtvig’s idea of liberty and love of the
native country, but have left out Church and Christianity. Grundt-
vigianism has not rarely been accused of having become a secu-
larized and “glad” Christianity, and the accusations may not
always have been without some justification. But there are many
people in Denmark of today who will maintain Grundtvig’s
Christian views. More of these are found in the country than
in the towns, and they generally gather in freely organized asso-
ciations round their cíerical leaders. One of the foremost of these
“free congregation ministers” was Anders Norgaard, who died
in 1943 and who has written a large work on Grundtvigianism.
He particularly stresses his opposition to German Protestant theo-
logy, which attached too great importance to the individual.
During these years of national oppression Grundtvig as per-
haps never before has become a name of national unity. In the
autumn of 1940 Professor Hal Koch, the church historian,
gave a series of university lectures on Grundtvig, and these at-
tracted an audience of hundreds of people. Later Professor Koch
has published his lectures. He is of the opinion that in Grundtvig
is to be found that which may hold together the Danish people.
Without himself being exactly a Grundtvigian, he includes in his
view of Christianity many of Grundtvig’s ideas. In accordance
with these he passionately takes part in national life, and as the
leader of Dansk Ungdomssamvirke (‘Danish Co-operation of
Youth’), a co-operative union of all Danish youth organizations,