In the 9th century the Danes built a rampart called “Danevirke” in the South of Slesvig aiming to prevent the Saxons and the Wends from invading their land. It had a great deal effect as “Limes” owing to existence of an uninhabited foreland (frontier) between Danevirke and the Ejder. But in time Danevirke lost its first meaning in history. The biggest reason of abolishment of its function as Limes is that the Danes allowed immigration from Holstein into the foreland in the 13th century, which means the first tendence of “Schleswig-Holstein” s fatal partnership.
Though Slesvig's Dane had long been without the spirit of Danevirke's construction, they found themselves “the Danes” again in the wave of liberalism and nationalism in the 19th century. They used the word “Dannevirke” in their nationalism “for being Danish” in Slesvig. They and the Danes in the Kingdom eagered to build a Danish national-state aiming to separate Holstein from the Danish “Helstat, ” -it caused two wars (1848-50, 1864).
In course of Danish modern history we can often see the word “Danevirke, ” which was vivid as a symbol of Danish nationalism.
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