Greenlandic children sue Denmark for experiment

In 1951, 22 Greenlandic children were taken from their families and sent to Denmark as part of a social experiment. Now they are suing the state.

A group of Greenlanders who as children were removed from their families by the Danish state in an attempt to create a Danish-speaking elite, will now sue the Danish state.

It writes Politiken .

In 1951, a total of 22 Greenlandic children aged four to nine were removed from their parents and sent to Denmark to learn Danish.

Since then, they have been placed in an orphanage in Nuuk with a ban on speaking their mother tongue.

The six surviving Greenlanders, who are today between 75 and 78 years old, are now seeking compensation.

- They lost their family life, their language, culture and belonging. And it is a violation of their right to have a private and family life according to Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, says Mads Krøger Pramming, who is their lawyer, to Politiken.

He is now sending a letter to the Prime Minister's Office to pay compensation of 250,000 kroner to each of the six survivors, otherwise they are ready to go to court with a summons.

We can not change the past. But we can take responsibility

Mette Frederiksen

The Prime Minister's Office currently has a deadline of 14 days to respond, writes Politiken.

Apology from Mette F

The experiment, which was launched by Denmark in 1951, had major consequences for the children. Half later had a life of abuse and mental health problems, many had a short life, and only a minority received an education.

Almost a year ago, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (S) apologized to the 22 Greenlanders. It happened both in writing and from the rostrum in the Folketing.

- We can not change the past. But we can take responsibility and apologize to those we failed, she said at the time.

After the apology, several experts and Greenlandic politicians have expressed that the survivors should be awarded compensation.

However, Social Affairs Minister Astrid Kragh (S) rejected financial compensation in May.

In a written response on Sunday, Astrid Krag wrote to Politiken that it is "the very recognition of the mistakes of the past" that is central.

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