Thousands of Old Postcards Hold Denmark’s History

Some 23,500 old Danish postcards, once sent from one person to another, are being given a new purpose: helping tell the story of Denmark as it once was.

The postcards show landscapes, buildings and streets. The public is being invited to explore familiar places and help identify the exact locations and other details depicted in the images. The cards date from 1888 to around 2000.

Bente Skovgaard Kristensen, director of the Royal Library, said the postcards reflect Denmark’s full geographical and cultural breadth. The new information, she said, could improve understanding of what characterizes Danes and how the Danish landscape has changed over time.

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The postcards reflect a Denmark in all its geographical and cultural breadth, so everyone can take part.

The project is a collaboration between the National Museum and the Royal Library. The National Museum digitized the postcards so they could be accessed easily. Its director, Rane Willerslev, welcomed the opportunity to involve the public in work on shared cultural history and heritage.

The project aims to digitize 312,500 postcards by 2027. Only postcards free of copyright restrictions are included. The collection is available through whereerdetfra.dk.

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I am absolutely thrilled that we can involve and get help from Danes in this way when it concerns our shared cultural history and cultural heritage.