The history of the Danish people, like that of all humanity, can be divided into prehistoric and historical eras. Before the founding of medieval ecclesiastical institutions, particularly monasteries where monks recorded oral histories from the Viking Age and earlier periods, adequate written historical sources were not available for Danish history.
The History of Physical Education in Denmark
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The history of Denmark’s people can be divided in the same way as that of all humanity into prehistoric and historical periods. Before the foundation of the medieval ecclesiastical institutions, especially the monasteries, which recorded the oral transmissions of the monasteries of the Viking Age and earlier periods, there were no written historical sources available suitable for Denmark’s history. Denmark was one of the first countries to require a physical examination in school Education. Sports education fulfilled a political role in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century, after the rise of communism. Physical aptitude to guarantee the army, Strength, Productivity, and Nationalism.
Of course, there are older documents such as the Germania by the Roman historian Tacitus and northern European church documents from the 9th and 10th centuries. Still, these provide only incomplete information and say nothing about the early period. However, the work of archaeologists and other experts, particularly in the 19th and 20th centuries, has revealed much about the lives of Denmark’s first inhabitants.
Role of Franz Nachtegall in Denmark’s History
The name of Denmark’s development of physical education is written in golden letters. Education in Denmark was made compulsory for children aged 7–14 under the Education Act of 1814. Here Franz Nachtegall laid the foundation of physical education and it was due to his efforts that it got a place in the school curriculum.
He established an open gymnasium in Copenhagen in 1799. In 1804, a school was established in Denmark to train gymnastics teachers, of which Nachtegaal was made the director. In 1828, Nachtegaal wrote the books Manual of Gymnastic and in 1834, Gymnastic for Secondary Schools.
Role of Captain Monster
After Nachtegaal’s death, a rifle club was established in Denmark in 1961, the credit for which goes to Captain Monster. The main objective of this club was training in shooting and military drills.
In Denmark, through the joint efforts of the Rifle Club and the Folk High School, physical education was adopted as a compulsory subject in the school education system.
In 1864, Danish institutions were opened in Denmark which functioned as folk high schools for the local people. Special attention was given to it from the point of view of physical education because gymnastics and physical education were special parts of the education system here.
Neils Bukh
Neils Bukh founded a school at the Oterup, which paid special attention to the physical fitness of rural youth. Neils Bukh gave direction to Danish gymnastics and added new exercises to it, emerging as the Fundamentals of Gymnastic and Primitive Rhythmical Gymnastics.
His gymnastics was based on Swedish gymnastics. In 1925, Neils Bukh demonstrated primitive rhythmical gymnastics in America and 1939 in South Africa, which had a special impact on creating a new curriculum of education.
In 1891 the Play Ground Association was formed and in 1896 the Danish Sports Federation was formed. In 1911, Copenhagen Sports Park was built where athletics, recreational activities, and other sports were held.
In 1950, Danish school physical education was adopted as compulsory in Denmark.
Sporting pursuits became popular after the defeat in the Danish–Prussian War of 1863–64 as Danes became interested in small arms and physical training. Shooting, gymnastics, and athletic clubs were soon established in every part of Denmark. Rowing was organized at the national level as early as 1886. Football (soccer) was introduced to Denmark by British engineers who came to design the rail system in the 1870s. Football became an organized sport when the Copenhagen Ball Club was founded in 1876, and it remains an extremely popular national sport.