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171-463: The stated overall purpose of PET is to "prevent, investigate and counter operations and activities that pose or may pose a threat to the preservation of Denmark as a free, democratic and safe country". The history of PET can be traced back to shortly before World War II when the Danish police force expanded to create Sikkerhedspolitiet (SIPO; lit.   ' Security Police ' ). Shortly before

342-637: A Neutrality Pact in April 1941, and Japan adopted the doctrine of Nanshin-ron , promoted by the Navy, which took its focus southward and eventually led to war with the United States and the Western Allies. In Europe, Germany and Italy were becoming more aggressive. In March 1938, Germany annexed Austria , again provoking little response from other European powers. Encouraged, Hitler began pressing German claims on

513-564: A cautious French probe into the Saarland . The Western Allies also began a naval blockade of Germany , which aimed to damage the country's economy and war effort. Germany responded by ordering U-boat warfare against Allied merchant and warships, which would later escalate into the Battle of the Atlantic . On 8 September, German troops reached the suburbs of Warsaw . The Polish counter-offensive to

684-624: A subsoil of flint-layered limestone deposited in the Danian period some 60 to 66 million years ago. Some greensand from the Selandian is also present. There are a few faults in the area, the most important of which is the Carlsberg fault which runs northwest to southeast through the centre of the city. During the last ice age, glaciers eroded the surface leaving a layer of moraines up to 15 m (49 ft) thick. Geologically , Copenhagen lies in

855-467: A 24-hour period during the winter months while summer temperatures have been known to rise to heights of 33 °C (91 °F). Because of Copenhagen's northern latitude, the number of daylight hours varies considerably between summer and winter. On the summer solstice, the sun rises at 04:26 and sets at 21:58, providing 17 hours 32 minutes of daylight. On the winter solstice, it rises at 08:37 and sets at 15:39 with 7 hours and 1 minute of daylight. There

1026-476: A Danish confederation with Sweden and Norway . The city flourished as the cultural and economic centre of Scandinavia during the Renaissance . By the 17th century, it had become a regional centre of power, serving as the heart of the Danish government and military . During the 18th century, Copenhagen suffered from a devastating plague outbreak and urban conflagrations . Major redevelopment efforts included

1197-460: A city go back at least to the 11th century. Substantial discoveries of flint tools in the area provide evidence of human settlements dating to the Stone Age . Many historians believe the town dates to the late Viking Age , and was possibly founded by Sweyn I Forkbeard . The natural harbour and good herring stocks seem to have attracted fishermen and merchants to the area on a seasonal basis from

1368-608: A complex group of people from a wide variety of professional areas who possess many different skills. Since 2003, PET headquarters has been located in the Copenhagen suburb of Buddinge with satellite offices located in local police stations in the municipalities of Århus and Odense , respectively. Because the service is integrated with the Danish police , they have representatives in all police precincts of Denmark. As Denmark's national security and intelligence service, PET works to identify, prevent, investigate and counter threats to

1539-496: A day. July is the warmest month with an average daytime high of 21 °C. By contrast, the average hours of sunshine are less than two per day in November and only one and a half per day from December to February. In the spring, it gets warmer again with four to six hours of sunshine per day from March to May. February is the driest month of the year. Exceptional weather conditions can bring as much as 50 cm of snow to Copenhagen in

1710-497: A huge increase in the population. In 1840, Copenhagen was inhabited by approximately 120,000 people. By 1901, it had some 400,000 inhabitants. By the beginning of the 20th century, Copenhagen had become a thriving industrial and administrative city. With its new city hall and railway station , its centre was drawn towards the west. New housing developments grew up in Brønshøj and Valby while Frederiksberg became an enclave within

1881-473: A modest fortress on the little island of Slotsholmen in 1167 where Christiansborg Palace stands today. The construction of the fortress was in response to attacks by Wendish pirates who plagued the coastline during the 12th century. Defensive ramparts and moats were completed, and by 1177 St. Clemens Church had been built. Attacks by the Wends continued, and after the original fortress was eventually destroyed by

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2052-447: A naval bombardment of Copenhagen from 2 to 5 September. The bombardment, which saw the deployment of Congreve rockets , killed 195 civilians and wounded 768, along with burning approximately 1,000 structures, including the Church of Our Lady . Copenhagen's defenders were unable to respond to the bombardment effectively due to relying on an old defence-line whose limited range could not reach

2223-525: A number of banking and financial institutions have been established. Educational institutions have also gained importance, especially the University of Copenhagen with its 35,000 students. Another important development for the city has been the Copenhagen Metro , the railway system which opened in 2002 with additions until 2007, transporting some 54 million passengers by 2011. On the cultural front,

2394-514: A pretext to initiate the invasion. The first German attack of the war came against the Polish defences at Westerplatte . The United Kingdom responded with an ultimatum for Germany to cease military operations, and on 3 September, after the ultimatum was ignored, Britain and France declared war on Germany. During the Phoney War period, the alliance provided no direct military support to Poland, outside of

2565-765: A pretext to worsen relations. On 29 August, Hitler demanded that a Polish plenipotentiary immediately travel to Berlin to negotiate the handover of Danzig , and to allow a plebiscite in the Polish Corridor in which the German minority would vote on secession. The Poles refused to comply with the German demands, and on the night of 30–31 August in a confrontational meeting with the British ambassador Nevile Henderson , Ribbentrop declared that Germany considered its claims rejected. On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland after having staged several false flag border incidents as

2736-741: A request from the Intelligence Oversight Board, the Government must notify the Committee. The Committee consists of five MPs appointed by the political parties that are members of the Presidium of the Danish Parliament. The Committee appoints its own chairman. The members are bound by professional secrecy with respect to the information they receive as committee members. It is the task of PET to prevent, investigate and counter threats to

2907-473: A result of continued British fears that Denmark would ally with France, another British fleet led by Admiral James Gambier was dispatched to Copenhagen with orders to seize or destroy the Dano-Norwegian navy. The British published a proclamation demanding the surrender of the Dano-Norwegian fleet, and the Danish responded with "what amounted to a declaration of war". Gambier's forces responded by carrying out

3078-469: A secret protocol that defined German and Soviet "spheres of influence" (western Poland and Lithuania for Germany; eastern Poland , Finland, Estonia , Latvia and Bessarabia for the Soviet Union), and raised the question of continuing Polish independence. The pact neutralised the possibility of Soviet opposition to a campaign against Poland and assured that Germany would not have to face the prospect of

3249-692: A similar pact and rejected ceding part of its territory to the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union invaded Finland in November 1939, and was subsequently expelled from the League of Nations for this crime of aggression. Despite overwhelming numerical superiority, Soviet military success during the Winter War was modest, and the Finno-Soviet war ended in March 1940 with some Finnish concessions of territory . In June 1940,

3420-459: A special Centre for Investigation tasked with providing the best possible basis for bringing criminal charges in cases relating to terrorism, extremism and espionage. Like the rest of the Danish police, any criminal investigation performed by PET is subject to the provisions of the Administration of Justice Act. Investigation and prosecution take place in close collaboration with the police and

3591-519: A two-front war, as it had in World War   I. Immediately afterwards, Hitler ordered the attack to proceed on 26 August, but upon hearing that the United Kingdom had concluded a formal mutual assistance pact with Poland and that Italy would maintain neutrality, he decided to delay it. In response to British requests for direct negotiations to avoid war, Germany made demands on Poland, which served as

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3762-499: Is Bellevue Beach . It is 700 metres (2,300 ft) long and has both lifeguards and freshwater showers on the beach. The beaches are supplemented by a system of Harbour Baths along the Copenhagen waterfront. The first and most popular of these is located at Islands Brygge , literally meaning Iceland's Quay, and has won international acclaim for its design. Copenhagen is in the oceanic climate zone ( Köppen : Cfb ). Its weather

3933-636: Is an independent body with its own secretariat. On 11 September 2001, al-Qaida carried out its terrorist attack against the World Trade Center which resulted in the collapse of the enormous towers right in front of the citizens of New York and TV viewers all over the world. Ever since the fight against terrorism has been an international main priority. Early on, it was clear that the threat picture had changed – in Denmark as well – and PET now uses considerable resources to identify, prevent, investigate and counter

4104-1025: Is by far the largest municipality, with the historic city at its core. The seat of Copenhagen's municipal council is the Copenhagen City Hall ( Rådhus ), which is situated on City Hall Square . The second largest municipality is Frederiksberg, an enclave within Copenhagen Municipality. Copenhagen Municipality is divided into ten districts ( bydele ): Indre By , Østerbro , Nørrebro , Vesterbro/Kongens Enghave , Valby , Vanløse , Brønshøj-Husum , Bispebjerg , Amager Øst , and Amager Vest . Neighbourhoods of Copenhagen include Slotsholmen , Frederiksstaden , Islands Brygge , Holmen , Christiania , Carlsberg , Sluseholmen , Sydhavn , Amagerbro , Ørestad , Nordhavnen , Bellahøj , Brønshøj , Ryparken , and Vigerslev . Most of Denmark's top legal courts and institutions are based in Copenhagen. A modern-style court of justice, Hof- og Stadsretten ,

4275-575: Is handled by the Maritime and Commercial Court of Copenhagen . Established in 1862, the Maritime and Commercial Court ( Sø- og Handelsretten ) also hears commercial cases including those relating to trade marks, marketing practices and competition for the whole of Denmark. Denmark's Supreme Court ( Højesteret ), located in Christiansborg Palace on Prins Jørgens Gård in the centre of Copenhagen,

4446-553: Is part of the Special Intervention Unit. Often, the most effective way of countering a specific threat is to initiate criminal proceedings, especially in relation to terrorism and extremism. The aim of PET's investigations is typically to establish sufficient grounds for proactive, early and targeted intervention in order to ensure that the threat never materializes. As part of this effort, sources , surveillance and other technical measures are commonly used. PET has

4617-497: Is responsible for all national personal protection assignments in Denmark. In addition to the personal protection assignments, PET is also responsible for stationary guard and personal protection assignments such as the physical security around designated locations in Denmark, the guarding of PET’s own premises and various ad hoc guarding assignments. The Security Section under PET’s Special Intervention Unit handles guard and protection assignments. One of PET’s key security assignments

4788-482: Is subject to low-pressure systems from the Atlantic which result in unstable conditions throughout the year. Apart from slightly higher rainfall from July to September, precipitation is moderate. While snowfall occurs mainly from late December to early March, there can also be rain, with average temperatures around the freezing point. June is the sunniest month of the year with an average of about eight hours of sunshine

4959-562: Is the public mass transit company serving all of eastern Denmark, except Bornholm . The Copenhagen Metro , launched in 2002, serves central Copenhagen. Additionally, the Copenhagen S-train , the Lokaltog ( private railway ), and the Coast Line network serve and connect central Copenhagen to outlying boroughs. Serving roughly 2.5 million passengers a month, Copenhagen Airport , Kastrup, is

5130-514: Is therefore a difference of 10 hours and 31 minutes in the length of days and nights between the summer and winter solstices. According to Statistics Denmark , the urban area of Copenhagen ( Hovedstadsområdet ) consists of the municipalities of Copenhagen , Frederiksberg , Albertslund , Brøndby , Gentofte , Gladsaxe , Glostrup , Herlev , Hvidovre , Lyngby-Taarbæk , Rødovre , Tårnby and Vallensbæk as well as parts of Ballerup , Rudersdal and Furesø municipalities, along with

5301-672: Is therefore a key priority for PET. World War II Asia-Pacific Mediterranean and Middle East Other campaigns Coups World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers . Nearly all the world's countries —including all the great powers —participated, with many investing all available economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities in pursuit of total war , blurring

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5472-621: Is to maintain an operational counterterrorism response in Denmark and contribute to fighting serious organized crime by providing sound solutions to complex police assignments where standard police training and equipment are inadequate. These assignments are handled by the Special Intervention Unit, which is an operational special unit at PET. The negotiation assignments of the Danish police are coordinated by PET, who organizes and coordinates instruction, training and operations with all police negotiators in Denmark. The negotiators are organized in PET and

5643-588: The Anglo-German Naval Agreement and the German–Polish declaration of non-aggression . The situation became a crisis in late August as German troops continued to mobilise against the Polish border. On 23 August the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression pact with Germany, after tripartite negotiations for a military alliance between France, the United Kingdom, and Soviet Union had stalled. This pact had

5814-534: The Church of Our Lady was constructed on higher ground to the northeast of the town, which began to develop around it. As the town became more prominent, it was repeatedly attacked by the Hanseatic League . In 1368, it was successfully invaded during the Second Danish-Hanseatic War . As the fishing industry thrived in Copenhagen, particularly in the trade of herring , the city began expanding to

5985-484: The Copenhagen Opera House , a gift to the city from the shipping magnate Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller on behalf of the A.P. Møller foundation, was completed in 2004. In December 2009 Copenhagen gained international prominence when it hosted the worldwide climate meeting COP15 . On 3 July 2022, three people were killed in a shooting at Field's mall in Copenhagen. Police chief inspector Søren Thomassen announced

6156-533: The Copenhagen Stock Exchange . Copenhagen's economy has developed rapidly in the service sector , especially through initiatives in information technology , pharmaceuticals and clean technology . Since the completion of the Øresund Bridge , Copenhagen has increasingly integrated with the Swedish province of Scania and its largest city, Malmö, forming the Øresund Region . With several bridges connecting

6327-494: The Finger Plan fostered the development of housing and businesses along the five urban railway routes emanating from the city centre. Since the turn of the 21st century, Copenhagen has seen strong urban and cultural development, facilitated by investment in its institutions and infrastructure. The city is the cultural , economic and governmental centre of Denmark; it is one of the major financial centres of Northern Europe with

6498-566: The German Revolution of 1918–1919 , and a democratic government, later known as the Weimar Republic , was created. The interwar period saw strife between supporters of the new republic and hardline opponents on both the political right and left. Italy, as an Entente ally, had made some post-war territorial gains; however, Italian nationalists were angered that the promises made by the United Kingdom and France to secure Italian entrance into

6669-570: The Gunboat War , which lasted until the 1814 Treaty of Kiel . Despite the turmoil the Napoleonic Wars brought to the city, Copenhagen soon experienced a period of intense cultural creativity known as the Danish Golden Age . Painting prospered under C.W. Eckersberg and his students while C.F. Hansen and Gottlieb Bindesbøll brought a Neoclassical look to the city's architecture. In

6840-683: The Italian invasion of Abyssinia on 3 October 1935. The British historian Antony Beevor views the beginning of World War   II as the Battles of Khalkhin Gol fought between Japan and the forces of Mongolia and the Soviet Union from May to September 1939. Others view the Spanish Civil War as the start or prelude to World War II. The exact date of the war's end also is not universally agreed upon. It

7011-682: The League of Nations as a force to preserve peace. Both Italy and Ethiopia were member nations, but the League did little when the former clearly violated Article X of the League's Covenant . The United Kingdom and France supported imposing sanctions on Italy for the invasion, but the sanctions were not fully enforced and failed to end the Italian invasion. Italy subsequently dropped its objections to Germany's goal of absorbing Austria . When civil war broke out in Spain, Hitler and Mussolini lent military support to

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7182-609: The Moltke Mansion , Yellow Palace and the Vestindisk Pakhus were funded with profits made from the Danish slave trade. In the second half of the 18th century, Copenhagen benefited from Denmark's neutrality during the wars between Europe's main powers, allowing it to play an important role in trade between the states around the Baltic Sea. After Christiansborg was destroyed by fire in 1794 and another fire caused serious damage to

7353-693: The Nationalist rebels , led by General Francisco Franco . Italy supported the Nationalists to a greater extent than the Nazis: Mussolini sent more than 70,000 ground troops, 6,000 aviation personnel, and 720 aircraft to Spain. The Soviet Union supported the existing government of the Spanish Republic . More than 30,000 foreign volunteers, known as the International Brigades , also fought against

7524-744: The Nazi authorities sought to arrive at an understanding with the Danish government. The 1943 Danish parliamentary election was also allowed to take place, with only the Communist Party excluded. But in August 1943, after the government's collaboration with the occupation forces collapsed, several ships were sunk in Copenhagen Harbor by the Royal Danish Navy to prevent their use by the Germans. Around that time

7695-574: The Paris Peace Conference . The organisation's primary goals were to prevent armed conflict through collective security, military, and naval disarmament , as well as settling international disputes through peaceful negotiations and arbitration. Despite strong pacifist sentiment after World War   I , irredentist and revanchist nationalism had emerged in several European states. These sentiments were especially marked in Germany because of

7866-538: The Prosecution Service . When PET for instance investigates a terrorism or espionage case, the case is typically transferred to the relevant police district in connection with the initial arrests, by agreement with the Prosecution Service. The police district then finalizes the investigation and hands it over to the Prosecution Service, which brings it to court . Sometimes, PET assists the investigation until

8037-516: The Reformation in Denmark in the late 1530s. In disputes prior to the Reformation of 1536, the city which had been faithful to Christian II , who was Catholic, was successfully besieged in 1523 by the forces of Frederik I , who supported Lutheranism . Copenhagen's defences were reinforced with a series of towers along the city wall. After an extended siege from July 1535 to July 1536, during which

8208-677: The Rome–Berlin Axis . A month later, Germany and Japan signed the Anti-Comintern Pact , which Italy joined the following year. The Kuomintang (KMT) party in China launched a unification campaign against regional warlords and nominally unified China in the mid-1920s, but was soon embroiled in a civil war against its former Chinese Communist Party (CCP) allies and new regional warlords . In 1931, an increasingly militaristic Empire of Japan , which had long sought influence in China as

8379-545: The Royal Theatre and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts . During the 18th century, the Danish slave trade , which began during the 17th century, underwent a rapid expansion. Between 1660 and 1806, Danish merchants, many of them based out of Copenhagen, transported approximately 120,000 enslaved Africans to the Danish West Indies . These merchants were mostly affiliated with the slave-trading Danish West India Company and Danish Asiatic Company , both of which were headquartered in Copenhagen. Many buildings in Copenhagen, such as

8550-409: The Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact in April 1941. By contrast, the Germans were steadily making preparations for an attack on the Soviet Union, massing forces on the Soviet border. Hitler believed that the United Kingdom's refusal to end the war was based on the hope that the United States and the Soviet Union would enter the war against Germany sooner or later. On 31 July 1940, Hitler decided that

8721-421: The Stresa Front in April 1935 in order to contain Germany, a key step towards military globalisation ; however, that June, the United Kingdom made an independent naval agreement with Germany, easing prior restrictions. The Soviet Union, concerned by Germany's goals of capturing vast areas of Eastern Europe , drafted a treaty of mutual assistance with France. Before taking effect, though, the Franco-Soviet pact

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8892-523: The Sudetenland , an area of Czechoslovakia with a predominantly ethnic German population. Soon the United Kingdom and France followed the appeasement policy of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and conceded this territory to Germany in the Munich Agreement , which was made against the wishes of the Czechoslovak government, in exchange for a promise of no further territorial demands. Soon afterwards, Germany and Italy forced Czechoslovakia to cede additional territory to Hungary, and Poland annexed

9063-428: The Tanggu Truce was signed in 1933. Thereafter, Chinese volunteer forces continued the resistance to Japanese aggression in Manchuria , and Chahar and Suiyuan . After the 1936 Xi'an Incident , the Kuomintang and CCP forces agreed on a ceasefire to present a united front to oppose Japan. The Second Italo-Ethiopian War was a brief colonial war that began in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war began with

9234-401: The Technical University of Denmark , Copenhagen Business School , and the IT University of Copenhagen . The University of Copenhagen, founded in 1479, is the oldest university in Denmark. Copenhagen is home to the football clubs F.C. Copenhagen and Brøndby IF . The annual Copenhagen Marathon was established in 1980. Copenhagen is one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world. Movia

9405-466: The Trans-Olza region of Czechoslovakia. Although all of Germany's stated demands had been satisfied by the agreement, privately Hitler was furious that British interference had prevented him from seizing all of Czechoslovakia in one operation. In subsequent speeches Hitler attacked British and Jewish "war-mongers" and in January 1939 secretly ordered a major build-up of the German navy to challenge British naval supremacy. In March 1939, Germany invaded

9576-506: The Treaty of Craiova . The loss of one-third of Romania's 1939 territory caused a coup against King Carol II, turning Romania into a fascist dictatorship under Marshal Ion Antonescu , with a course set towards the Axis in the hopes of a German guarantee. Meanwhile, German-Soviet political relations and economic co-operation gradually stalled, and both states began preparations for war. In April 1940, Germany invaded Denmark and Norway to protect shipments of iron ore from Sweden , which

9747-426: The Wehrmacht rapidly advanced to the Channel and cut off the Allied forces in Belgium, trapping the bulk of the Allied armies in a cauldron on the Franco-Belgian border near Lille. The United Kingdom was able to evacuate a significant number of Allied troops from the continent by early June, although they had to abandon almost all their equipment. On 10 June, Italy invaded France , declaring war on both France and

9918-620: The Øresund to the east, the strait of water that separates Denmark from Sweden, and which connects the North Sea with the Baltic Sea . The Swedish city of Malmö and the town of Landskrona lie on the Swedish side of the sound directly across from Copenhagen. By road, Copenhagen is 42 kilometres (26 mi) northwest of Malmö , Sweden, 85 kilometres (53 mi) northeast of Næstved , 164 kilometres (102 mi) northeast of Odense , 295 kilometres (183 mi) east of Esbjerg and 188 kilometres (117 mi) southeast of Aarhus by sea and road via Sjællands Odde . The city centre lies in

10089-508: The 11th century and more permanently in the 13th century. The first habitations were probably centred on Gammel Strand (literally 'old shore') in the 11th century or even earlier. The earliest written mention of the town was in the 12th century when Saxo Grammaticus in Gesta Danorum referred to it as Portus Mercatorum , meaning 'Merchants' Harbour' or, in the Danish of the time, Købmannahavn . Traditionally, Copenhagen's founding has been dated to Bishop Absalon 's construction of

10260-419: The 1917 Bolshevik seizure of power in Russia , which led to the founding of the Soviet Union. Meanwhile, the victorious Allies of World War I , such as France, Belgium, Italy, Romania, and Greece, gained territory, and new nation-states were created out of the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and Russian Empires. To prevent a future world war, the League of Nations was established in 1920 by

10431-409: The Allies were attempting to cut off . Denmark capitulated after six hours , and despite Allied support , Norway was conquered within two months. British discontent over the Norwegian campaign led to the resignation of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain , who was replaced by Winston Churchill on 10   May 1940. On the same day, Germany launched an offensive against France . To circumvent

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10602-410: The Asia-Pacific , and by 1937 was at war with the Republic of China . In December 1941, Japan attacked American and British territories in Southeast Asia and the Central Pacific , including Pearl Harbor in Hawaii , which resulted in the US and the UK declaring war against Japan, and the European Axis declaring war on the US. Japan conquered much of coastal China and Southeast Asia , but its advances in

10773-400: The Axis war against the Soviet Union, in Romania's case partially to recapture territory ceded to the Soviet Union . In early June 1940, the Italian Regia Aeronautica attacked and besieged Malta , a British possession. From late summer to early autumn, Italy conquered British Somaliland and made an incursion into British-held Egypt . In October, Italy attacked Greece , but the attack

10944-421: The Blitz , but largely ended in May 1941 after failing to significantly disrupt the British war effort. Using newly captured French ports, the German Navy enjoyed success against an over-extended Royal Navy , using U-boats against British shipping in the Atlantic . The British Home Fleet scored a significant victory on 27   May 1941 by sinking the German battleship Bismarck . In November 1939,

11115-409: The British ships and their longer-range artillery. A British landing force of 30,000 men entered and occupied Copenhagen; during the battle, the British suffered almost 200 casualties, while the Danish suffered 3,000. Virtually the entire Dano-Norwegian fleet was surrendered to the British, who either burnt them or brought them back to Britain. Denmark declared war on Britain, leading to the outbreak of

11286-406: The Cold War was synonymous with acquiring an insight into political affairs and this was inherently a sensitive matter. Erik Eriksen (the Danish Liberal Party), Danish Prime Minister from 1950 to 1953, therefore used the expression that the service was to do “as little as possible as effectively as possible”. In 1964, a parliamentary control committee was established with the task of supervising e.g.

11457-444: The Committee are set out in the act on the setting up of a committee on the intelligence services of the Danish Defence and the Danish police. The Government must keep the Committee informed of important security and foreign policy issues of significance to the activities of the intelligence services. Furthermore, the Committee must be informed of intelligence service guidelines prior to their issuance. If PET does not comply with

11628-418: The Copenhagen Police. Initially, the central department consisted of 27 criminal investigators and a number of administrative employees. The service was since moved to new offices at Police Station Bellahøj following a staff increase. In the beginning, PET aimed much of its focus at espionage and other intelligence-related activities carried out by the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc countries. On one hand, it

11799-446: The Counterterrorism Department, the Intelligence Collection Department, the Counterintelligence Department, the Security Department and SIOC (Strategic Information and Operations Centre). Centre for Terror Analysis (CTA) is a fusion center comprising staff from four Danish authorities (PET, the Danish Defense Intelligence Service, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Emergency Management Agency). CTA provides analyses and assessments of

11970-404: The Danish Parliament. The website of the Intelligence Oversight Board provides information on the Board and contains the most recent annual oversight report. The political oversight of PET is ensured by a special parliamentary committee , the Intelligence Services Committee . The Committee was set up in 1988 to provide insight into the activities of the intelligence services . The tasks of

12141-429: The English term for the city was adapted from its Low German name, Kopenhagen . Copenhagen's Swedish name is Köpenhamn , a direct translation of the mutually intelligible Danish name. The city's Latin name, Hafnia , is the namesake of the element hafnium . Although the earliest historical records of Copenhagen are from the end of the 12th century, recent archaeological finds in connection with work on

12312-773: The French possessions of Syria and Lebanon , assisted by the Free French . With the situation in Europe and Asia relatively stable, Germany, Japan, and the Soviet Union made preparations for war. With the Soviets wary of mounting tensions with Germany, and the Japanese planning to take advantage of the European War by seizing resource-rich European possessions in Southeast Asia , the two powers signed

12483-527: The Germans, and the last large operational unit of the Polish Army surrendered on 6   October . Despite the military defeat, Poland never surrendered; instead, it formed the Polish government-in-exile and a clandestine state apparatus remained in occupied Poland. A significant part of Polish military personnel evacuated to Romania and Latvia; many of them later fought against the Axis in other theatres of

12654-594: The Holocaust of European Jews, as well as from massacres, starvation, and disease. Following the Allied powers' victory, Germany , Austria , Japan , and Korea were occupied, and war crimes tribunals were conducted against German and Japanese leaders . The causes of World War II included unresolved tensions in the aftermath of World War I and the rise of fascism in Europe and militarism in Japan . Key events leading up to

12825-505: The Nationalists. Both Germany and the Soviet Union used this proxy war as an opportunity to test in combat their most advanced weapons and tactics. The Nationalists won the civil war in April 1939; Franco, now dictator, remained officially neutral during World War   II but generally favoured the Axis . His greatest collaboration with Germany was the sending of volunteers to fight on the Eastern Front . In July 1937, Japan captured

12996-676: The Nazis started to arrest Jews , although most managed to escape to Sweden . In 1945 Ole Lippman , leader of the Danish section of the Special Operations Executive , invited the British Royal Air Force to assist their operations by attacking Nazi headquarters in Copenhagen. Accordingly, air vice-marshal Sir Basil Embry drew up plans for a spectacular precision attack on the Sicherheitsdienst and Gestapo building,

13167-708: The Pacific were halted in mid-1942 after its defeat in the naval Battle of Midway ; Germany and Italy were defeated in North Africa and at Stalingrad in the Soviet Union. Key setbacks in 1943—including German defeats on the Eastern Front, the Allied invasions of Sicily and the Italian mainland , and Allied offensives in the Pacific—cost the Axis powers their initiative and forced them into strategic retreat on all fronts. In 1944,

13338-734: The Permanent Secretary of the Danish Ministry of Justice and, in special cases, to the Minister of Justice and the Prime Minister. At the same time, the police-related intelligence tasks were expanded. PET was established with an HQ at the premises of the Copenhagen Police, from where its staff were to gather intelligence-related information from its contact persons in the police districts and from Department E (the former Department D) of

13509-519: The Public Servants Act. According to this act, SIPO was given the task of “providing a shield against undertakings or actions that can be presumed to be aimed at the independence of the Realm and the legal social system as well carrying out an effective supervision of aliens and travellers”. Initially, it was decided that SIPO was solely to cover Denmark outside the capital of Copenhagen. In Copenhagen,

13680-505: The Royal Navy putting three Italian battleships out of commission after a carrier attack at Taranto , and neutralising several more warships at the Battle of Cape Matapan . Italian defeats prompted Germany to deploy an expeditionary force to North Africa; at the end of March 1941, Rommel 's Afrika Korps launched an offensive which drove back Commonwealth forces. In less than a month, Axis forces advanced to western Egypt and besieged

13851-584: The Soviet Union occupied the entire territories of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as the Romanian regions of Bessarabia, Northern Bukovina, and the Hertsa region . In August 1940, Hitler imposed the Second Vienna Award on Romania which led to the transfer of Northern Transylvania to Hungary. In September 1940, Bulgaria demanded Southern Dobruja from Romania with German and Italian support, leading to

14022-474: The Soviet Union and Mongolia . The Japanese doctrine of Hokushin-ron , which emphasised Japan's expansion northward, was favoured by the Imperial Army during this time. This policy would prove difficult to maintain in light of the Japanese defeat at Khalkin Gol in 1939, the ongoing Second Sino-Japanese War and ally Nazi Germany pursuing neutrality with the Soviets. Japan and the Soviet Union eventually signed

14193-738: The Soviet Union should be eliminated and aimed for the conquest of Ukraine , the Baltic states and Byelorussia . However, other senior German officials like Ribbentrop saw an opportunity to create a Euro-Asian bloc against the British Empire by inviting the Soviet Union into the Tripartite Pact. In November 1940, negotiations took place to determine if the Soviet Union would join the pact. The Soviets showed some interest but asked for concessions from Finland, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Japan that Germany considered unacceptable. On 18 December 1940, Hitler issued

14364-587: The Soviet Union was ever signed, although the state of war between the two countries was terminated by the Soviet–Japanese Joint Declaration of 1956 , which also restored full diplomatic relations between them. World War I had radically altered the political European map with the defeat of the Central Powers —including Austria-Hungary , Germany , Bulgaria , and the Ottoman Empire —and

14535-568: The United Kingdom and France guaranteed their support for Polish independence ; when Italy conquered Albania in April 1939, the same guarantee was extended to the Kingdoms of Romania and Greece . Shortly after the Franco - British pledge to Poland, Germany and Italy formalised their own alliance with the Pact of Steel . Hitler accused the United Kingdom and Poland of trying to "encircle" Germany and renounced

14706-489: The United Kingdom attacked on 3   July in an attempt to prevent its seizure by Germany. The air Battle of Britain began in early July with Luftwaffe attacks on shipping and harbours . The German campaign for air superiority started in August but its failure to defeat RAF Fighter Command forced the indefinite postponement of the proposed German invasion of Britain . The German strategic bombing offensive intensified with night attacks on London and other cities in

14877-455: The United Kingdom. The Germans turned south against the weakened French army, and Paris fell to them on 14   June. Eight days later France signed an armistice with Germany ; it was divided into German and Italian occupation zones , and an unoccupied rump state under the Vichy Regime , which, though officially neutral, was generally aligned with Germany. France kept its fleet, which

15048-689: The United States was assisting China and the Western Allies, and had amended the Neutrality Act to allow "cash and carry" purchases by the Allies. In 1940, following the German capture of Paris, the size of the United States Navy was significantly increased . In September the United States further agreed to a trade of American destroyers for British bases . Still, a large majority of the American public continued to oppose any direct military intervention in

15219-566: The Western Allies and the Soviet Union, culminating in the fall of Berlin to Soviet troops; Hitler's suicide ; and the German unconditional surrender on 8 May 1945 . Following the refusal of Japan to surrender on the terms of the Potsdam Declaration , the US dropped the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and 9 August. Faced with an imminent invasion of the Japanese archipelago ,

15390-468: The Western Allies invaded German-occupied France at Normandy , while the Soviet Union regained its territorial losses and pushed Germany and its allies westward. At the same time, Japan suffered reversals in mainland Asia, while the Allies crippled the Japanese Navy and captured key islands . The war in Europe concluded with the liberation of German-occupied territories ; the invasion of Germany by

15561-590: The Yellow River ; this manoeuvre bought time for the Chinese to prepare their defences at Wuhan , but the city was taken by October. Japanese military victories did not bring about the collapse of Chinese resistance that Japan had hoped to achieve; instead, the Chinese government relocated inland to Chongqing and continued the war. In the mid-to-late 1930s, Japanese forces in Manchukuo had sporadic border clashes with

15732-556: The aerial Battle of Britain and the Blitz , and naval Battle of the Atlantic . Through a series of campaigns and treaties, Germany took control of much of continental Europe and formed the Axis alliance with Italy , Japan , and other countries. In June 1941, Germany led the European Axis in an invasion of the Soviet Union , opening the Eastern Front and initially making large territorial gains. Japan aimed to dominate East Asia and

15903-622: The area originally defined by the old ramparts , which are still referred to as the Fortification Ring ( Fæstningsringen ) and kept as a partial green band around it. Then come the late-19th- and early-20th-century residential neighbourhoods of Østerbro , Nørrebro , Vesterbro and Amagerbro . The outlying areas of Kongens Enghave , Valby , Vigerslev , Vanløse , Brønshøj , Utterslev and Sundby followed from 1920 to 1960. They consist mainly of residential housing and apartments often enhanced with parks and greenery. The central area of

16074-465: The arrest of a 22-year-old man and said that the police cannot rule out an act of terrorism. Copenhagen is part of the Øresund Region , which consists of Zealand , Lolland-Falster and Bornholm in Denmark and Scania in Sweden. It is located on the eastern shore of the island of Zealand, partly on the island of Amager and on a number of natural and artificial islets between the two. Copenhagen faces

16245-616: The beginning of the Pacific War include the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War on 7 July 1937, or the earlier Japanese invasion of Manchuria , on 19 September 1931. Others follow the British historian A. J. P. Taylor , who stated that the Sino-Japanese War and war in Europe and its colonies occurred simultaneously, and the two wars became World War II in 1941. Other proposed starting dates for World War II include

16416-567: The busiest airport in the Nordic countries . Copenhagen's name ( København in Danish), reflects its origin as a harbour and a place of commerce. The original designation in Old Norse , from which Danish descends, was Kaupmannahǫfn [ˈkɔupˌmɑnːɑˌhɔvn] (cf. modern Icelandic : Kaupmannahöfn [ˈkʰœipˌmanːaˌhœpn̥] , Faroese : Keypmannahavn ), meaning 'merchants' harbour'. By

16587-502: The capital Nanking in December 1937. After the fall of Nanking, tens or hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians and disarmed combatants were murdered by the Japanese . In March 1938, Nationalist Chinese forces won their first major victory at Taierzhuang , but then the city of Xuzhou was taken by the Japanese in May. In June 1938, Chinese forces stalled the Japanese advance by flooding

16758-462: The capital of Denmark when Eric of Pomerania moved his seat to Copenhagen Castle. The University of Copenhagen was inaugurated on 1 June 1479 by King Christian I , following approval from Pope Sixtus IV . This makes it the oldest university in Denmark and one of the oldest in Europe . Originally controlled by the Catholic Church , the university's role in society was forced to change during

16929-491: The cities of Ishøj and Greve Strand . They are located in the Capital Region ( Region Hovedstaden ). Municipalities are responsible for a wide variety of public services , which include land-use planning, environmental planning, public housing, management and maintenance of local roads, and social security. Municipal administration is also conducted by a mayor , a council , and an executive. Copenhagen Municipality

17100-468: The city consists of relatively low-lying flat ground formed by moraines from the last ice age while the hilly areas to the north and west frequently rise to 50 m (160 ft) above sea level. The slopes of Valby and Brønshøj reach heights of over 30 m (98 ft), divided by valleys running from the northeast to the southwest. Close to the centre are the Copenhagen lakes of Sortedams Sø, Peblinge Sø and Sankt Jørgens Sø. Copenhagen rests on

17271-530: The city in 1795, work began on the classical Copenhagen landmark of Højbro Plads while Nytorv and Gammel Torv were converged. As a result of British fears that Denmark would ally with France , a Royal Navy fleet under the command of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker was dispatched to neutralize the Royal Dano-Norwegian Navy . On 2 April 1801, Parker's fleet encountered the Dano-Norwegian navy anchored near Copenhagen. Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson led

17442-559: The city of Copenhagen. The northern part of Amager and Valby were also incorporated into the City of Copenhagen in 1901–02. As a result of Denmark's neutrality in the First World War , Copenhagen prospered from trade with both Britain and Germany while the city's defences were kept fully manned by some 40,000 soldiers for the duration of the war. In the 1920s there were serious shortages of goods and housing. Plans were drawn up to demolish

17613-468: The city supported Christian II's alliance with Malmö and Lübeck , it was finally forced to capitulate to Christian III . During the second half of the century, the city prospered from increased trade across the Baltic supported by Dutch shipping. Christoffer Valkendorff , a high-ranking statesman, defended the city's interests and contributed to its development. The Netherlands had also become primarily Protestant, as were northern German states. During

17784-481: The city's metropolitan rail system revealed the remains of a large merchant's mansion near today's Kongens Nytorv from c.  1020 . Excavations in Pilestræde have also led to the discovery of a well from the late 12th century. The remains of an ancient church, with graves dating to the 11th century, have been unearthed near where Strøget meets Rådhuspladsen . These finds indicate that Copenhagen's origins as

17955-403: The conflict well into 1941. In December 1940, Roosevelt accused Hitler of planning world conquest and ruled out any negotiations as useless, calling for the United States to become an " arsenal of democracy " and promoting Lend-Lease programmes of military and humanitarian aid to support the British war effort; Lend-Lease was later extended to the other Allies, including the Soviet Union after it

18126-669: The construction of the prestigious district of Frederiksstaden and the establishment of cultural institutions such as the Royal Theatre and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts . The city also became the centre of the Danish slave trade during this period. In 1807, the city was bombarded by a British fleet during the Napoleonic Wars , before the Danish Golden Age brought a Neoclassical look to Copenhagen's architecture. After World War II ,

18297-515: The creation of a " New Roman Empire ". Adolf Hitler , after an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the German government in 1923, eventually became the Chancellor of Germany in 1933 when Paul von Hindenburg and the Reichstag appointed him. Following Hindenburg's death in 1934, Hitler proclaimed himself Führer of Germany and abolished democracy, espousing a radical, racially motivated revision of

18468-423: The directive to prepare for an invasion of the Soviet Union. Copenhagen Copenhagen ( Danish : København [kʰøpm̩ˈhɑwˀn] ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark , with a population of 1.4 million in the urban area . The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager , separated from Malmö , Sweden , by the Øresund strait. The Øresund Bridge connects

18639-402: The distinction between military and civilian resources. Tanks and aircraft played major roles , with the latter enabling the strategic bombing of population centres and delivery of the only two nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II was the deadliest conflict in history, resulting in 70 to 85 million deaths , more than half being civilians. Millions died in genocides , including

18810-583: The district of Christianshavn with canals and ramparts. It was initially intended to be a fortified trading centre but ultimately became part of Copenhagen. Christian IV also sponsored an array of ambitious building projects including Rosenborg Slot and the Rundetårn . In 1658–1659, the city withstood a siege by the Swedes under Charles X and successfully repelled a major assault . By 1661, Copenhagen had asserted its position as capital of Denmark and Norway. All

18981-404: The early 1850s, the ramparts of the city were opened to allow new housing to be built around The Lakes ( Danish : Søerne ) that bordered the old defences to the west. By the 1880s, the districts of Nørrebro and Vesterbro developed to accommodate those who came from the provinces to participate in the city's industrialization. This dramatic increase of space was long overdue, as not only were

19152-637: The end of May completed the German conquest of the Balkans. Partisan warfare subsequently broke out against the Axis occupation of Yugoslavia , which continued until the end of the war. In the Middle East in May, Commonwealth forces quashed an uprising in Iraq which had been supported by German aircraft from bases within Vichy-controlled Syria . Between June and July, British-led forces invaded and occupied

19323-566: The first step of what its government saw as the country's right to rule Asia , staged the Mukden incident as a pretext to invade Manchuria and establish the puppet state of Manchukuo . China appealed to the League of Nations to stop the Japanese invasion of Manchuria. Japan withdrew from the League of Nations after being condemned for its incursion into Manchuria. The two nations then fought several battles, in Shanghai , Rehe and Hebei , until

19494-843: The former Chinese imperial capital of Peking after instigating the Marco Polo Bridge incident , which culminated in the Japanese campaign to invade all of China. The Soviets quickly signed a non-aggression pact with China to lend materiel support, effectively ending China's prior cooperation with Germany . From September to November, the Japanese attacked Taiyuan , engaged the Kuomintang Army around Xinkou , and fought Communist forces in Pingxingguan . Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek deployed his best army to defend Shanghai , but after three months of fighting, Shanghai fell. The Japanese continued to push Chinese forces back, capturing

19665-541: The former offices of the Shell Oil Company . Political prisoners were kept in the attic to prevent an air raid, so the RAF had to bomb the lower levels of the building. The attack, known as " Operation Carthage ", came on 22 March 1945, in three small waves. In the first wave, all six planes (carrying one bomb each) hit their target, but one of the aircraft crashed near Frederiksberg Girls School. Because of this crash, four of

19836-460: The freedom, democracy and security of Danish society, just as the work also includes the Danish Realm. Against this backdrop, PET handles a wide range of intelligence and security tasks on a daily basis. The intelligence task of PET consists of collecting, analyzing and communicating information concerning threats to Denmark and Danish interests, while the nature of the security task is to counter

20007-567: The freedom, democracy and security of Danish society. PET lies within the remit of the Danish Ministry of Justice, and the Director General of PET reports directly to the Minister of Justice. PET’s top management consists of the Director General of PET, the Director of Operations, the Director of Legal Affairs and the Director of Administration. In addition, PET’s Management Board comprises the Heads of

20178-526: The initiative of the young architect Jan Gehl , pedestrian streets and cycle tracks were created in the city centre. Activity in the port of Copenhagen declined with the closure of the Holmen Naval Base. Copenhagen Airport underwent considerable expansion, becoming a hub for the Nordic countries . In the 1990s, large-scale housing developments were realised in the harbour area and in the west of Amager . The national library's Black Diamond building on

20349-512: The invasion of the Ethiopian Empire (also known as Abyssinia ) by the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy ( Regno d'Italia ), which was launched from Italian Somaliland and Eritrea . The war resulted in the military occupation of Ethiopia and its annexation into the newly created colony of Italian East Africa ( Africa Orientale Italiana , or AOI); in addition it exposed the weakness of

20520-507: The main attack. The Dano-Norwegian fleet put up heavy resistance, and the battle is often considered to be Nelson's hardest-fought battle, surpassing even the heavy fighting at Trafalgar . It was during this battle that Lord Nelson was said to have "put the telescope to the blind eye" in order not to see Admiral Parker's signal to cease fire . The British ultimately won the battle, sinking or capturing most of Dano-Norwegian fleet, which led Denmark to agree not to ally with France. In 1807, as

20691-551: The major institutions were located there, as was the fleet and most of the army. The defences were further enhanced with the completion of the Citadel in 1664 and the extension of Christianshavns Vold with its bastions in 1692, leading to the creation of a new base for the fleet at Nyholm . Copenhagen lost around 22,000 of its population of 65,000 to the plague in 1711. The city was also struck by two major fires that destroyed much of its infrastructure. The Copenhagen Fire of 1728

20862-432: The marauders, islanders replaced it with Copenhagen Castle . In 1186, a letter from Pope Urban III states that the castle of Hafn (Copenhagen) and its surrounding lands, including the town of Hafn, were given to Absalon , Bishop of Roskilde (1158–1191) and Archbishop of Lund (1177–1201), by King Valdemar I . Upon Absalon's death, the property was to come into the ownership of the Bishopric of Roskilde . Around 1200,

21033-419: The north of Slotsholmen. In 1254, it received a charter as a city under Bishop Jakob Erlandsen who garnered support from the local fishing merchants against the king by granting them special privileges. In the mid 1330s, the first land assessment of the city was published. With the establishment of the Kalmar Union (1397–1523) between Denmark , Norway and Sweden, by about 1416 Copenhagen had emerged as

21204-408: The northern part of Denmark where the land is rising because of post-glacial rebound . Amager Strandpark , which opened in 2005, is a 2 km (1 mi) long artificial island , with a total of 4.6 km (2.9 mi) of beaches. It is located just 15 minutes by bicycle or a few minutes by metro from the city centre. In Klampenborg , about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from downtown Copenhagen,

21375-516: The old part of Christianshavn and to get rid of the worst of the city's slum areas. However, it was not until the 1930s that substantial housing developments ensued, with the demolition of one side of Christianhavn's Torvegade to build five large blocks of flats. In Denmark during World War II , Copenhagen was occupied by German troops along with the rest of the country from 9 April 1940 until 4 May 1945. German leader Adolf Hitler hoped that Denmark would be "a model protectorate " and initially

21546-399: The old ramparts out of date as a defence system but bad sanitation in the old city had to be overcome. From 1886, the west rampart ( Vestvolden ) was flattened, allowing major extensions to the harbour leading to the establishment of the Freeport of Copenhagen 1892–94. Electricity came in 1892 with electric trams in 1897. The spread of housing to areas outside the old ramparts brought about

21717-463: The planes in the two following waves assumed the school was the military target and aimed their bombs at the school, leading to the death of 123 civilians (of which 87 were schoolchildren). However, 18 of the 26 political prisoners in the Shell Building managed to escape while the Gestapo archives were completely destroyed. On 8 May 1945 Copenhagen was officially liberated by British troops commanded by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery who supervised

21888-525: The police districts, respectively, and handle national as well as international operations that include negotiation as part of the strategy. This could be in connection with incidents that require negotiation in order to avoid the use of force , to prevent any damage, to collect information or to facilitate surrender. The Negotiation Team responds to cases involving, among other things, kidnapping , barricaded dangerous offenders , armed mentally ill individuals and suicidal individuals . PET’s Negotiation Team

22059-427: The port of Tobruk . By late March 1941, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia signed the Tripartite Pact ; however, the Yugoslav government was overthrown two days later by pro-British nationalists. Germany and Italy responded with simultaneous invasions of both Yugoslavia and Greece , commencing on 6 April 1941; both nations were forced to surrender within the month. The airborne invasion of the Greek island of Crete at

22230-414: The possibility of further atomic bombings, and the Soviet declaration of war against Japan and its invasion of Manchuria , Japan announced its unconditional surrender on 15 August and signed a surrender document on 2 September 1945 , marking the end of the war. World War II changed the political alignment and social structure of the world, and it set the foundation of international relations for

22401-435: The registration of individuals was one of the issues that were reopened by the PET Commission, which dealt with the intelligence-related activities of the police within the political area from 1945 to 1989. The report of the Commission was published in 2009. In 1998, the Danish Ministry of Justice also appointed the so-called Wendler Pedersen Committee, which was headed by Supreme Court Judge Hugo Wendler Pedersen. The committee

22572-423: The registrations carried out by the service. The chairman of the committee, County Governor A.M. Wamberg, also lent his name to the committee, the so-called Wamberg Committee. Four years later, on 30 September 1968, the government at the time furthermore stated: “Today, the Government has decided that the registration of Danish citizens can no longer be made solely on grounds of legal political activities. In 1998,

22743-409: The reign of Christian IV between 1588 and 1648, Copenhagen had dramatic growth as a city. On his initiative at the beginning of the 17th century, two important buildings were completed on Slotsholmen : the Tøjhus Arsenal and Børsen , the stock exchange. To foster international trade, the East India Company was founded in 1616. To the east of the city, inspired by Dutch planning, the king developed

22914-407: The remainder of Czechoslovakia and subsequently split it into the German Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and a pro-German client state , the Slovak Republic . Hitler also delivered an ultimatum to Lithuania on 20 March 1939, forcing the concession of the Klaipėda Region , formerly the German Memelland . Greatly alarmed and with Hitler making further demands on the Free City of Danzig ,

23085-851: The required protective measures and countermeasures in relation to specific events. PET is responsible for all national personal protection assignments in Denmark. These assignments mainly concern members of the Royal Family , the government , the parliament , other official representatives of Denmark, foreign representations in Denmark and individuals under particular threat. In addition, security assignments are planned and carried out in connection with high-profile official visits to Denmark, for example state visits , political conferences and similar major events. PET also handles security assignments in connection with politicians travelling to high-risk areas as well as local, regional and general elections and, for instance, when Danish athletes participate in major sporting events abroad. The Personal Protection Unit

23256-408: The rest of the 20th century and into the 21st century. The United Nations was established to foster international cooperation and prevent conflicts, with the victorious great powers—China, France, the Soviet Union, the UK, and the US—becoming the permanent members of its security council . The Soviet Union and the United States emerged as rival superpowers , setting the stage for the Cold War . In

23427-404: The royal residence of Christiansborg Palace , which was completed in 1745. In 1749, development of the prestigious district of Frederiksstaden was initiated. Designed by Nicolai Eigtved in the Rococo style, its centre contained the mansions which now form Amalienborg Palace. Major extensions to the naval base of Holmen were undertaken while the city's cultural importance was enhanced with

23598-410: The significant territorial, colonial, and financial losses imposed by the Treaty of Versailles . Under the treaty, Germany lost around 13 percent of its home territory and all its overseas possessions , while German annexation of other states was prohibited, reparations were imposed, and limits were placed on the size and capability of the country's armed forces . The German Empire was dissolved in

23769-407: The start of World War II, the Danish police force was expanded to also include a security police department, SIPO. SIPO was set up as an inspectorate under the Danish National Commissioner – on an equal footing with two other inspectorates covering the uniformed police and CID, respectively. The expansion of the police force was done according to Act No. 90 of 15 March 1939 which was an amendment of

23940-415: The strong Maginot Line fortifications on the Franco-German border, Germany directed its attack at the neutral nations of Belgium , the Netherlands , and Luxembourg . The Germans carried out a flanking manoeuvre through the Ardennes region, which was mistakenly perceived by the Allies as an impenetrable natural barrier against armoured vehicles. By successfully implementing new Blitzkrieg tactics,

24111-425: The surrender of 30,000 Germans situated around the capital. Shortly after the end of the war, an innovative urban development project known as the Finger Plan was introduced in 1947, encouraging the creation of new housing and businesses interspersed with large green areas along five "fingers" stretching out from the city centre along the S-train routes. With the expansion of the welfare state and women entering

24282-405: The tasks of PET and, among other things, it stipulates when it is allowed to obtain and process information concerning physical and legal entities, when the information may be passed on, and when it is to be deleted. A new oversight board, which was to replace the Wamberg Committee, was established in connection with the PET Act. The board, which has been named the Danish Intelligence Oversight Board,

24453-423: The tasks of SIPO were to be handled by Department D of the Copenhagen Police, which was established in 1927. Among the responsibilities of this department were weapons control, radio licence and protection duties during state visits. In the years following World War II and the liberation of Denmark on 4 May 1945, it was decided on 7 May 1945 to establish the National Commissioner’s Intelligence Department, REA, which

24624-435: The terror threat to Danish society. Apart from terrorism, the threats to Danish society are primarily posed by political extremism and espionage, and they are aimed at targets not only in Denmark but also against Danes and Danish interests abroad. The changed threat picture in recent years has had the effect a substantial amount of resources has been allocated to PET, turning it into an organization whose staff today consists of

24795-549: The terrorist threat to Denmark and Danish interests abroad. PET is subject to independent oversight by the Intelligence Oversight Board and parliamentary oversight by the Intelligence Services Committee of the Danish Parliament. The Intelligence Oversight Board independently oversees PET’s processing of data on natural and legal persons, ensuring that it complies with the PET Act and any regulations issued pursuant to this act. The Intelligence Oversight Board can gain access to all PET's information and any material of importance to

24966-430: The threats identified by the intelligence efforts. The balancing point between intelligence and security tasks in PET is dynamic and determined by current threats and various other external factors. PET uses knowledge from its intelligence work to identify critical and vulnerable targets in relation to acts of terrorism. A complex and dynamic threat picture requires immediate and effective action for PET to keep on top of

25137-432: The threats through appropriate security measures. To support the planning and execution of the security assignments, security and risk assessments as well as operational orders are prepared, which combined form the basis for assessing the overall security requirements. The security assessments are shared with the Danish police districts along with PET’s security recommendations in order that the districts are able to initiate

25308-448: The time Old Danish was spoken, the capital was called Køpmannæhafn , with the current name deriving from centuries of subsequent regular sound change . The English cognates of the original name would be " chapman 's haven ". The English chapman , German Kaufmann , Dutch koopman , Swedish köpman , Danish købmand , and Icelandic kaupmaður share a derivation from Latin caupo , meaning 'tradesman'. However,

25479-507: The trial begins, while, in other cases, they also assist in trying the case. Our preventive efforts aim to keep individuals from finding their way into environments where they would be at risk of becoming radicalized . And to keep former terror convicts from returning to radicalized ideologies and environments. Militant extremists may be willing to use violent means to achieve their political, ideological or religious objectives and may inspire and radicalize others. Prevention of extremism

25650-414: The two cities by rail and road. Originally a Viking fishing village established in the 10th century in the vicinity of what is now Gammel Strand , Copenhagen became the capital of Denmark in the early 15th century. During the 16th century, the city served as the de facto capital of the Kalmar Union and the seat of the Union's monarchy, which governed most of the modern-day Nordic region as part of

25821-408: The various districts, the cityscape is characterised by parks, promenades, and waterfronts. Copenhagen's landmarks such as Tivoli Gardens , The Little Mermaid statue, the Amalienborg and Christiansborg palaces, Rosenborg Castle , Frederik's Church , Børsen and many museums, restaurants and nightclubs are significant tourist attractions. Copenhagen is home to the University of Copenhagen ,

25992-433: The wake of European devastation, the influence of its great powers waned, triggering the decolonisation of Africa and Asia . Most countries whose industries had been damaged moved towards economic recovery and expansion . World War II began in Europe on 1 September 1939 with the German invasion of Poland and the United Kingdom and France 's declaration of war on Germany two days later on 3 September 1939. Dates for

26163-401: The war included Japan's invasion of Manchuria , the Spanish Civil War , the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War , and Germany's annexations of Austria and the Sudetenland . World War II is generally considered to have begun on 1 September 1939, when Nazi Germany , under Adolf Hitler , invaded Poland , prompting the United Kingdom and France to declare war on Germany. Poland

26334-407: The war were not fulfilled in the peace settlement. From 1922 to 1925, the Fascist movement led by Benito Mussolini seized power in Italy with a nationalist, totalitarian , and class collaborationist agenda that abolished representative democracy, repressed socialist, left-wing, and liberal forces, and pursued an aggressive expansionist foreign policy aimed at making Italy a world power, promising

26505-475: The war. Germany annexed western Poland and occupied central Poland ; the Soviet Union annexed eastern Poland ; small shares of Polish territory were transferred to Lithuania and Slovakia . On 6 October, Hitler made a public peace overture to the United Kingdom and France but said that the future of Poland was to be determined exclusively by Germany and the Soviet Union. The proposal was rejected and Hitler ordered an immediate offensive against France, which

26676-488: The waterfront was completed in 1999. Since the summer of 2000, Copenhagen and the Swedish city of Malmö have been connected by the Øresund Bridge , which carries rail and road traffic. As a result, Copenhagen has become the centre of a larger metropolitan area spanning both nations. The bridge has brought about considerable changes in the public transport system and has led to the extensive redevelopment of Amager . The city's service and trade sectors have developed while

26847-404: The west halted the German advance for several days, but it was outflanked and encircled by the Wehrmacht . Remnants of the Polish army broke through to besieged Warsaw . On 17 September 1939, two days after signing a cease-fire with Japan , the Soviet Union invaded Poland under the supposed pretext that the Polish state had ceased to exist. On 27 September, the Warsaw garrison surrendered to

27018-407: The work force, schools, nurseries, sports facilities and hospitals were established across the city. As a result of student unrest in the late 1960s, the former Bådsmandsstræde Barracks in Christianshavn was occupied, leading to the establishment of Freetown Christiania in September 1971. Motor traffic in the city grew significantly and in 1972 the trams were replaced by buses. From the 1960s, on

27189-434: The work of the Board. Moreover, natural and legal persons can request that the Intelligence Oversight Board examines whether PET is wrongfully processing information on them. Having ensured that this is not the case, the Board will notify the requesting party. The Intelligence Oversight Board submits an annual oversight report on PET to the Minister of Justice, who presents the report to the Intelligence Services Committee of

27360-483: The world order , and soon began a massive rearmament campaign . France, seeking to secure its alliance with Italy, allowed Italy a free hand in Ethiopia , which Italy desired as a colonial possession. The situation was aggravated in early 1935 when the Territory of the Saar Basin was legally reunited with Germany, and Hitler repudiated the Treaty of Versailles, accelerated his rearmament programme, and introduced conscription. The United Kingdom, France and Italy formed

27531-554: Was invaded by Germany. The United States started strategic planning to prepare for a full-scale offensive against Germany. At the end of September 1940, the Tripartite Pact formally united Japan, Italy, and Germany as the Axis powers . The Tripartite Pact stipulated that any country—with the exception of the Soviet Union—that attacked any Axis Power would be forced to go to war against all three. The Axis expanded in November 1940 when Hungary , Slovakia , and Romania joined. Romania and Hungary later made major contributions to

27702-420: Was divided between Germany and the Soviet Union under the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact , in which they had agreed on " spheres of influence " in Eastern Europe. In 1940, the Soviets annexed the Baltic states and parts of Finland and Romania . After the fall of France in June 1940, the war continued mainly between Germany and the British Empire , with fighting in the Balkans , Mediterranean, and Middle East ,

27873-485: Was generally accepted at the time that the war ended with the armistice of 15 August 1945 ( V-J Day ), rather than with the formal surrender of Japan on 2 September 1945, which officially ended the war in Asia . A peace treaty between Japan and the Allies was signed in 1951. A 1990 treaty regarding Germany's future allowed the reunification of East and West Germany to take place and resolved most post–World War   II issues. No formal peace treaty between Japan and

28044-509: Was given the task of reviewing the regulations governing the registration of individuals and organizations by PET and the Danish Defence Intelligence Service (DDIS).  Furthermore, the committee was to look into the underlying rules for PET and assess the need for more unified regulation of PET’s activities. In 2012, the committee presented its recommendations which led to the Act on the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (the PET Act) which came into force on 1 January 2014. The act defines

28215-431: Was introduced in Denmark, specifically for Copenhagen, by Johann Friedrich Struensee in 1771. Now known as the City Court of Copenhagen ( Københavns Byret ), it is the largest of the 24 city courts in Denmark with jurisdiction over the municipalities of Copenhagen, Dragør and Tårnby . With its 42 judges, it has a Probate Division, an Enforcement Division and a Registration and Notorial Acts Division while bankruptcy

28386-403: Was postponed until the spring of 1940 due to bad weather. After the outbreak of war in Poland, Stalin threatened Estonia , Latvia , and Lithuania with military invasion, forcing the three Baltic countries to sign pacts allowing the creation of Soviet military bases in these countries; in October 1939, significant Soviet military contingents were moved there. Finland refused to sign

28557-657: Was repulsed with heavy Italian casualties; the campaign ended within months with minor territorial changes. To assist Italy and prevent Britain from gaining a foothold, Germany prepared to invade the Balkans, which would threaten Romanian oil fields and strike against British dominance of the Mediterranean. In December 1940, British Empire forces began counter-offensives against Italian forces in Egypt and Italian East Africa . The offensives were successful; by early February 1941, Italy had lost control of eastern Libya, and large numbers of Italian troops had been taken prisoner. The Italian Navy also suffered significant defeats, with

28728-441: Was required to go through the bureaucracy of the League of Nations, which rendered it essentially toothless. The United States, concerned with events in Europe and Asia, passed the Neutrality Act in August of the same year. Hitler defied the Versailles and Locarno Treaties by remilitarising the Rhineland in March 1936, encountering little opposition due to the policy of appeasement . In October 1936, Germany and Italy formed

28899-492: Was the assessment that the Cold War was fought through the use of intelligence-related methods instead of weapons. On the other hand, there was still a fear that the Cold War could turn into a so-called “hot” war, meaning an actual military confrontation. This fear was so tangible that one of the measures taken was to build so-called secure facilities that were to house the government during emergency and war situations. To PET and other intelligence services, intelligence work during

29070-487: Was the largest in the history of Copenhagen. It began on the evening of 20 October, and continued to burn until the morning of 23 October, destroying approximately 28% of the city, leaving some 20% of the population homeless. No less than 47% of the medieval section of the city was completely lost. Along with the 1795 fire , it is the main reason that few traces of the old town can be found in the modern city. A substantial amount of rebuilding followed. In 1733, work began on

29241-454: Was to carry out the tasks that had previously been handled by SIPO. In November 1947, SIPO was closed down for good. On 1 January 1951, the intelligence-related activities of the Danish police were separated off. An independent office was established under the National Commissioner and given the name the Danish Security and Intelligence Service, PET. Acting Commissioner of Police Ernst Brix was appointed Director-General of PET, and he reported to

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