Following the reunification of the region with Denmark, the Church of Denmark elevated Haderslev to a diocese in 1923[2] and divided the region between the dioceses of Ribe (W) and Haderslev (E). This arrangement remains in effect.
South Jutland county is also known as Northern Schleswig (Danish: Nordslesvig, German: Nordschleswig). The name refers specifically to the southernmost 50 kilometers (31 mi) of the Danish part of the Jutland Peninsula that formerly belonged to the former Duchy of Schleswig (Danish: Slesvig or Sønderjylland), a Danishfief under the Kings of Denmark.
"A Danish Workers' and Soldiers' Council"; caricature by Alfred Schmidt, 1917
After Russian October Revolution, Workers' and Soldiers' Councils started to be organized all over the Germany following the Russian suite. South Jutland of Denmark was part of Germany until 1920, so the processes followed the general German pattern and councils in several cities were established. These cities were: Tønder, Haderslev, Aabenraa, Sønderborg, Toftlund, Vojens, Løgumkloster, Højer, Skærbæk and Høruphav, as well as in several other smaller places. In most places there was very little unrest or revolutionary activities. These developments were mildly ridiculed by Alfred Schmidt. In the middle of the caricature the read-bearded man in the leading Danish Social Democrat Frederik Borgbjerg [sv] . Still, the councils were of certain importance, because they helped to maintain calmness and order in the cities at these turbulent times.[3]
Following the defeat of Germany in World War I, the Allied powers organised two plebiscites in Northern and Central Schleswig on 10 February and 14 March 1920, respectively. In Northern Schleswig 75% voted for reunification with Denmark and 25% for remaining in Germany. Though there is no historical census, it is estimated that the percentage of ethnic Germans in Northern Schleswig was less than the 25% that had voted for remaining in Germany. From 1920 to 1939, Johannes Schmidt-Vodder was elected as the sole ethnic German representative in the Danish Parliament with consistently 13 to 15% of the North Schleswig votes, providing an indication of the actual percentage of ethnic Germans in the region.
In Central Schleswig the situation was reversed with 80% voting for Germany and 20% for Denmark. No vote ever took place in the southern third of Schleswig, as the result was considered a foregone conclusion. Today, they both form a part of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein.
On 15 June 1920, Northern Schleswig was officially reunited with Denmark. It is the only one of the German transfers of territory after World War I that the Nazis did not dispute. A small ethnic Germanminority still lives in South Jutland county, predominantly in and near the towns of Tønder and Aabenraa (German: Tondern and Apenrade). A relatively larger Dane minority lives in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein.
1970 borders
As reconstituted in 1970, South Jutland County had slightly different borders to the area gained from Germany in 1920: the towns of Hejle, Taps and Vejstrup (which were Danish throughout the period 1864 to 1920) were included in its jurisdiction, whereas Spandet, Roager and Hviding (German from 1864 to 1920) were included in the neighbouring 1970–2006 county of Ribe.[4]
