Dybbøl
Dybbøl is a small coastal town in Southern Jutland that was the scene of one of the most important battles in Denmark's history.
The Second Schleswig War started in the beginning of 1864 over the annexation of the Duchy of Schleswig by Denmark. Prussia and Austria allied against Denmark and attacked Jutland. On the 7th of April, the Prussian forces had fought its way all the way to the fortress of Dybbøl.
The Prussians had superior rifles and artillery but the Danes were able to use their modern Ironclad, the Rolf Krake, to fire from the sea. The Battle of Dybbøl lasted 11 days and was won on the morning of the 18th of April by Prussia. Around 6,000 men were killed, wounded or captured during the battle, 4,800 Danes and 1,200 Prussians.
The war lasted until 30th October that year and ended in defeat for Denmark and the loss of the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstien. In the years to come, Dybbøl was seen as a national tragedy and the Dybbøl windmill that stood near the centre of the battlefield has come to be seen as a symbol of the battle, as well as a national monument.
The battle formed the central part of a dramatised series on the war by DR called 1864 from 2014. It stars an international cast and is the most expensive TV production in Denmark's history costing 173 million kroner.