The Danish Nobility Association (or the Association of the Danish Nobility; Danish: ''Dansk Adels Forening,'' DAF) is an organization for the Danish and Norwegian nobility. The main purpose of the association is the publication of the Yearbook of the Danish Nobility (), a publication that details the

genealogies Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kins ...

, titles, and

coats of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic ac ...

of Danish and Norwegian noble families. The Danish Nobility Association acts as an interest group on behalf of the Danish nobility, which has official status in the

Kingdom of Denmark The Danish Realm, officially the Kingdom of Denmark, or simply Denmark, is a sovereign state consisting of a collection of constituent territories united by the Constitution of Denmark, Constitutional Act, which applies to the entire territor ...

. The association is a member of the pan-European umbrella-organisation for nobility,

CILANE The European Commission of the Nobility () is an organisation for cooperation of European nobility associations, established in 1959. Its seat is in Paris, France. Functioning The CILANE has no president but rather a "Coordinator", elected for t ...

. The current President is Anna von Lowzow.

History

The Danish Nobility Association was created by a merger of ''Dansk Adelsforbund'' (created in 1908) and the Association for the Publication of the Yearbook of the Danish Nobility (created in 1901). The merger took effect on 1 January 1983. The Yearbook of the Danish Nobility was founded by archivist Anders Thiset and

genealogist Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their Lineage (anthropology), lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family ...

in 1884, who around the year 1900, could not afford to continue the publication and who therefore turned to , archivist in the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...

. He saw an opportunity to found an association that could be the voice of the nobility in turbulent times. In a way, it was opportune, for the change of system in 1901 had put a significant end to the established and reviled landlord system of the previous decades, which the nobility in particular had to suffer. And the nobility in particular feared the consequences of the June Constitution's promissory clause to abolish the majorats, i.e. the ties that had held

counties A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

, baronies and entailed estates together since the establishment of absolute monarchy by law in 1665. Baron Zytphen-Adeler founded the "Association for the Publication of the Yearbook of the Danish Nobility" in 1901 with Tage lensbaron Reedtz-Thott as president. In 1907, Zytphen-Adeler further founded the "Danish Adelsforbund". The publisher of the present book is an amalgamation of these two associations, which in the 21st century have the dual function of protecting the interests of the nobility and publishing the Yearbook of the Danish Nobility.

Sources

* * {{Cite book , last1=Bisgaard , first1=Lars , url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/929455733 , title=Adel - Den danske adel efter 1849 , last2=Jensen , first2=Mogens Kragsig , publisher=

Gads Forlag Gads Forlag, formerly G. E. C. Gad, is a publishing agent in Denmark. It is owned by G.E.C. Gads Fond, a publishing house based in Copenhagen, Denmark. History The company was founded as G. E. C. Gad on 31 October 1855 when Gottlieb Ernst Cla ...

, year=2015 , isbn=978-87-12-05088-9 , trans-title=Nobility - The Danish nobility after 1849 , oclc=929455733

References

Danish nobility Norwegian nobility Danish noble families Norwegian noble families Organizations established in 1983 Organizations established in 1908 Organizations based in Copenhagen CILANE Nobility associations