The Eastern Regional Command ( da, Østre Landsdelskommando) (known until 1923 as 1st General Command ( da, 1. Generalkommando)) was the overall command of all

Royal Danish Army The Royal Danish Army ( da, Hæren, fo, Herurin, kl, Sakkutuut) is the land-based branch of the Danish Defence, together with the Danish Home Guard. For the last decade, the Royal Danish Army has undergone a massive transformation of structure ...

units on

Zealand Zealand ( da, Sjælland ) at 7,031 km2 is the largest and most populous island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 January 2020. It is th ...

. It was split into four military regions and was responsible for regional defence. In 1990, the Regional Commands were disbanded and control was collected at the newly created Army Operational Command.

History

Following the introduction of

absolute monarchy Absolute monarchy (or Absolutism as a doctrine) is a form of monarchy in which the monarch rules in their own right or power. In an absolute monarchy, the king or queen is by no means limited and has absolute power, though a limited constituti ...

in 1660, the

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the ...

held absolute power over the army. However, in cases of war, the King would appoint regional commanders. After the end of the English Wars, it was decided to keep the commands, even during peacetime. Originally named the General Command over Zealand, Lolland-Falster, Møn and Bornholm, it was one of five General Commands. However, after the Frederick VI came to power, he kept control of Zealand. It was only after the King's death in 1839, that control was given back to the military, with Hereditary Prince Ferdinand as the first chief. Around 1900, the commander of the 1st General Command was designated Army Commander-in-Chief in times of war. As such, during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, the commander took control of the security force ( da, Sikringsstyrken). As part of the 1922 Defence Agreement, 1st and 2nd General Command were merged to create the unified General Command. In 1950, as part of expansive rebuilding and reorganization of the army, the regional General Commands were revived as the Eastern and Western Regional Command. In the beginning, there was a large focus on having a larger defence in Jutland and the Western Regional Command. However, after the West German rearmament, the focus was shifted back towards Zealand. In case of war, the command would be placed under the control of the

Allied Forces Northern Europe Allied Forces Northern Europe (AFNORTH) was the northern Major Subordinate Command of NATO's Allied Command Europe (ACE), located at Kolsås outside Oslo. In the case of war with the Soviet Union, AFNORTH would assume supreme command of all All ...

. Following the end of the Cold War, there was a political wish to reduce military spending along with greater centralization. This led to the Eastern Regional Command being disbanded in 1990 and control given to the newly created Army Operational Command.

Structure

1st General Command

Structure in 1870 was: ;Zealand * 1st Battalion in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

* 2nd Battalion in Copenhagen * 3rd Battalion in

Helsingør Helsingør ( , ; sv, Helsingör), classically known in English as Elsinore ( ), is a city in eastern Denmark. Helsingør Municipality had a population of 62,686 on 1 January 2018. Helsingør and Helsingborg in Sweden together form the northe ...

* 4th Battalion in Copenhagen * 13th Battalion in Copenhagen * 15th Battalion in Copenhagen * 17th Battalion in Copenhagen * 18th Battalion in Helsingør * Life Guards in Copenhagen * 21st Battalion in Copenhagen * 22nd Reserve Battalion in Helsingør * 23rd Reserve Battalion in Copenhagen * 24th Reserve Battalion in Copenhagen *

Guard Hussar Regiment The Guard Hussar Regiment ( da, Gardehusarregimentet, GHR) is a cavalry unit of the Royal Danish Army, whose primary task is to train the Guard Hussars for various functions in the mobilisation force. The Guard Hussar Regiment is one of two act ...

in Copenhagen * 4th Dragoon Regiment in Næstved * 1st Field Artillery Regiment in Copenhagen * 2nd Field Artillery Regiment in Copenhagen

Eastern Regional Command

The structure in 1950–1990 was: * Coat of arms for 1st Zealandic Brigade

1st Zealand Brigade * Insigne incognitum

2nd Zealand Brigade * Insigne incognitum

3rd Zealand Brigade * Insigne incognitum

1st Zealand battle group * Insigne incognitum

2nd Zealand battle group * Coat of arms for 3rd Zealand battle group

3rd Zealand battle group * Insigne incognitum

4th Zealand battle group * Military Region V, VI & VII * Coat of arms for Danish Royal Life Guards

Royal Life Guards The Life Guards (LG) is the senior regiment of the British Army and part of the Household Cavalry, along with the Blues and Royals. History The Life Guards grew from the four troops of Horse Guards (exclusively formed of gentlemen-troopers un ...

and Sandholm * Coat of arms for Danish Life Regiment

Danish Life Regiment in Høvelte * Coat of arms of Zealand Life Regiment

Zealand Life Regiment in

Slagelse Slagelse () is a town on Zealand, Denmark. The town is the seat of Slagelse Municipality, and is the biggest town of the municipality. It is located 15 km east of Korsør, 16 km north-east of Skælskør, 33 km south-east of Kalundborg and 14 k ...

Coat of arms for Falster Regiment of Foot

Falster Regiment of Foot in

Vordingborg Vordingborg () is an old ferry town in Vordingborg Municipality in Denmark with around 18,000 inhabitants. Because of three large estates surrounding the town, a coherent urban development has not been possible, which is the reason why three sat ...

Coat of arms of the Danish Guard Hussar Regiment (former)

Næstved Næstved () is a town in the municipality of the same name, located in the southern part of the island of Zealand in Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map ...

Coat of arms for King's Artillery Regiment

Crown's Artillery Regiment in Sjælsmark * Coat of arms for Zealand Artillery Regiment

Zealand Artillery Regiment in

Holbæk Holbæk () is a town in Denmark and the County seat, seat of Holbæk municipality with a population of 29,608 (1 January 2022). Zealand Air Defence Regiment in

Coat of arms for the Zealandic Engineer Regiment

Zealandic Engineer Regiment in

Farum Farum is a town on the northeast of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark, 20 km northwest of Copenhagen. The town has a population of 20,312 (1 January 2022).

Coat of arms for Zealandic Signal Regiment

Zealandic Signal Regiment in Høvelte and

Coat of arms for the Zealandic Logistic Regiment

Zealandic Logistic Regiment in

* Bornholm's Defence in

Rønne Rønne ( sv, Rönne) is the largest town on the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. It has a population of 13,807 (1 January 2022). It was a municipality in its own right from 1970 until 2002, when Bornholm was a county ( Danish: ''Born ...

Commanders

;General Command of Zealand (1839–1855) ;1st General Command (1855–1922) ;Eastern Regional Command (1950–1990)

Names

Notes

References

;Bibliography * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{Military of Denmark Army units and formations of Denmark