Nordic Solidarity with South Africa: A Danish perspective

The notion that the support extended to the anti-apartheid struggle by the Nordic countries was especially protracted and determined has been nourished over the years, partly owing to state-sponsored history writing. However, despite the fact that Sweden, Norway and Denmark can all cite areas where they pioneered anti-apartheid initiatives, it was only after prolonged, political pressure from domestic solidarity movements that the Scandinavian countries, in the last years before 1990, became champions regarding sanctions policies. Drawing on fresh research, NGO archives and the author's personal experiences, the article critically considers Danish support and the depiction of it. The coverage of Swedish solidarity is considered to a lesser extent, while the other Nordic countries are dealt with only in passing. While much of the previous literature has focused on positive Nordic government initiatives, this article takes a closer look at the Landskomiteen Sydafrika-Aktion (LSA), one of the most important of the Danish NGOs. There were differences between the Nordic countries in the way history was used. The article cites some of the differences between Denmark and Sweden that have extended into the postapartheid situation. In parallel, it contains some historiographical deliberations over the existing literature.