Memorial Anchor, Copenhagen
The Memorial Anchor (Danish: Mindeankret), located at the base of the Nyhavn canal, adjacent to Kongens Nytorv, is a maritime memorial in Copenhagen, Denmark, commemorating the civilian sailors who lost their lives at sea during the Second World War.
History
A wooden cross was in 1945 placed at the site to commemorate the civilian sailors who had lost their lives during the war years 1939–1945. In 1948, it was replaced by a cross in marble. On 29 August 1951, the marble cross was replaced by the current anchor.[1]
Description
The anchor is located in the centre of a slightly depressed, cobbled area. It features the monogram of Frederick VII. A lead capsule with the names of 1,600 sailors is buried under the anchor.[2]
Annual ceremony
Every year in the afternoon on Christmas Eve's Day (24 December), the Memorial Anchor is the site of a short ceremony followed by Christmas service in the nearby Sailors' Church. The tradition commenced in 1945 and was, until the mid-1990s, broadcast by DR in connection with the Radioavisen radio news programme, all the years with well-known sports commentator Gunner Nu Hansen as presenter.[2]
See also
References
- ^ "Mindeankret". navalhistory.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 10 January 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
- ^ a b "Til minde om den danske sømand" (in Danish). Kristeligt Dagblad. Retrieved 23 December 2018.