Danish Communist Youth League

The Danish Communist Youth League (Danish: Danmarks Kommunistisk Ungdomsforbund or DKU) is a Danish political organization for young communist activists. Refounded in 1999, the DKU is the youth branch of the Arbejderpartiet Kommunisterne (Workers' Communist Party of Denmark).^[1] The DKU was previously the youth affiliate for the Dansk Kommunist Parti (DKP) (Danish Communist Party) from 1945 to 1990.^[2] Headquarters are located in Amager where the DKU receives financial funding from the city of Copenhagen.^[3] Branch offices are located in Aarhus, Randers and Odense.^[4]

History

The Danish Communist Youth League was founded following the establishment of communist political parties in Denmark in 1920. DKU membership rose with the popularity of the communism after World War II, and it was the youth affiliate of the Communist Party of Denmark from 1945 to 1990. The organization reached its peak membership during the 1970s and 1980s.^[5] The Danish Security Intelligence Service (PET) was mandated to maintain files on individuals associated with communist organizations, including members of the DKU.^[6] During the 1980s, DKU members who traveled to the Soviet Union and East Germany for educational courses were monitored by the PET. No evidence of illegal activity was found.^[2] Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Communist Bloc, the organization was disbanded in 1990.^[5]

In 1999, the DKU was refounded with the stated goal of fighting for anti-imperialism, for anti-fascism and for improvement of working class youth.^[7] In 2000, the DKU became the youth branch of the Arbejderpartiet Kommunisterne (Workers' Communist Party of Denmark).^[7]

Troels Riis Larsen served as the group chairman from 1999 to 2005. In 2005, Larsen was replaced as Chairman by Cathrine Frederikke Pedersen, a 23-year-old anthropology student from Copenhagen University.^[8]

Radicalization

In the 2000s, the DKU became associated with violent demonstrations in Denmark.^[9] During the Ungdomshuset riots in 2007, the organization's president, Cathrine Frederikke Pedersen, advocated the use of firearms as a legitimate means for achieving political goals.^[10] Pedersen said that except for WMDs, all violent actions were permitted.^[4] The Danish Security Intelligence Service expressed concern about the DKU's radicalization.^[10]

Despite criticism of the organization's advocacy for violence, the DKU received 50,234 Danish kroner in public grants from the city of Copenhagen in 2007. City managers said support could only be withdrawn if an organization was disbanded through a criminal court case.^[3]

Further reading

• Knud Holt Nielsen, Giv mig de rene og ranke... Danmarks Kommunistiske Ungdom 1960-1990, Forskning i Arbejderbevægelsens Historie, 2008, 488 pp, (in Danish)

References

1. ^ Jakob Sorgenfri Kjær, "Voksne kommunister: Vold kan være nødvendigt", ("Adult Communists: Violence Can Be Necessary") Politiken, 12 June 2007
2. ^ ^{a b} "Dokumentation: Danmarks Kommunistiske Parti 1945-89", Berlingske Research, Berlingske Tidende, 24 June 2009
3. ^ ^{a b} Jacob Kjaer Sorgenfri, "Københavns kommune støtter skydeklare kommunister ", ("Copenhagen municipality supports shooting-ready communists"), Politiken, 12 June 2007
4. ^ ^{a b} Thomas Ambrosius, "Ungkommunister klar til at skyde", MetroXpress, 12 June 2007
5. ^ ^{a b} "Ungkommunisterne", Documentary, Danish Broadcasting Corporation, 10 December 2009
6. ^ "Dokumentation: Regeringserklæringen og PET’s registreringer 1968-89", Berlingske Research, Berlingske Tidende, 24 June 2009
7. ^ ^{a b} "This camp will be a valuable contribution to the Danish and international struggle of the youth", Interview, Communist Youth League of Denmark, July 2006
8. ^ "DKU's nye formand Cathrine Frederikke Pedersen", Worker's Communist Party of Denmark, 6th Congress, 2005, retrieved 28-12-2009
9. ^ Jacob Kjaer Sorgenfri, "Politikere kan ikke pille ved støtte til voldsforherligende foreninger ", "Politicians Cannot Support Violent Oraganisations", Politiken, 12 June 2007
10. ^ ^{a b} "Ungkommunister klar til at skyde" ("Young Communists Ready to Shoot"), B.T., 11 June 2007

External links

• DKU website
• "Ungkommunisterne" (Young Communists), a documentary on the communist youth movement in Denmark, broadcast on Danmark Radio, December 10 2009