Just 25 years ago five Nordic Countries, Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden saw the opening of the Nordic embassies complex in Berlin.
For two of the nations, there was an element of homecoming as both the Finnish and Swedish Governments had Embassies in the Tiergarten area of the city before being destroyed during World War II.
German President hosted 25th Anniversary dinner for Nordic embassy celebration
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier hosted an official dinner at the Bellevue Palace in honour of the anniversary and representatives of the five nations attended along side numerous other politicians and dignitaries.
Denmark’s King Frederik and Queen Mary, Sweden’s Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, and Norway’s Prince Haakon, and Princess Mette-Marit were all in attendance to represent their respective countries whilst the Heads of State of Finland and Iceland made up the main contingent of guests representing the five nations involved.
Other members of the Danish Royal Family attended and each representative spoke about the positivity and state of cooperation that exists not only between each other but also the fact that Germany was such a close friend to them all.
Much excitement over Nordic royalty and who wore what
Needless to say, some sections of the press and public were determined to treat this as a royal fashion show with a detailed examination of dresses, handbags and jewellery with names such as Carolina Herrera, Camilla Thulin and Prada being dropped at the appropriate time.
The Embassy complex consists of six buildings, one for each country and a general building which is used as a cultural centre, host for receptions and even a coffee shop which attracts visitors not just from the five Nordic countries but many tourist intrigued by the concept.
Complex built following German unification and move to Berlin
Some may wonder why the countries decided to create this collection of buildings but to some extent necessity made them as when Germany unified and moved the capital back to Berlin, all of the existing embassies became redundant and creating this complex ensured cost saving as well as in the words of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark in 1999, “Each autonomous, and yet together” not just representing the buildings but also the Nordic spirit.
