Nakskov is Lolland's largest city and market town, with 12,707
inhabitants (2020) located at the bottom of Nakskov Fjord on the
west coast of the island in Lolland Municipality, Region Zealand. It
was previously a significant shipyard town in Denmark, where the
world-renowned sea transport company EAC (East Asian Company) was
founded by the nakskovite H.N. Andersen in the late 1800s. Nakskov
is an enterprising industrial town with the oatmeal factory OTA (the
current Nakskov Mill Foods) and Nakskov Sukkerfabrik as the very
large companies next to the maritime trade. The historic companies
are complemented by modern high-tech companies such as Ortofon, Alfa
Laval and MHI Vestas Offshore Vind which support the city as a green
industrial city. Traditionally, Lolland-Falster, due to the
favorable conditions for growing sugar beet, has been Denmark's by
far the largest sugar production area; today exhibited at the Danish
Sugar Museum in the city.
Despite the city's
industrialization, Nakskov has preserved a number of old buildings
in the cityscape, including half-timbered houses, warehouses and
grocery farms as well as several small streets and alleys that give
the market town a medieval-like appearance. Among the most prominent
buildings are the city's largest church, Sankt Nikolai Kirke, built
in the early 13th century, the old grain barn Dronningens Pakhus
from the year 1600, the grocery farm Theisens Gård from 1786 and Det
Gamle Apotek built in 1645 with an added baroque facade from 1777.
Nakskov Tourist Office is located here today. The city has several
museums that deal with the history of the city and the island.
Nakskov is today a modern trading town located near primary
route 9 and Tårs Ferry Port, from where there is a ferry connection
to Langeland. From the center there are just over 11 kilometers to
Søllested, 27 to Maribo, just over 30 to Rødbyhavn, 55 to Nykøbing
Falster and 160 kilometers to Copenhagen. The city functions as a
service and trade center for the catchment area.
The name Nakskov comes from the time when the whole area 'Nakken' (Nakskov center today) was covered by forest, ie "the forest on Nakken" or "Nakkeskoven".
Nakskov is mentioned as a market town in King Valdemar's
Land Register ("Nacascogh", later Nagschouf and Naschov). In 1242, a
settlement was concluded in Nakskov between Erik Plovpenning and
Archbishop Torkil of Reval, and in 1266 Erik Klipping was in Nakskov
and bestowed on his gift certificate, which is the town's first
known privilege, including the so-called "Forest" for it. In 1274 it
was given equal privileges with Næstved, in 1290 and 1293 Erik
Menved confirmed its privileges, in 1300 it was given the authority
to put insolvent debtors in custody, "a permit which the city has
used very regularly to this day", 1320 confirmed Christoffer II, in
1386 King Oluf and in 1404 Erik of Pomerania the Privileges, in 1445
it was given the right to sail, "so that peasants and others from
there should be excluded", only in 1539 were they exempted by the
inhabitants of Nakskov, who were born on the Crown's estate, for rod
binding. A coin treasure from around the year 1400 found on
Gåsetorvet in 1959 testifies to considerable trade and wealth in the
city in the Middle Ages.
In 1513, Christian II confirmed its
privileges. That Nakskov in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance
has been a fairly significant city can be seen from the fact that in
documents from the 15th and 16th centuries, among other things by
tax assessment, it is mentioned as the largest on Lolland-Falster
and is equated with the country's large market towns. It was not
spared the usual plague of the towns: by a fire in 1420 the greater
part of the town went up in flames, and in 1528 those of the
inhabitants who had suffered by a fire were exempted from royal
burdens and city tax for 3 years; also the plague severely plagued
it, especially in 1629. The war, however, was the worst plague. In
1510 it was plundered and burned by the Lübeckers; Admiral Henrik
Krummedige came to the rescue of the city too late, but the Germans
added a significant defeat at Nakskov in August. The Lübeck invasion
apparently gave the impetus to the city's fortification, as
Engelsborg, which King Hans had shortly before built on Slotø, had
not proved able to defend the city. In any case, it has been
fortified in 1525, in which year the Council of State recommended
that the fortification be closed.
Like many other cities,
Nakskov also had a Holy Spirit house in the Middle Ages, probably
founded in the 14th century. By the fire of 1420 it was put in
ashes, but soon after rebuilt; In 1441, councilor Henrik Danielsen
and his wife entered the hospital and donated all their goods to
"den Hilghens Kapel". Originally it was a hospital, in which the
care was well performed by a kind of clergy fraternity, but between
1474 and 1493 it seems to have been transformed into a monastery,
although it is not mentioned in 1516 among the Danish Holy Spirit
monasteries, which were the hospital monastery in Rome under. Over
time, the Holy Spirit monastery had acquired a number of estates: in
1493, Mrs. Inger Torbensdatter Bille donated some land in the town
field, a farm in Krogsbølle (Krukholm), etc .; In 1495 the gunsmith
Matthis Godov got a farm in Højreby, in 1524 by Knud Gøye to
Kjærstrup some properties in Vestenskov, Horslunde and Løgtofte
parishes (in exchange for admitting him to the fraternity and
"making him part of all the good deeds done in the Helligaands".
Monasteries, all over Christianity ") and 1525 a farm in Fæbæk on
Langeland. After the Reformation, it existed for another time as a
hospital and poorhouse; In 1539 a priest Hr. Henrik appointed its
supervisor to, among other things, entertain 6 members. When it was
shut down is not known; in the early 17th century it seems to have
been used for clothing store. The monastery church must have been
demolished in 1689. However, the cemetery was still used at the end
of the 18th century and possibly later as a burial ground for the
poor.
Krogsbølle Church, which was demolished in 1539, was a
church in the small village of Krogsbølle located north of Nakskov
town. The plot from the church can today be seen on the town's
nursery grounds on Løjtoftevej. The building materials were later
used for Nakskov fortress. The village, which existed as an
independent settlement and parish until 1577, was located where the
park Svinglen is today and next to Løjtoftevej by Svingelsmosen.
After the Count's Feud, the works were improved, as by royal
letter of July 30, 1539, the citizens of the town were allowed to
fortify it with ramparts, walls, tombs, and other fortifications,
"that they might hold it for Violence against us and the enemies of
the Kingdom, when need be ". It is known that work was done on this
fortification in 1547, and in 1551 Peder Oxe was ordered to demolish
Nysted Monastery and use the material for a castle, which the king
intended to build here; likewise, the peasants on Lolland-Falster
were ordered to take part in the work. Under Christian IV, the
fortress tombs were improved in 1629; On July 28, 1653, the
bourgeoisie received a royal letter to repair the fortress. The
fortification began at the beach off Kongens Toftegade and went in a
semicircle north of the city to end at the dam over to the ferry
land, which last was also included in the fortification; the
northern and north-eastern part of the inner rampart was called
"Højekat". At the end of Vejle-, Tile- and Søndergade there were
brick gates. The city's heyday fell in the first half of the 17th
century, when Arent Berntsen in "Danmarckis oc Norgis Fructbar
Herlighet" from 1656 could write: good Goods export to far-off
Places: Spain, England, Holland, Germany, Norway, etc. ".
In
1658, the war between Denmark and Sweden raged. Swedish troops
crossed the ice from Langeland and captured Nakskov without major
problems. Many Danes mocked the Nakskovites because they left the
city to the Swedes without a fight, but the foreign troops quickly
moved on to Copenhagen the same year. The following year, however,
they returned.
Karl X Gustav had trouble with Copenhagen and
now wanted to throw himself over the capital's granary -
"Smålandene" - as it was called Lolland-Falster. The king made a
landing at Guldborg and then went again against Nakskov. This time,
however, the Nakskovites did not intend to surrender their city
without a fight, so Colonel Kørber (defense leader of Nakskov)
refused when the Swedes once again tried to persuade the citizens to
let the city fall without a sword blow. The king's troops therefore
began to prepare an attack on Nakskov's fortress.
The Swedes
started with an artillery attack, which, however, did not cause
significant damage to the city, as most bullets hit either just
outside the ramparts or down into the harbor. One, however, fell
into St. Nicholas Church and is still lying there. When the
artillery fire did not work, the Swedes led by Wrangel (a prominent
general at the time) tried to storm Nakskov - but without success.
The Swedish troops were pushed back with heavy losses. The Swedes
tried again with the artillery and again with new thrusts, but the
approx. A 2,000-strong garrison of soldiers and civilians repeatedly
repelled the attacks by the professional Swedish army.
The
king became discouraged and transferred Wrangel to the defense of
Funen and replaced the later legendary Magnus Stenbock. Under him,
the Swedes began to make needle-stick attacks that intended to find
the weakest point of the fortress, and he found it at Nybro. The
Swedes began to make trenches which the Nakskovites initially
flooded, but the troops did not give up and built new ones. When
they were finished, Stenbock attacked and although the citizens
stubbornly defended themselves, the Swedish troops broke through in
mid-July 1659, and Nakskov capitulated after a 2-month siege. Had
Nakskov received gunpowder for the fortress' cannons in time and
received the same help in the form of Dutch naval personnel as
Copenhagen received, the outcome could have been different; however,
it is a completely different story.
With the Swedish war, Nakskov's prosperity came to an end. The
Swedish troops came to Nakskov on February 7, 1658, and the
commander, François Edmondt, who believed that the whole Swedish
army was approaching, handed over the city, a stain which was
completely washed away the following year, when Nakskov with a small
garrison , some of whom were citizens and peasants, artisans,
servants, etc., endured a bombardment and a siege by a corps of 12
regiments for a period of 11 weeks May 1–15. July. Only then did the
city surrender, however, so that the garrison had to withdraw with
sounding games, and the lives and goods of the citizens be unharmed,
which last, however, was only poorly observed. Nakskov's commander
was Joachim Korber; under him stood Lieutenant Colonel David
Bernbach, who fell in an outburst June 9; of the inhabitants
excelled, among others, the parish priest Laur. Mortensen Widsted,
mayor Niels Nielsen and the citizens' one leader, shoemaker Diderich
v. Essen. The town had suffered greatly during the siege, and with
the fire tax of 22,000 rigsdaler imposed on it after the capture
(1658 it had had to pay 20,000 rigsdaler), and the cost of catering
for the Swedish crew, the town was virtually destroyed. Many left
the city, and even in 1662 it stood so desolate and abandoned that
the citizens had to patrol the streets at night to prevent the
abandoned houses from being demolished or doors and other things
stolen. In 1657 the town's tax rate amounted to 3,040 worth of
marks, in 1664 only to 650.
After the Swedish wars, the city
was forced to pay large sums to Sweden, and when Marstal at the same
time began to outcompete the city in maritime trade, it went back
sharply for Nakskov; the number of ships decreased from 50 to 18.
Presumably as a reward, Frederick III
granted the city in 1662 the privilege that the judgments that fell
on the byting should only be appealed by its mayor and council and
appealed to the king and the supreme court (a starter, however, it
lost again in 1683). In 1667, as compensation for the damage
suffered in the war, it was given freedom for 8 years for all
weights and taxes and freedom for half for the next 16 years, and
the same year it was given the right of way, so that it became a
warehouse for the whole of Lolland, a right, which it, however,
already lost some years later. In Christian V's time it ceased to be
a fortress, in 1689 the garrison was withdrawn, and in 1705 Frederik
IV donated the ramparts to the citizens. The relief granted to the
town in 1667 has undoubtedly aided it: in 1672 it had 1,920
inhabitants, and shipping increased considerably. But after the
middle of the 18th century, it went back sharply again, especially
because the inhabitants of the place Marstal gradually knew how to
get the freight on Nakskov. In 1769 it had only 1,284 inhabitants,
and in 1774 it is said that "the foremost advantage of the town has
formerly existed in the trade, when it formerly had 50 vessels, but
now only 18".
After several centuries of decline, the town
experienced better times in the 19th century, not least when Nakskov
Harbor was deepened and a wooden shipyard established in 1826. As a
traffic hub for the rich agriculture on Vestlolland, Nakskov was by
virtue of its harbor a prosperous town with a multifaceted business
structure. until the development of land transport evoked a more
specialized division of labor between the parts of the country.
Nakskov had a Latin school, which, however, was only small (1
principal, 2 listeners and 4 classes); it was abolished in 1838.
Niels Hemmingsen has been in school for some time.
Nakskov
had a civilian armament, which was abolished in 1853.
Nakskov's population was increasing in the late 1800s and early 1900s: 2,955 in 1850, 3,375 in 1855, 3,687 in 1860, 4,033 in 1870, 5,278 in 1880, 6,722 in 1890, 8,310 in 1901, 8,424 in 1906 and 9,480 in 1911.
Of factories and industrial plants in 1856, the town had: 1
printing house, 1 shipbuilding, 2 cotton weaving mills, 4 dyehouses,
1 stamp factory and garment factory, 3 tanneries, 1 candle foundry,
1 playing card and wallpaper factory, 1 tobacco factory, 1 steam
mill, 1 iron foundry, and machine factory 3 lime distilleries, 4
breweries, 2 spirits distilleries. Of factories and industrial
plants, the town had in 1873: 2 book printing houses, 1
shipbuilding, 3 dyehouses connected to stamping plant and garment
factory, 2 tanneries, 1 tallow candle foundry, 2 tobacco factories,
2 steam flour mills, 4 weather mills, 2 iron foundries and machine
factories, , 5 breweries, several malting plants. Of factories and
industrial plants around the turn of the century had 3 iron
foundries and machine factories, one of which: joint stock company
Tuxen & Hammerich (before the factory "Godthaab") employed about 250
workers and especially manufactures gas and refrigeration machines,
1 sugar factory with 6 juice stations in Majbølle, Græshave,
Stokkemarke, Vesterborg, Horslunde and Nakskov, which together in
the campaign employed approximately 450 men and 40 women and
produced DKK 22 million. pounds of sugar annually and at the same
time in the campaign 1898 set aside 15 million. pounds of
intermediate feed; 1 pneumatic malt factory, 2 tanneries, 1 wagon
factory, 1 brickworks, 3 limeworks; 2 wool spinning mills, 2
steam-flour mills, 2 beer breweries, 1 export slaughterhouse, 2
coffee distilleries, 2 tobacco factories, 3 book printing houses.
At the turn of the century, three newspapers were published in
Nakskov: Vestlollands Avis (formerly Nakskov Avis), Nakskov Tidende
and Nakskov Folkeblad.
In the 18th century the harbor had
only little depth, and the inflow through the fjord was so bad that
slightly larger ships had to unload and leave ¼ miles from the town;
at the end of the eighteenth century the harbor began to be dredged,
but it was not until 1847-50 that the inlet was seriously widened to
a depth of 13 feet; In 1875-76, the inlet and the harbor were
deepened to 14 feet, and at the same time 1,010 acres of new bulwark
was added, whereby a considerable area of harbor space was gained,
on which buildings such as the customs house, steamship warehouse,
waiting pavilion, cattle shed, weighing shed, etc. Simultaneously
with the dredging, a narrow, approximately 450 acre long private
harbor was formed up to Marienlyst Steam Mill with earth dam and
pier on one side and bulwark on the other side.
The economic
composition of the population was in 1890: 593 lived by intangible
enterprise, 3,076 by craft and industry, 1,359 by trade and
turnover, 295 by shipping, 96 were fishermen, 244 by agriculture, 46
by horticulture, 687 by other occupations, 243 by their means , 79
enjoyed alms and 4 sat in jail. According to a 1906 census, the
population was 8,424, of which 499 were engaged in intangible
activities, 257 in agriculture, forestry and dairy farming, 119 in
fishing, 4,120 in handicrafts and industry, 1,821 in trade and more,
978 in transport, 374 were retired people, 206 lived by public
support and 50 by other or unspecified business.
A railway
connection to Nykøbing Falster and Maribo was created in 1874 and
from Falster to Zealand and thus Copenhagen over the Storstrømsbroen
bridge in 1937. Several large factories gradually came to the city,
including the Sugar Factory in 1882, and in 1916 Nakskov Shipyard
was built. This steel shipyard was the city's lifeline and by far
the largest workplace for the next 70 years, creating the breeding
ground for the province's largest labor movement.
The editor
Sophus Bresemann was appointed Denmark's first social democratic
mayor in 1914 and the foundation was thus laid for many years of
social democratic rule in the shipyard town.
In connection with the economic crisis of the 1930s in the
western world, Nakskov as a working - class town was affected
completely differently negatively than most other towns in the
country. 1-2. May 1931, the industrial city experienced the closest
one has been to a revolution in Denmark, namely the Nakskov affair.
Unemployed people showed their dissatisfaction and had organized
themselves and made concrete demands on the local authorities. In a
demonstration organized by DKP, the unemployed and communists
demonstrated in front of Nakskov Police Station. There were clashes
with the police, and units from other police districts and armed
soldiers were involved for that reason.
During the interwar
period, Nakskov's population grew, but at the same time there was a
growth in the suburbs Sæby Huse in Halsted Parish and Svingelsallé
in Branderslev Parish, where a number of people settled and worked
in Nakskov.
Primary route 9 passes by Nakskov and from Tårs northeast of the city
the ferry route Spodsbjerg-Tårs departs for Langeland. To the east,
primary route 9 is connected to Sydmotorvejen at Maribo. Secondary route
289 runs from the center of the city north out of the city to the
northern part of Lolland and all the way towards the island to Maribo.
Nørrevold and Perlestikkergade roughly follow the old rampart around the
city and the central part of the modern Nakskov. The city's main street
is Søndergade, which runs from Axeltorv in the west to Nygade in the
east. The square has existed since the Middle Ages.
From Nakskov
Station, the Lollandsbanen departs for Nykøbing Falster. Previously,
Nakskov-Kragenæs Railway and Nakskov-Rødby Railway also left from this
station. The railway to the city was founded in 1874, when the station
opened. It was replaced by a newer building in 1924.
Nakskov
Harbor is used for transport to and from the city and Vestlolland. There
is a relatively new quay facility in connection with the industrial
port, which lies south of the water. On the northern part along
Havnegade there are berths for light boats of different sizes. Western
quay, which is also on the north side of the water, is also an
industrial port, and further out to the west by the Strandpromenade is
also a marina. Far to the west at Kuddeholm is also a marina in
connection with Nakskov Camping.
The most important business group in Nakskov is administration and
service, where 54% of the town's working population was employed in
2002.
Nakskov has several small and medium-sized businesses.
There are a number of companies in particular around the industrial
harbour, but there is also an industrial area on the eastern outskirts.
The Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has had production in
Nakskov in the south-western part of the industrial port, but in 2010
they chose to fire 430 employees and close the factory. In the spring of
2015, the company chose to reopen the factory, which created around 100
jobs. In 2016, the factory restarted under the collaboration between
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Vestas (MHI Vestas).
Nakskov
Sukkerfabrik is Nordic Sugar's largest factory for the production of
white sugar, and produces around 475,000 tonnes per year. The factory
has approx. 160 employees and is among the largest employers in the
city.
Lollands Bank, which is especially a bank for farmers and
entrepreneurs, has its headquarters in the town. In total, the bank has
just over 100 employees.
Nakskov Camping is located immediately
west of the city next to the Nakskov fjord. There are several bed and
breakfasts in the city.
At Nakskov Shipyard, DSB had many of its ferries built from
1965-1987, including M/F Asa Thor (1965), M/F Queen Margrethe II (1973),
M/F Prince Henrik (1974), M/F Prince Joachim (1980), M/F Crown Prince
Frederik (1981), M/F Peder Paars (1985), and M/F Niels Klim (1986). In
1933, Nakskov Shipyard also built the Skoleskibet Danmark.
However, things began to decline for the plant in the 1980s, and in 1987
the yard had to close. The closure caused a great deal of unemployment
in the area. In the late 1990s, an extensive production of wind turbines
was established on the shipyard's former area. This production stopped
in 2011, but started up again in 2016. In the old shipyard buildings,
you can find several different industrial companies today, e.g. Eastern
Metal. Large quantities of goods are shipped from the harbor quays and
Lolland Municipality, which has invested in developing the business area
around Nakskov harbor in several stages, established a new 350 meter
long harbor quay in 2020.
The town has two primary schools, Byskolen and Stormarkskolen, as
well as two private schools. The city school was founded in 1915,
Stormarkskolen 1925. In addition, there is Nakskov Gymnasium and HF,
which offers STX and HF to its approximately 300 students.
VUC
Storstrøm has a branch in the city.
CELF has several youth
programs in Nakskov, including HTX and HHX, which are offered
respectively at Teknisk Gymnasium Lolland-Falster's one branch in the
city and HHX in Nakskov. In addition, CELF also has HG and several
vocational training courses.
Lolland Musikskole offers both
orchestra lessons, solo lessons and provides lessons for primary
schools.
Nakskov has a number of museums to showcase to visitors. Among other
things, Denmark's Sugar Museum, which describes the entire history of
beet cultivation in Lolland. Another museum is the Nakskov Shipping and
Maritime Museum, housed in a red harbor building with a tower clock and
lighthouse. Here you will find, among other things, an exhibition about
Nakskov Shipyard and exhibitions of ship models, navigation equipment
and ship uniforms. The Old Forge located in Tilegade dates from 1795 and
is a so-called "working museum", where local blacksmiths use the working
methods of the past. A museum based on the same concept is Det Gamle
Trykkeri in Jernbanegade, which also contains a photo exhibition about
the city's history. Nakskov Fire Museum has various fire trucks and
spraying equipment.
Architecture
In several places around the
city, there are remains of Nakskov's fortress, which was built in the
16th century.
Nakskov contains a number of old buildings,
especially around the square. Saint Nikolai Church was founded around
the year 1400, but was first completed in the middle of the 17th
century. The Queen's Warehouse dates from the end of the 16th century,
and is the city's oldest secular building. Theisens Gård is a Rococo
building from the end of the 18th century.
In 2014, Ole Kirks
Allé was named Denmark's most beautiful public housing. The houses were
designed by the architect Adolph E. Hansen Ørnsholt, and they were
previously threatened with demolition, but were later restored. The area
won ahead of Juulsbjergparken in Vejle in second place and Søndergård
Park in Bagsværd in third place.
Nakskov Stadium is the home stadium for FC Nakskov, the city's
football team, and has room for 5,000 spectators, including 500 seats.
FC Nakskov is an association of Boldklubben Velo and Nakskov Boldklub,
and for a short period from 2006-2008, VB Lolland existed.
Nakskov Sports Center covers a larger area with athletic fields, tennis
courts and soccer fields. Nakskov Swimming Center is next door.
A
short distance south of the city is the Nakskov Motocross track. There
is also a shooting range here.