Kevin,
No, people don't identify themselves at all with counties or municipalities.
When asking strangers where they are from I have
never heard anybody say they are from a particulary administrative
division. If the have to more specific they would say it's near to a
town or city, or perhaps non-administrative areas like Vendsyssel, Nordsjælland
etc.
An exception would be Sønderjylland or North
Schleswig, as they were under German rule from 1864-1920. So there are a
lot of historic emotions connected to the place. But since 1970 the
Sønderjylland boundary does not entirely follow the former international border.
The people of Sønderjylland also have a strong dialect that is hard for many to
understand.
Another exception could also be the enclaved
municipality/county of Frederiksberg placed entirely inside Copenhagen. Many
Frederiksberg citizens would say they do not live in Copenhagen, but in
Frederiksberg. That makes them somehow feel important. I did the same when I was
staying there even if I am born and raised far from there, in Viborg
county.
But still I think it comes down to the fact that
names of these counties are the same as the areas themselves just like the
island counties Fyn and Bornholm.
The name Sønderjylland even excisted before it was
made into county, and will excists long after the county will be
gone.
Jesper
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, May 01, 2004 1:56
AM
Subject: Re: [BoundaryPoint] dk2
Jesper,
>The regions' only responsibility should
be health, which the counties
>previously had.
Thanks for that.
Do people in Denmark particularly identify with the
counties, or are they
merely units of local government?
Cheers,
Kevin Meynell