Kingdom of Iceland

The Kingdom of Iceland (Icelandic Konungsríkið Ísland ) was a constitutional monarchy; It was established by the Treaty of Union with Denmark on 1 December 1918 and lasted until 17 June 1944, when the population voted in a referendum for the introduction of the republic. The Kingdom was associated with the former mother country Denmark by a personal union, which the Danish King Christian X (Icelandic: Kristján ) was King of Iceland.

Prehistory

Iceland was under Danish rule since 1380 and until 1814 in the Norwegian -owned (Denmark - Norway). The agreed on 14 January 1814 in Kiel Peace assignment of the mother country Norway Sweden Iceland fell to Denmark.

The Icelanders recollected increasingly on their own traditions back, and for the Millennium of the first known settlement of Iceland in 1874 allowed Denmark to the Icelanders its own constitution, financial autonomy and the re-establishment of the Althing, the Icelandic parliament. On February 1, 1904 Iceland became autonomous within the Kingdom, Hjemmestyre according to the British-Irish models of Home Rule in 1886 and 1893. During the same year a separate minister for Iceland was established after a referendum, which henceforth took the island in the Danish Parliament. For the first Prime Minister Hannes Hafstein was appointed.

Establishment of the monarchy

By the Treaty of Union of 1 December 1918, the Islands independence from Denmark was recognized during the Danish King Christian X remained through a personal union king of Iceland. Iceland received its own flag and its own coat of arms, and Denmark took over only the external relations and defense of the island. The validity of the contract was set up to a referendum after 25 years, should be in the decision on the final independence from Denmark.

Founding of the Republic

The German invasion of Denmark on 9 April 1940 interrupted the communication lines between Iceland and Denmark. The Icelandic parliament ( Althingi Icelandic ) agreed on 10 April in two resolutions for the acquisition of foreign and defense policy by the Government of Iceland and the introduction of a temporary head of state. A year later, Sveinn Björnsson was elected temporary Reich chief, who represented the king during the occupation and was first president after independence.

In the early years of World War II Iceland adopted a strict policy of neutrality and stayed out of the war. The Government considered ready for action a violation of neutrality by Great Britain and the German Empire. Already on 10 May 1940 the UK began with the occupation of Iceland and occupied the harbor of Reykjavik in order to forestall a German invasion.

The government called for a protest against the " flagrant violation " of Icelandic neutrality. On the day of the invasion, Prime Minister Hermann Jónasson delivered a radio address in which he called to the Icelanders to consider the British troops as guests, and announced that the Allied occupation would last until the end of the war.

At the height of the British occupation of 25,000 soldiers were stationed in Iceland, most of which were located in Reykjavík and other strategic places. In July 1941, the Icelandic government transferred the United States, the defense of the island, because the UK needed his troops in Europe. Then, 40,000 soldiers were stationed in the country, while the island had a population of 120,000.

After the constitutional referendum on 24 May 1944 in the 97 % for the resolution of the Treaty on European Union with Denmark and 95 % voted for a republican constitution, Iceland was on June 17, 1944 finally became an independent republic. Since Denmark was occupied by Germany, many Danes felt insulted because they thought the timing of the referendum to be wrong. Nevertheless, King Christian X sent a congratulations to the people of Iceland.

Flags

State and Seekriegsflagge Islands (1918-1944)

Royal Flag of Christian X (1921-1944)

Flag of the Imperial superintendent Sveinn Björnsson (1941-1944)