Oh but they do sell Champagne, I just don't drink the stuff! Can't stand the taste of it. A single glass, or two, of red wine will do me micely.

Roger, you asked about the so-called social experiment in Christiania and as it happens, I know someone who was in the army at the time, quite close to the events as they unfolded and he told me what really happend was that the perimeter fencing around an old and disused barracks compound had been found compromised and that a small group of civilians had entered the compound.

As is often the case I suspect, everyone asked to make a decision about how to handle the situation carefully considered the consequences of their actions against their resumé - and for their future career, and found it more expedient to escalate the decision to the next level of command.

Meanwhile, back at the compound.... the group of civilians was growing considerably and continuosly.

Finally, when everyone had run out of superiors to escalate to, the matter landed at the MOD and on the desk of the Minister who was not keen to make a decision without consulting the PM, the cabinet and possibly the whole of parliament, as the problem had now grown considerably during the time it had taken to escalate the affair. The intruders were even making camp on site, throwing up wooden huts, or just moving into the abandoned barrakcs and other available buildings.


I grew up hearing about Christiania in the news every other night and discussion on how to handle the situation. Some were in favour of removing everyone from the premises, others called for less drastic means, like trying to gradually reintroduce basic rules of society to the area.

They thought they could re-regulate and gradually retake control and I think this is when some, unknown bright spark somewhere thought up the term "social experiment"; implying and indicating some sort of government control where there was in reality none - making it easier to adopt a laissez-fair attitude.

Now it is almost a tourist attraction; so if you've been in Copenhagen people will invariably ask if you've seen the Little Mermaid and Christiania.

Well, the term "experiment" to me at least also implies that some sort of scientific approach be taken in evaluating such an experiment against a set of objectives, and that the experiment be either adjusted, allowed to carry on, or terminated.

So far the authorities have had very limited success - the authorities may claim otherwise, but then they would, wouldn't they?

There are still issues of taxes not being paid - which annoys me as I pay my taxes on time and I would not be left alone by the authorities were I stop paying.

Police isn't really welcome there and the inhabitants create a stink whenever the coppers show up.

There was a street dedicated to selling uhm, funny tobacco but it was finally demolished by the police, and under great protest from the inhabitants.

It seems Utopia is just the same distance away as it always was.


Jens C. Lindblad


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