Denmark: Awards relating to the Vierdaagse
The first Dane took part in the Vierdaagse in 1937, with Military teams regularly taking part since the mid-1960's.
March from Copenhagen to Nijmegen
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The Danish Home Guard (Hjemmeværnet), a voluntary service which supports the Armed Forces, regularly sends teams to take part in the Nijmegen Vierdaagse. In 2002, 2007 and 2012 the Home Guard organised a 16 day march from Copenhagen to Nijmegen for walkers who then participated in the Vierdaagse. This is a distance of 650 km, or over 800 km including the four day march itself.
The march was also open to other Danish Vierdaagse marching teams as well as teams from other countries, several from Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands taking part.
In all three years, those who successfully marched the whole distance to Nijmegen were presented with a non wearable medallion. This shows the symbol of the Home Guard Operational Command (also used by the Home Guard's army branch) and the inscription KØBENHAVN – HJEMMEVÆRNET – NJMEGEN on the obverse, the reverse bearing the name of the recipient.
This example was awarded in 2007 to Lieutenant Thorbjørn Hein of the Royal Life Guards Emeritus Marching Company, (now known as the March Team Bjørnebanden or "Bear Bandits").
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Medal with a Danish-style ribbon.
Incidentally, to qualify for the medallion, participants do not have to march back to Copenhagen after the Vierdaagse!
More information on the Copenhagen to Nijmegen march can be found at:
With thanks to Thorbjørn Hein for supplying photographs of the medallion.
Challenge Coin for the One Hundredth March
Presented to members of the Danish Defence Forces who completed the 100th Vierdaagse March in 2016.
The reverse side depicts the archway erected every year at the entrance to Camp Heumensoord, where the various military contingents stay during the Marches.
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