Battle of Dybbøl
Dybbøl, near Sønderborg, Southern Jutland, Denmark
What happened
A Prussian army under Prince Friedrich Karl fought the Danish army under General Georg Gerlach. In the Second Schleswig War, Danish troops held a line of earth forts on the hills at Dybbøl. After a long bombardment, Prussian infantry attacked on the morning of 18 April 1864 and took the first forts within minutes. A Danish counter-attack failed, and the Danes withdrew to the island of Als.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It decided the war, and Denmark lost the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. It was the first battle watched by delegates of the new Red Cross.
What came next
The Treaty of Vienna on 30 October 1864 gave the duchies to Prussia and Austria. After the First World War, a vote returned the area to Denmark, celebrated at Dybbøl on 11 July 1920.
Did you know?
The Dybbøl Mill, which survived the fighting, is considered a Danish national symbol.
Timeline
- 2 April 1864The Prussian siege of Dybbøl begins.
- 18 April 1864The Prussians storm the Dybbøl forts.
- 30 October 1864The Treaty of Vienna ends the war.
- 11 July 1920Reunification with Denmark is celebrated at Dybbøl.
- 1924The battlefield becomes a national park.