Den Danske Pioneer facts for kids
| Type | Twice-weekly Newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Broadsheet |
| Owner(s) | Bertelsen Publishing Co. |
| Publisher | Elsa Steffensen |
| Founded | 1872 |
| Language | Danish, English |
| Headquarters | Hoffman Estates, Illinois |
| ISSN | 0747-3869 |
| OCLC number | 9665848 |
Den Danske Pioneer (which means "The Danish Pioneer") is a very old newspaper. It's the oldest newspaper in the United States written in the Danish language. It's one of only two Danish-language newspapers still published in the U.S. The other one is called Bien, which means "the bee" in Danish. Bien is a weekly newspaper from California.
Contents
The Story of Den Danske Pioneer
How it Started
The newspaper Den Danske Pioneer began in 1872. It was started by a person named Mark Hansen. At first, the newspaper was printed in Omaha, Nebraska. Most of its readers, about 75%, were Danish-American farmers.
A man named Sophus Frederik Neble became the editor in 1887. He stayed editor for a long time, until 1931. Sophus Neble was a skilled printer. He had moved to the United States in 1883 from Stubbekøbing, Denmark.
Growing Bigger
Den Danske Pioneer got a brand new printing press in 1893. This happened at the Chicago Exposition. The new machine was very fast. It could print 6,000 pages every hour!
In 1903, the newspaper had 16 people working for it. They moved into new offices in Omaha. The Pioneer was becoming a very important voice. It helped connect the Danish-American community. Reporters traveled far to get stories. They went all over the Midwest. They even went as far east as Maine and Vermont.
Moving and Royal Visits
In 1958, the newspaper moved to Elmwood Park, Illinois. It was published there until 1984. Hjalmar Bertelsen was the editor from 1958 to 1981.
In 1976, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark visited the newspaper's office. This was during her trip to the United States. Later, in 1997, Queen Margrethe II honored the editor, Chris Steffensen. She made him a Knight of the Order of Dannebrog. This was to celebrate the newspaper's 125th birthday.
Den Danske Pioneer Today
Today, Den Danske Pioneer is part of Bertelsen Publishing Co. Their office is in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Elsa Steffensen is the publisher. She is the wife of the former editor, Chris Steffensen. Their daughter, Linda Steffensen, is now the editor.
