General Buddhoe und Peter von Scholten.: Erinnerungen an Sklavenemanzipation auf den U.S. Virgin Islands und in Dänemark

Abstract

The article deals with the construction of commemorative traditions of slave emancipation in the U. S. Virgin Islands and in Denmark. In 1848 a successful revolt of the slaves ended slavery in the Danish Caribbean colonies. In Denmark this event is connected with Peter von Scholten, who proclaimed the slave emancipation, heavily pressed by the slaves, whereas in the U. S. Virgin Islands one of the leaders of the rebellion, General Buddhoe, is synonymous with emancipation and resistance. By analysing the depiction of von Scholten and Buddhoe in the Danish movie “Peter von Scholten” the article points out how the Danish created a dominant narrative of slave emancipation.