Where this was said
Origins: The Abandoned Military Base
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The land that would become Christiania has a long military history: a 17th-century fortress and ramparts built for defense, an artillery barracks added in the 1830s, and a gradual military drawdown through the 20th century. By 1916, the southern section was converted to a public park; by 1971, the military had vacated entirely. Into this vacuum stepped the residents of the neighboring Christianshavn district, whose parents kept tearing down the security fences the military and then government kept re-erecting, just so their children could play. Eventually authorities simply stopped rebuilding the fence. The hosts also have an extended, endearing discussion about how to pronounce 'Christianshavn' in Danish — landing on the rule that the letter V acts like a W in the middle or end of words.
In 1971, squatters took over an abandoned Copenhagen military base and simply refused to leave. Over 55 years, Christiania grew into a self-governing community of 800–900 residents with its own currency, concert halls, and kindergartens — surviving repeated government eviction orders.
A counterculture journalist named Jacob Ludvigsen broke into the abandoned barracks for a photo op, then published an article inviting people to come build free housing. The local community answered immediately, and Christiania was born.
