For most of its history Greenland attracted attention from nearby peoples and occasional European explorers, but little sustained global focus—until 2019, when the idea of the United States acquiring the island briefly entered public debate. Still, Greenland’s strategic position, resources and distinctive culture have long drawn outsiders.
Early settlers and the Norse era
The first people reached Greenland roughly 4,500 years ago from the North American mainland. Centuries later, around the 12th century, the Thule people migrated east from Siberia across the Bering Strait; their descendants are the Inuit, who today make up the majority of Greenland’s roughly 56,000 residents.
Greenland’s European name comes from the Viking Erik the Red, who was exiled from Iceland about 982 for manslaughter. He sailed west, reached the island and called it Grœnland—“green land”—to entice settlers. While the interior is dominated by ice, coastal strips were comparatively verdant in that era. Norse communities survived for roughly four centuries before disappearing by the 15th century, leaving Arctic and European legends about lost settlements.
Missionaries and Danish colonization
Stories of Norse survivors inspired Norwegian priest Hans Egede, who arrived on July 3, 1721, hoping to find and convert any remaining Norse. Instead he encountered Inuit communities and began missionary work: learning the language, adapting Christian teachings to local circumstances and founding a mission that later developed into the city of Nuuk. Egede’s role is contested—commemorated by a statue in Nuuk, he is also seen by many as a symbol of colonial imposition.
Sovereignty disputes
When Egede arrived, Denmark and Norway were united under one crown (1380–1814). After the union ended in 1814, Greenland remained administered by Denmark—a position Norway later challenged. In 1931 Norway briefly occupied parts of eastern Greenland and named the area Eirik Raudes Land. Denmark took the case to the Permanent Court of International Justice, which in 1933 affirmed Danish sovereignty over the whole island.
American interest and World War II
The United States showed interest in Arctic territories during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Secretary of State William H. Seward, who arranged the Alaska purchase in 1867, saw strategic value in Greenland, though Congress declined acquisition. In 1916 the U.S. purchased the Danish West Indies and formally recognized Danish sovereignty over Greenland.
World War II altered Greenland’s relationship with the outside world. After Nazi Germany occupied Denmark in 1940, continuity with Copenhagen was disrupted. In 1941 Denmark’s ambassador in Washington, Henrik Kauffmann, authorized an agreement allowing the United States to supply and defend Greenland and to establish weather stations and bases—decisions made without consultation with Greenlanders. In 1946 the U.S. offered Denmark $100 million in gold to buy Greenland; Denmark refused. Nevertheless, in 1951 Denmark agreed to U.S. operation of Thule Air Base (now Pituffik Space Base), which remains a key American installation.
Colonial policies and their effects
Greenland’s legal status changed in 1953 from colony to an integrated part of the Kingdom of Denmark, with two Danish parliamentary seats but limited local autonomy. Danish postwar policy emphasized rapid “modernization,” promoting the Danish language, schooling and settled town life while discouraging nomadic practices and relocating many Inuit into urban centers.
Some state actions were harmful and have left lasting scars. In the early 1950s, 22 Inuit children were sent to Denmark to be raised Danish and groomed for leadership roles. In subsequent decades thousands of Inuit women and girls were fitted with contraceptive devices—sometimes without proper informed consent. Such policies and practices contributed to grievances and a growing Greenlandic drive for control over local affairs.
Home rule, self-government and the independence debate
Greenland was granted home rule in 1979, creating its own parliament and government with limited powers. In 2009 most domestic responsibilities were transferred to Greenlandic authorities, while Denmark retained foreign policy and defense. Support for full independence is substantial among Greenlanders, but economic realities and strategic considerations complicate the path to sovereignty.
Contemporary politics and public opinion
When discussions of selling or acquiring Greenland reappeared in 2019, public reaction in Greenland was overwhelmingly negative: polls have shown roughly 80–90% oppose becoming part of the United States, and demonstrations in Nuuk and elsewhere signaled public rejection. Nevertheless, Greenland’s location, potential resources and role in Arctic geopolitics keep it of interest to Denmark, the United States and other global powers.
Note: This article was originally written in German.