Last modified: 2012-12-29 by pete loeser
Keywords: south schleswig voters' association | südschleswigscher wählerverband | sydslesvigsk vælgerforening | söödschlaswiksche wäälerferbånd | ssw |
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The SSW, established 1948, is the party representing the Danish and Frisian minorities in Schleswig-Holstein. The precursor was the SSV (Südschleswigscher Verein/Sydslesvigsk Forening, South Schleswig League). The SSW had not only seats in the first Schleswig-Holstein Landtage, but also in the first Bundestag. Since 1955 the SSW has been exempted from the 5% clause in Land elections in Schleswig-Holstein, so it usually had one seat in the Landtag, even more in the last two elections.
Marcus Schmöger, 11 September 2001
The SSW gained 9.3% in the elections in 1947 (6 seats), 5.5% in 1950 (4 seats) and 3.5% in 1954 (no seats). It was after 1954 that the SSW was exempt from the 5% threshold, considered a national minority party, but had no guaranteed seat. It just had to reach enough votes for one seat. In the following elections it gained between 1.3% and 2.8 % and usually one seat (except in 1958, when it gained 2 seats). The two last elections it gained more support again: in 1996 2 seats, in 2000 3 seats (4.1% of the votes). Sources: A. Mintzel/ H. Oberreuter (eds.) (1992) Parteien in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, Fischer Weltalmanach 1996 and Fischer Weltalmanach 2001
Marcus Schmöger, 8 September 2001
Rabbow 1965 and Rabbow 1970 state that the SSW uses the old Schleswig arms —two blue lions on yellow— as a symbol, also on flags, although not officially adopted as party flag. The current situation I learned from an e-mail from the SSW: the SSW does not have an own party flag proper, but for representing the Danish minority it uses the Dannebrog and the yellow flag with two blue lions; furthermore the (North) Frisian flag (horizontal tricolor yellow-red-blue) is used to represent the Frisian minority.
On photos from a party convention I got from the SSW there were two big Dannebrogs (swallowtailed version);
as table flags they had a Dannebrog, a flag with the party logo (yellow with a blue flower and blue inscription 'SSW'), and a Frisian flag. They also use the Danish and the North Frisian flag on their website for indicating the language.
Sources: Rabbow 1965, Rabbow 1970, e-mail from the SSW in July 2000, party website.
Marcus Schmöger, 11 September 2001
