Isted Lion in Flensburg

The Isted Lion, created to commemorate the Danish victory in the 1850 Battle of Isted, has been the subject of German-Danish debates about national and cultural identity in the historically contested Schleswig border region since it was first erected in 1862. This case study examines the journey of the statue across multiple cities in Denmark and Germany, which culminated in its return to its original location in the town of Flensburg in 2011. In addition, it analyses the decision-making processes and variety of actors involved in the debates, as well as continued controversies about the contemporary symbolism of the monument.