Half-mast in Denmark – rules and procedure

Flying the flag at half-mast is the clearest sign of mourning Dannebrog can give. According to Den Store Danske, the custom has been practised in Denmark since 1743, and Dannebrogs-Samfundet links it to the idea that »death’s invisible flag« flies above the flag. There is no law on half-mast for private individuals, but the custom is firmly established, and for state authorities two days a year are set in the circular on official flag days.

Where does the flag sit?

The sources describe the position slightly differently:

On slanting, horizontal and vertical flagpoles on buildings, the cross is placed level with the middle of the pole, according to Dannebrogs-Samfundet. What the descriptions have in common is that the flag sits clearly below the top, so it does not look like a flag that has slipped down.

The procedure

Dannebrogs-Samfundet describes the custom as follows: the flag is raised right to the top and stays there for a few seconds, after which it is lowered to half-mast. When it is taken down, the flag is first raised to the top again for a few seconds before being lowered completely. Den Store Danske describes the same custom.

The flag times also apply at half-mast: no earlier than 8 a.m. or sunrise and at sunset at the latest. Pennants and standers are not used at half-mast.

Half-mast on flag days

Dannebrogs-Samfundet notes that on 9 April the flag is raised to the top at 12.02 where two minutes’ silence is held at 12.00. The Ministry of Justice can also order extraordinary flag flying at half-mast, for example for royal deaths, terrorist attacks or natural disasters.

Deaths and funerals

According to Dannebrogs-Samfundet, the flag flies at half-mast on the day of a death. If the death occurs late in the day or after sunset, the flag can fly at half-mast the following day. At funerals and cremation services, the flag flies at half-mast until the coffin has been lowered into the ground or the hearse has left the church. After that, the flag is raised to full mast until sunset. When the flag returns to full mast, it symbolises the resurrection, according to Dannebrogs-Samfundet.

The customs for deaths, memorial services and the scattering of ashes are covered in the guide to flags in mourning. How the halyard and pulley work is explained in the guide to flagpole mechanics.