Danmarks afholdsforening

Danmarks afholdsforening (Danish for 'Denmark's Temperance Association') is a Danish non-profit association whose statutes state its purpose as promoting a sober lifestyle through education and voluntary social work. Its roots lie in the temperance societies formed in Denmark in 1879–80, which in 1881 joined into a national body called Danmarks Totalafholdsforening. In 1885 the organisation changed its name to Danmarks Afholdsforening, the name under which it became best known. In 2019 it adopted the name Landsforeningen for Ædru Livsstil ('National Association for a Sober Lifestyle') and abolished the requirement that members be teetotal; a minority that opposed this change broke away and formed a new temperance association under the original name. The association reached its peak during the First World War, when it had around 69,000 members, local branches in every parish in the country and roughly 1,800 premises. It was led by a long series of chairmen, from Claus Johannsen (1881–1921) through C C Heilesen, Carl Ottosen, Kristian Larsen, Marius Heilesen, Kristian Nygaard, Oskar Hviid, Thomas Egebæk, Pether Leth Knudsen, Kaj Rasmussen, Viktor Mark Nielsen and Henning Sørensen (1992–2012) to Torsten Nørgaard (from 2012), Benny Finderup (died 2018) and Jan S. Jensen (from 2019). As a voluntary association rather than a commercial company, the organisation operates in the Danish civil-society and public-health space, offering information and social work rather than products. Its history is documented in Henning Sørensen's book 'Afholdshoteller i Danmark' (2007), which covers the temperance hotels the movement ran. The association's website is danmarksafholdsforening.dk.

The organisation's roots lie in the Danish temperance societies founded in 1879–80. In 1881 these formed a national association called Danmarks Totalafholdsforening ('Denmark's Total Abstinence Association'). In 1885 the name was changed to Danmarks Afholdsforening ('Denmark's Temperance Association'). The association was at its largest during the First World War, when it counted around 69,000 members, maintained local branches in every parish in the country and had roughly 1,800 premises. It was led by a long succession of chairmen: Claus Johannsen (1881–1921), C C Heilesen (1921–24), Carl Ottosen (1924–35), Kristian Larsen (1935–43), Marius Heilesen (1943–47 and 1952–54), Kristian Nygaard (1947–52), Oskar Hviid (1954–59), Thomas Egebæk (1959–63), Pether Leth Knudsen (1963–70), Kaj Rasmussen (1970–80), Viktor Mark Nielsen (1980–92), Henning Sørensen (1992–2012), Torsten Nørgaard (from 2012), Benny Finderup (died 2018) and Jan S. Jensen (from 2019). In 2019 the association changed its name to Landsforeningen for Ædru Livsstil and abolished the requirement that members be teetotal; a minority opposed to this broke away and formed a new temperance association under the original name. The movement's history, including the temperance hotels it ran, is documented in Henning Sørensen's 2007 book 'Afholdshoteller i Danmark'.

• 2019

  Renamed Landsforeningen for Ædru Livsstil and teetotal membership requirement abolished; a breakaway minority re-forms under the original name.

• 1914

  Peak period around the First World War: about 69,000 members, branches in every parish, roughly 1,800 premises.

• 1885

  Name changed to Danmarks Afholdsforening.

• 1881

  National association founded as Danmarks Totalafholdsforening; Claus Johannsen becomes chairman.

• 1879

  Danish temperance societies begin to form (1879–80).

Non-profit Danish temperance and sober-lifestyle association providing public information and voluntary social work.

1. 1Landsforeningen for Ædru Livsstil (Swedish Wikipedia)sv.wikipedia.org
2. 2Danmarks afholdsforening (Wikidata)wikidata.org
3. 3NetPatient.dknetpatient.dk