The black square, Nørrebro

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Copenhagen black spot

By Niels Jul Nielsen, Ph.d. i europæisk etnologi (6 stories)

The black square" was an area of Nørrebro in Copenhagen where social cases began piling up in the 1970s and the police were frequent callers. It was bordered by Nørrebrogade, Peblingesøen, Åboulevarden and Assistens Churchyard. The nickname "The black square" was coined in about 1970 perhaps because of the concentration of pins marking the area on the police map. The pins denoted cases involving child protective services in the city. The population density in the square was huge, the backyards were dark and the municipality began a comprehensive slum clearance project. It consisted mainly of demolition, and the quarter slumped into further decline. Lord Mayor Egon Weidekamp said that all of Nørrebro looked like a battle zone during the 1970s. "

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The fight to save Byggeren" "

Story written by Niels Jul Nielsen

Time / Periode 1973

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Byggeren became the symbol of the conflict between Nørrebro's residents and the City of Copenhagen during the turbulent 1970s. An empty plot of land near Korsgade and Stengade was to be the site of large new housing blocks to replace the demolished buildings, but no one knew when. Fed up with the inactivity, the residents built an adventure playground for the local children in 1973. Byggeren, as it was called, soon gained the status of a state-run children's institution – temporarily, it was emphasised. But when the holistic plan was finally ready in 1979 – and Byggeren was to be cleared – the residents of Nørrebro were not ready to give up without a fight. In April 1980, violent confrontations erupted involving local children and adults, and the clearance team had to complete their work with heavy police protection. Byggeren was rebuilt but the police returned. Finally, the police declared a state of emergency in Nørrebro, and the City of Copenhagen carried out its plans.