For Two Years, a Call for Justice from Greenlandic Adoptees
For the past two years, four individuals with roots in Greenland have been seeking compensation from the Danish government. Their claim: DKK 250,000 each for what they describe as violations of their human rights, stemming from adoptions that, they argue, occurred under dubious circumstances. These adoptions took place primarily in the 1950s and beyond.
Their legal journey gained traction with the submission of a draft summons on Greenland’s National Day, June 21, 2024. A year earlier, the Danish state had dismissed their demands, but developments now suggest the possibility of a courtroom confrontation.
On June 9, the four adoptees took the significant step of filing a lawsuit against the Danish state. This action follows a determination by the court’s licensing board, which highlighted the fundamental importance of their case, allowing them to pursue it in district court with an eye on advancing to the high court.
Margrete Johansen, one of the four adoptive plaintiffs, expressed her emotions regarding this recognition: “To me, this is an acknowledgment of our existence. Being adopted often means carrying a history that’s not your own, so for the grant board to say yes to pursuing our case feels like a validation of our struggles.”
The law firm Pramming Lawyers, which is representing the adoptees, corroborated the licensing board’s affirmation.
A Long Journey
Margrete Johansen, now 75, was adopted in 1951 by a Danish couple stationed in Greenland. In the journey to Denmark, she lost touch with her Greenlandic heritage and language—a narrative that has not gone unnoticed by local media, including KNR. As an adult, when she finally contacted her biological family, she learned distressing details about her adoption; her mother had allegedly been coerced into signing the Danish adoption papers.
This painful history fuels her ongoing fight for compensation from the Danish state. The Procedural Authorization Board, responsible for evaluating cases for potential high court hearings, allows these adoptees to seek an expedited process that covers legal costs.
“Two years is a long time to wait, and we anticipate even more delays before our case reaches the courtroom,” Johansen lamented, with no trial date currently established.
A Potential Official Apology
The timing of the court’s recent decision aligns strikingly with the unveiling of a new Danish government constitution, which explicitly mentions an intention to offer an official apology to both the adoptee group and those termed ‘legally fatherless’—individuals born without the ability to claim their father’s identity.
By the end of 2026, the government will release a report addressing these historical injustices, paving the way for potential reparative actions.
Johansen finds it “remarkable” that the summons arrives in the wake of this governmental foundation. “I can’t fathom why the state hasn’t made it a priority to resolve these lingering cases—ours included, along with others shuttling through the courts,” she reflected, referencing the broader context of ongoing legal struggles.
In June 2022, another group of 26 legally fatherless individuals sought redress from the Danish state for their human rights violations. This claim, too, was met with rejection, leading to an impending court hearing set for October 28 at the Eastern High Court.
Previously, 143 women who underwent involuntary IUD placements also took legal action against the Danish government. However, in December, the Danish authorities indicated that compensation is forthcoming for Greenlandic women affected by forced contraceptive measures during a time when health care was under Danish oversight.
The stories of these individuals weave a complex tapestry of legal and emotional challenges, marking a pivotal moment in redeeming lost histories and seeking justice.