Danes want Swedish province to join 'Greater Copenhagen'

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Denmark lost the province of Scania to Sweden more than 350 years ago. Now the Danes want it back — at least for marketing purposes.

Copenhagen Mayor Frank Jensen wants the Danish capital and surrounding municipalities on both sides of the border to promote the region internationally as "Greater Copenhagen."

The idea of Scania being part of a metropolitan area with Copenhagen at the center has gained traction since the two were connected in 2000 by a bridge-and-tunnel link across the Oresund strait.

The link is the focal point in the popular TV crime drama series "The Bridge" in which detectives from both countries team up to investigate the murder of a woman whose body is found right on the border.

The region has been known as the Oresund Region, but Jensen said Friday that name is too obscure and it's time to market the region internationally with a "brand that really works."

"When we add 'Greater,' we indicate that it is more than just the municipality of Copenhagen," he said.

Local leaders in Scania say they like the idea of using the "Greater Copenhagen" brand in some contexts, but haven't made a formal decision yet.

"We are positive to the idea and we have been working together with the Danes about this for a while," said Henrik Fritzon, head of Scania's regional council.

The head of the Stockholm-based agency tasked with marketing Sweden abroad didn't immediately return calls seeking comment.

After centuries of war, Sweden took Scania from Denmark in 1658 and the province remained under Swedish control despite attempts by Denmark to retake it and a rebellion from local militiamen.