The History

In 1906, Denmark's foremost female literary figure, the playwright and admiral's wife Emma Gad, took the initiative to create Danske Dramatikeres Forbund.
Emma Gad is today, quite unfairly, only remembered as the author of Tact and Tone, a manual of etiquette, which brimming with sly irony and despite is 100 years is a handbook for noble behavior in haute bourgeois social environments and simultaneously a satire over these social codes.
All but forgotten is the strong engagement Emma Gad demonstrated for the position of women in society, and though she spoke warmly of good taste, of planning in the home and recipes for a well-ordered family life, she was in the forefront of the movement demanding a woman's right to receive a proper education, a place in the work market and proper recognition as artist.
This woman never ceased in expressing her opinions in a long series of, at the time very popular, dramatic plays. It was through this endeavor that Emma Gad experienced, first hand, the pitiful economic compensation offered to dramatists and to translators of dramatic works.
The specific purpose of the Danske Dramatikeres Forbund was that of an agent,; to represent the member author's copyright and on their behalf to negotiate contracts. In return, the playwrights agreed to allocate a fast percentage of their fee to the operation of the Union. This was an acceptable system and functioned admirably for a good number of years.

Emma Gad and her young Union had just started getting the theatre world under control when radio entered the scene, followed closely by feature film, television and recently the digital revolution with a veritable thicket of copyright complications. After a brief period of hesitation, the Union realized that these new, unchartered and to begin with less respected media, were here to stay. Efforts were subsequently made to guard the interests of members active in these areas. This development is mirrored in the composition of the Union's board of directors where each area of activity has equal representation.

Throughout the Union's 100 years of existence, the work has evolved in tact with the evolution of media. The actual agent's function is restricted to the theatrical arena, but alongside the negotiation of theatre contracts, the Union is able to offer advice to those involved in radio, television or film contract negotiations. A central role is the negotiation of collective contracts. In addition to these services, the Union also distributes the royalty incomes from Copydan and administrates a number of foundations and grants. The daily running of the office is today largely funded through a permanent allocation. The overall leadership is concentrated to the Union's board of directors, elected directly by the members of the Union.