The Prussian Failure in Slesvig.

When Denmark resigned the duchies, the inhabitants of the ceded region were allowed to choose whether they wished to remain Danish or to become Prussian citizens. About 50,000 persons, mostly young men, left their homes. Many went to the U.S. and others went to Denmark, hoping to return when their homes were again a part of the Danish realm. Though this hope was doomed to disappointment, many of these optants, gradually drifted back to take up their work and their farms. Many were refused admittance to the German land and more were denied re-naturalization.