Are Danes and Schleswig-Holsteiners the same people?
I know the region was under Danish control, but Denmark is geographically a bit more isolated from the rest of the northern German Plain. It consists of an oblong peninsula or islands. It was highlighted as to how different Fehmarners were to those on the mainland. There can be phenotypical drift of some kind, but whether this correlates to genetic drift as well I am not sure. It could well be confirmation bias but from samples I have seen from Schleswig-Holstein, there does still seem to be a very, very subtle difference between them and their northern neighbours. Lower Saxons definitely look different. If I remember correctly, Creoda had up a table highlighting how those from NW Germany were genetically closer to the English than Schleswig-Holstein. If it is true, though, I have no idea how that is fucking possible. There are no barriers to travel along the northern German Plain.
This does relate a bit to my rather obsessive coverage of the apparent fact that the Dutch, Danes and northern Germans don't look exactly identical (on average) to each other. I have come to the conclusion however, that the average Dutchman looks halfway between the English, Northern Germans and Norwegians.
