Jutland peninsula is made up of the German Bundesland of Schleswig-Holstein. Schleswig-Holstein has two parts: the former duchies of Schleswig (Danish fief) and Holstein (German fief), both of which have passed back and forth between Danish and German rulers several times. The last adjustment of the Danish–German border followed the Schleswig Plebiscites in 1920 and resulted in Denmark's regaining Northern Schleswig ( or more commonly today: "Sønderjylland"). The historical southern border of Jutland are areas south of Kiel, Husum and Rendsburg, but the river Eider was the border between the former duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, as well as the historical
South Jutland County Nazis did not dispute. Central Schleswig chose to remain with Southern Schleswig as part of Germany and is today a part of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. A small ethnic German minority still lives in South Jutland county - predominantly in and near the towns of Tønder and Aabenraa (German: "Tondern" and "Apenrade"). Important settlements: Sønderborg (27,000), Aabenraa (15,000), Haderslev (21,000 people) and Tønder (8,000). As reconstituted in 1970, South Jutland County had slightly different borders to the area gained from Germany in 1920: the towns of Hejle, Taps and Vejstrup (which were Danish throughout the period 1864 to 1920)