Ticket to Denmark (2002) In the spring of 2002, as a low-ranking employee of the newly formed
Ministry of Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs, Altheimer conceived and launched an online dating service called "Ticket to Denmark" with software similar to that of
match.com and graphics by Dennis Orneborg. Danish citizens and immigrants were invited to upload dating profiles. The site listed two main profile options: "marry out of love" and "marry out of convenience". The latter option was an opportunity for immigrants for a fast-track citizenship via marriage with Danish citizens, who on their side offered to marry out of convenience. The matching service was put in place to bypass new laws enacted by the
Danish parliament and the right-wing Government, under the leadership of
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, to curb immigration. The first marriage via Ticket to Denmark was announced in May 2002 – between a woman from Africa and a man from Denmark. Altheimer announced that his ambition was to fill the biggest stadium in Copenhagen in a "transnational festival of love" – with throngs of happy couples in the manner of the moonie mass
weddings. The first profile on the site was Altheimer's own, as he offered to marry an immigrant despite having a family of his own. The matter was discussed in the Danish
Folketing's question time. Altheimer was reported to the police by
Morten Messerschmidt, member of the
European Parliament for the
Danish People's Party. As a result of his effort, he lost his job and received multiple death threats.
The Democracy – Destination: Iraq (2004) In 2004 he toured
Iraq with his Parallel Action collective, offering democracy from a box. When this attempt failed he went to the US in October to re-invigorate American democracy in the weeks leading up to the
Presidential Election that saw
George W. Bush re-elected.
Attacking Guantanamo Bay with Beethoven (2005) In November 2005, setting out from
Ocho Rios on Jamaica, Altheimer attacked
Guantanamo Bay in a small boat, blasting the American military base with Beethoven's
Symphony No. 3 playing on a
ghetto blaster. The attempt was documented by the Danish performance artist Ulla Hvejsel in her film "Operation Just cause II – Europe strikes back". Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker
Malik Bendjelloul reported on this effort for Swedish TVs
Kobra. The segment was broadcast on 15 March 2008.
The Democracy – Destination: Iran (2006) 2006 saw an attempt at instigating a Democratic revolution in
Iran. This was to be the last outing for the
democracy box. The experiments, journeys and battles in the name of the democracy were the subject of a retrospective exhibition, "The Return of the Democracy," in
Nikolaj Contemporary Art Center in Copenhagen in 2007.
Europe For President (2008) In 2008 he attempted to launch
Hannah Jefferson as Europe's preferred candidate for president in the US election. The campaign culminated at the
2008 Democratic National Convention when Altheimer sought to persuade delegates to get behind her. Realising defeat during the final roll call, Altheimer brought a sign that said "Europeans Against Obama" on to the floor. Delegates moved to tear the placard from him and he was subsequently escorted out of the convention by
Lakewood police.
Lawsuit / Plaintiff / Danish High Court (2009–2011) In 2011 Altheimer lost a lawsuit against his former collaborator Claus Beck-Nielsen and the Danish publishing house
Gyldendal at the High Court in Copenhagen (
Courts of Denmark). The lawsuit took issue with Beck-Nielsen's use of his biography, work and image in two consecutive novels,
Selvmordsaktionen (The Suicide Campaign),
Gyldendal 2005 and
Suverænen (The Sovereign),
Gyldendal 2008 (later published in
Norway as
Suverenen, Oktober Forlag, 2009). At the centre of the case was the decision by the publishing house to use Altheimer's picture on the dust jacket of
Suverænen as well as in promotional material without prior permission. The High Court dismissed all Altheimer's claims in its ruling of 17 March 2011. Responding to the High Court decision, Altheimer is quoted for saying that he would never again visit
Denmark. He also announced that his future work would deal solely with the nature of love.
Lawsuit / Defendant / Copenhagen City Court (2012) Less than a year after losing the lawsuit in the Danish High Court, Altheimer was sued by
Danske Bank due to debt. He rejected the bank's claim, arguing that he no longer exists. In a plea to the Copenhagen City Court, he refers the plaintiff to publisher
Gyldendal and author Claus Beck-Nielsen for payment as the lawful owners of the copyright to his former identity. ==Films==