Anker Jørgensen
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Anker Henrik Jørgensen
(b. Copenhagen, 13 July 1922) Danish; Prime Minister 1972 – 3, 1975 – 8, 1978 – 82, Social Democratic party chairman 1973 – 87 Jørgensen came to political prominence by what the Danes call "the long road". He never knew his father; his mother died young, and he received a basic education at the Royal Orphanage School in Copenhagen. He then at the age of 14 became a warehouse worker, joining the Store and Warehouse Union and the Social Democrats' youth wing. He continued his education on trade union courses and by extensive private reading. An able organizer and negotiator, he became vice-chairman of his union in 1950 and chairman in 1956, and in 1968 he became chairman of Denmark's second largest union for general and semi-skilled workers.
In 1961 Jørgensen was elected to Copenhagen City Council, serving until 1964. In 1964, by which time he was a leading trade unionist, he was elected to the Danish parliament. Here he became prominent as a left of centre Social Democrat who was not a maverick and who favoured Danish membership of the EC. On 3 October 1972, the day after the Danish referendum in favour of joining the EC, he was nominated by the retiring Social Democratic Prime Minister — Krag — as the successor to the premiership, notwithstanding the fact that he had never served in government.
Jørgensen dominated the next decade in Danish politics. He had to cope with a severe economic crisis, with an unusual degree of turbulence in domestic politics, and with considerable trade union opposition, and his negotiating skills were called upon to the full in winning support from the non-socialist parties of the centre-right.
Since his resignation as Prime Minister in 1982, Jørgensen has been active on the Nordic Council — resigning as its president in 1992 — and he has become something of a legend in his country's political life, respected for being consistently true to his working-class roots.
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Anker Jørgensen
| Anker Jørgensen | |
|---|---|
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| Prime Minister of Denmark | |
| In office 5 October 1972 – 19 December 1973 |
|
| Monarch | Margaret II |
| Preceded by | Jens Otto Krag |
| Succeeded by | Poul Hartling |
| In office 13 February 1975 – 10 September 1982 |
|
| Monarch | Margaret II |
| Preceded by | Poul Hartling |
| Succeeded by | Poul Schlüter |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 July 1922 Copenhagen |
| Political party | Social Democrats |
| Religion | Lutheran/Church of Denmark |
Anker Jørgensen (born 13 July 1922) is a former Danish Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. He led or represented the Social Democratic Party for well over 30 years.
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Early political and personal life
Anker Henrik Jørgensen was born on 13 July 1922 in a rich area of Copenhagen to Johannes Albert Jørgensen and Maria Jørgensen. He was brought up by close members of his family. In 1948 he married Ingrid Kvist Pedersen (17 August 1922 – 18 October 1997) whom he remained married to until her death in 1997. They had 4 children. Throughout this period, he lived in the working-class area of Sydhavnen, an inner city district of Copenhagen.
He began his political carer early, and in 1950 he became a member of a trade union. He led the Danish Workers Union, SiD, between 1968 and 1972. Whilst he was chairman of the Danish Workers Union, he was elected to the Parliament of Denmark for the first of many times in 1964.
Prime minister
In 1972, he succeeded Jens Otto Krag as Prime Minister of Denmark following the European Union Referendum of that year. He would hold this position for 14 months until the election when he would be succeeded by liberal Poul Hartling.
After just over a year in opposition, he would return as Prime Minister of Denmark with a Social Democratic minority government. In 1978 he expanded the government by including Liberals in a "grand coaltion" government in order to cooperate in solving urgent economic problems. This coalition would last until 23 October 1979, and for a brief period of two months in 1978 he concurrently held the position of foreign minister. During this time, Anker Jørgensen would preside over the electoral age referendum.
For the rest of his period in office, he would lead a solitary Social Democrat government. He stepped down as prime minister on 10 September 1982 due to an uncertain parliamentary situation, he did, however, remain as leader of the Social Democrats until his resignation in 1987 when he was succeeded by Svend Auken. Throughout his time in office, he showed strong leadership and guided Denmark into the EEC and further developed Denmark’s social and welfare systems, but his policies also created a huge state budget deficit, which was compensated for by large state loans, increasing the Danish state debt substantially.
He was the head of the Danish delegation to the Nordic Council. Jørgensen was elected "Dane Of The Year" in 1990. He has written several autobiographies.
Public Perception
- Whilst in government, Anker Jørgensen became famous for being the People’s Gentleman.[citation needed]
- He gained a reputation as being a hard, dedicated worker.[citation needed]
Awards
- 1970 Poul Henningsen price, PH-prisen
- 1974 Mathildepris by the Danish Women's Association
- 1991 Drassows Legat
- 1993 Jytte-prisen
- 1994 Cultural price by the The Danish Confederation of Trade Unions
- 2007 Tribute album De største er de små - sange til Anker [The Small Ones are the Greatest – Songs for Anker] by various artists.
- 2007 Honorary member of the Social Democratic Youth of Denmark
Books
- Fra mine dagbøger, 1989-1990. ISBN 87-557-1543-5 og ISBN 87-557-1544-3
- 1972-1975: Bølgegang
- 1975-1977: I smult vande
- 1978-1982: Brændingen
- Fra Christianshavn til Christiansborg : erindringer 1922-1972 / Anker Jørgensen, Fremad, 1994. ISBN 87-557-1832-9
External links
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jens Otto Krag |
Prime Minister of Denmark 5 October 1972 – 19 December 1973 |
Succeeded by Poul Hartling |
| Preceded by Poul Hartling |
Prime Minister of Denmark 13 February 1975 – 10 September 1982 |
Succeeded by Poul Schlüter |
| Preceded by Knud Børge Andersen |
Foreign Minister of Denmark 1 July 1978 – 30 August 1978 |
Succeeded by Henning Christophersen |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Jens Otto Krag |
Leader of the Danish Social Democrats 1972 – 1987 |
Succeeded by Svend Auken |
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Oxford Dictionary of Political Biography
A Dictionary of Political Biography. Copyright © 1998, 2003 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
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