Biography

• Born on 15th September 1914 in Randers (Denmark).
• Studied Political Science in Copenhagen (state examination 1940); after working for a bank and in the Ministry for Supplies from 1945 he was advisor to the labour unions on economic matters. He played a central role in the planning of the post-war economic programme of the Social Democratic Party.
• For more than 30 years he was a member of the Danish Parliament for the Social Democratic Party (1947–1978). During this time he held various positions as a minister (1947–1950 Minister for Commerce, Industry and Shipping; 1953 to 1957 Minister without Portfolio and Deputy Foreign Minister; 1958 to 1962 Foreign Minister), before becoming Danish Prime Minister in 1962. He held this position until 1968 and was also temporarily Foreign Minister (1966–1967). After his party won the elections in 1971 he once again became Prime Minister, but resigned from this position of his own free will in 1972 because of his wish to retire to private life. At the same time he retired as Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Denmark, a position he had held since 1962.
• As Prime Minister he campaigned emphatically for the membership of his country in the European Economic Community.
• Died on 22nd June 1978.