DENMARK
See also CITY OF COPENHAGEN
DANISH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 1871 - 1945
ROMAN CATHOLIC HIERARCHY IN DENMARK 1871 - 1945
DANISH OVERSEA DEPENDENCIES 1871 - 1945
KINGDOM OF DENMARK
The Kingdom of Denmark was founded ca 900 when Gorm den Gamle ("the Old" ;
...-940 ; r. 900-940), King of Leithra, united the different Danish local
kingdoms into one state.
Denmark remained independent since then, with the exception of a German
occupation from 1940 to 1945.
See ADMINISTRATORS OF GERMAN OCCUPIED DENMARK DURING WWII for more
information on this period.
HEADS OF STATE
Kings
Konger
Formal style : By the Grace of God, King of Denmark, of the Wends and
the Goths, Duke of Schleswig, Holstein, Stormarn,
Dithmarschen and Oldenburg.
(af Guds Nåde, Konge til Danmark, de Venders og Goters,
Hertug til Slesvig, Holsten, Stormarn, Ditmarsken og
Oldenborg)
House of Oldenborg - Line of Slesvig-Holsten - Branch of Sønderborg
(Sub-branch of Glücksborg)
(ruled since 1863)
1863 - 1906 Christian IX (Christian Frederik) 1818 - 1906
1906 - 1912 Frederik VIII (Christian Frederik Vilhelm
Carl), son 1843 - 1912
1912 - 1947 Christian X (Christian Carl Frederik Albert
Alexander Vilhelm), son (1) 1870 - 1947
(1) King Kristján I of Iceland 1918 - 1944
____________________________________________________________________________
MINISTERS
Prime Ministers
Presidents of the Council
Konseilpræsidenter
1870 - 1874 Ludvig Henrik Carl Herman, greve Holstein-
Holsteinborg 1815 - 1892
1874 - 1875 Christen Andreas Fonnesbech 1817 - 1880
1875 - 1894 Jacob Brønnum Scavenius Estrup til Kongsdal
og Skattogaard 1825 - 1913
1894 - 1897 Kjeld Thor Tage Otto von Reedtz-Thott 1839 - 1923
1897 - 1900 Hugo Egmont Hørring 1842 - 1909
1900 - 1901 Hannibal Sehested til Broholm 1842 - 1924
1901 - 1905 Johan Hendrik Deuntzer 1845 - 1918
1905 - 1908 Jens Christian Christensen 1856 - 1930
1908 - 1909 Niels Thomasius Neergaard 1854 - 1936
1909 Johan Ludvig Carl Christian, greve Holstein
-Ledreborg 1839 - 1912
1909 - 1910 Carl Theodor Zahle 1866 - 1946
1910 - 1913 Klaus Berntsen 1844 - 1927
1913 - 1918 Carl Theodor Zahle (2x)
Ministers of State
Statsministre
1918 - 1920 Carl Theodor Zahle s.a.
1920 Carl Julius Otto Liebe 1860 - 1929
1920 Michael Pedersen Friis 1857 - 1944
1920 - 1924 Niels Thomasius Neergaard (2x)
1924 - 1926 Thorvald August Marinus Stauning 1873 - 1942
1926 - 1929 Thomas Madsen-Mygdal 1876 - 1943
1929 - 1942 Thorvald August Marinus Stauning (2x)
1942 Vilhelm Buhl 1881 - 1954
1942 - 1943 Erik Julius Christian Scavenius 1877 - 1962
1943 - 1945 none (1)
(1) In this period the Germans assumed direct control, daily
affairs being handled by the administrative heads of the
different departments.
Ministers of Foreign Affairs
Udenrigsministre
1870 - 1875 Otto Ditlev, baron Rosenørn-Lehr til
Guldborgland og Lehn 1821 - 1892
1875 Frederik Georg Julius, greve Moltke til
Bregentved 1825 - 1875
1875 Jacob Brønnum Scavenius Estrup til Kongsdal
og Skattogaard s.a.
1875 - 1892 Otto Ditlev, baron Rosenørn-Lehr til
Guldborgland og Lehn (2X)
1892 Johannes Magnus Valdemar Nelleman 1831 - 1906
1892 - 1897 Kjeld Thor Tage Otto von Reedtz-Thott s.a.
1897 - 1900 Niels Frederik Ravn* 1826 - 1910
1900 - 1901 Hannibal Sehested til Broholm s.a.
1901 - 1905 Johan Henrik Deuntzer s.a.
1905 - 1908 Frederik Christopher Otto, greve Raben-
Leventzau til Aalholm 1850 - 1933
1908 - 1909 Carl Wilhelm, greve Ahlefeldt-Lauvrig til
Eriksholm 1860 - 1923
1909 - 1910 Erik Julius Christian Scavenius s.a.
1910 - 1913 Carl Wilhelm, greve Ahlefeldt-Lauvrig til
Eriksholm (2x)
1913 Carl Edvard Cohen Brandes 1847 - 1931
1913 - 1920 Erik Julius Christian Scavenius (2x)
1920 Henri Konow 1862 - 1939
1920 Otto Christian J. J. Brønnum Scavenius 1875 - 1945
1920 - 1922 Harald Roger Scavenius 1873 - 1939
1922 - 1924 Christian Magdalus Thestrup Cold 1863 - 1934
1924 - 1926 Carl Poul Oscar, greve Moltke 1869 - 1935
1926 - 1929 Laust Jevsen Moltesen 1865 - 1950
1929 - 1940 Peter Rochegune Munch 1870 - 1948
1940 - 1943 Erik Julius Christian Scavenius (3x)
1943 - 1945 none (2)
(2) Head of the department of Foreign Affairs
Departementschef i Udenrigsministeriet
1943 - 1945 Nils Svenningsen, also de facto head of
the whole administration and responsible
for the relations with the Germans. 1894 - 1985
Ministers of Defence
Ministers of War
Krigsministre
1870 - 1872 Wolfgang von Haffner 1810 - 1887
1872 - 1874 Christian Albert Frederik Thompsen
1874 Niels Frederik Ravn s.a.
1874 - 1875 Peter Frederik Steinmann
1875 - 1877 Wolfgang von Haffner (2x)
1877 - 1879 Johan Christopher Frederik Dreyer
1879 - 1881 Wilhelm Frederik Ludvig von Kaufmann
1881 - 1884 Niels Frederik Ravn (2x)
1884 - 1894 Jesper Jespersen Bahnson
1894 - 1896 Christian Albert Frederik Thompsen (2x)
1896 - 1897 Johan Gustav Frederik Schnack
1897 - 1899 Christian Frederik Frands Elias Tuxen
1899 - 1901 Johan Gustav Frederik Schnack (2x)
1901 - 1905 Vilhelm Herman Oluf Madsen
Ministers of the Navy
Marineministre
1870 - 1872 Wolfgang von Haffner s.a.
1872 - 1873 Christian Albert Frederik Thompson s.a.
1873 - 1875 Niels Frederik Ravn s.a.
1875 - 1877 Wolfgang von Haffner (2x)
1877 - 1879 Johan Christopher Frederik Dreyer s.a.
1879 - 1900 Niels Frederik Ravn (2x)
1900 - 1901 Christian Glørtz Middelboe
1901 - 1905 Ferdinand Henrik Jøhnke
1905 : Ministries of War and Navy merged into the new Ministry of Defence
Ministers of Defence
Forsvarsministre
1905 - 1908 Jens Christian Christensen s.a.
1908 - 1909 Niels Thomasius Neergaard s.a.
1909 Jens Christian Christensen (2x)
1909 Johan Ludvig Carl Christian, greve Holstein
-Ledreborg s.a.
1909 - 1910 Christopher Krabbe
1910 - 1913 Klaus Berntsen s.a.
1913 - 1920 Peter Rochegune Munch s.a.
1920 Henri Konow s.a.
1920 Michael Pedersen Friis s.a.
1920 - 1922 Klaus Berntsen (2x)
1922 - 1924 Søren Brorsen
1924 - 1926 Laust Rasmussen 1862 -
1926 - 1929 Søren Brorsen (2x)
1929 - 1932 Laust Rasmussen (2x)
1932 - 1933 Hans Pieter Hansen
1933 - 1935 Thorvald August Marinus Stauning s.a.
1935 - 1940 Alsing Andersen 1893 -
1940 - 1943 Søren Brorsen (2x) (3)
(3) Head of the department of Defence
Departementschef i Forsvarsministeriet
1943 - 1945 J. D. von Stenmann
Ministers of Home Affairs
Inderrigsministre
1870 - 1874 Christian Andreas Fonnesbech s.a.
1874 - 1875 Frederik "Frits" Christian Heinrich Emil
Tobiesen 1829 - 1908
1875 - 1884 Erik Vilhelm Robert Skeel 1818 - 1884
1884 - 1885 Søren Hilmar Steindor Finsen 1824 - 1886
1885 - 1894 Hans Peter Ingerslev 1831 - 1896
1894 - 1897 Hugo Egmont Hørring 1842 - 1909
1897 - 1899 Vilhelm Bardenfleth 1850 - 1933
1899 - 1901 Ludvig Ernst Bramsen 1847 - 1914
1901 - 1905 Enevold Frederik Adolf Sørensen 1850 - 1920
1905 - 1908 Sigurd Berg 1868 - 1921
1908 - 1909 Klaus Berntsen s.a.
1909 - 1910 Peter Rochegune Munch s.a.
1910 - 1913 Jens Jensen-Sønderup 1862 - 1949
1913 - 1920 Ove Rode 1867 - 1932
1920 Waldemar Henry Theodor Oxholm 1868 - 1945
1920 Severin Henrik August Vedel 1867 - 1932
1920 - 1921 Sigurd Berg (2x)
1921 - 1924 Oluf Christian Krag 1870 - 1942
1924 - 1926 Christen Nielsen Hauge 1870 - 1940
1926 - 1929 Oluf Christian Krag (2x)
1929 - 1940 Bertel Dahlgaard 1887 - 1972
1940 - 1942 Knud Kristensen 1880 - 1962
1942 - 1943 Jørgen Peder Laurids Jørgensen (4) 1888 - 1974
(4) Chief of the department of the Interior
Departementschef i Indenrigsministeriet
1943 - 1945 Justus Lannes Saurbrey 1894 - 1987
Ministers of Justice (5)
Justitsministre
1870 - 1872 Andreas Frederik Krieger
1872 - 1875 Christian Sofus Klein
1875 - 1896 Johannes Magnus Valdemar Nelleman s.a.
1896 - 1899 Nikolaj Reimer Rump
1899 - 1900 Hugo Egmont Hørring s.a.
1900 - 1901 August Hermann Ferdinand Carl Goos 1835 - 1917
1901 - 1908 Peter Adler Alberti
1908 - 1909 Svend Høgsbro
1909 - 1910 Carl Theodor Zahle s.a.
1910 - 1913 Fritz Toxwerdt Bülow
1913 - 1920 Carl Theodor Zahle (2x)
1920 Carl Julius Otto Liebe s.a.
1920 Kristian Singballe
1920 Frederik "Fritz" Carl Gram Schrøder
1920 - 1924 Svenning Rytter
1924 - 1926 Karl Kristian Steincke 1880 -
1926 - 1929 Svenning Ryter (2x)
1929 - 1935 Carl Theodor Zahle (3x)
1935 - 1939 Karl Kristian Steincke (2x)
1939 - 1940 Svend Unmack Larsen
1940 - 1941 Harald Petersen
1941 - 1943 Eigil Thune Jacobsen (6)
(5) In charge of Iceland 1855 - 1904
(6) Head of the department of Justice
Departementschef i Justitsministeriet
1943 - 1945 A. Svendsen
Ministers of Finance
Finansministre
1870 - 1872 Carl Emil Fenger
1872 Ludvig Henrik Carl Herman, greve Holstein-
Holsteinborg* s.a.
1872 - 1874 Andreas Frederik Krieger s.a.
1874 Ludvig Henrik Carl Herman, greve Holstein-
Holsteinborg (2x)
1874 - 1875 Christian Andreas Fonnesbech s.a.
1875 - 1894 Jacob Brønnum Scavenius Estrup til Kongdal
og Skattogaard s.a.
1894 - 1897 Christian Ditlev Lüttichau
1897 - 1900 Hugo Egmont Hørring s.a.
1900 - 1901 Hans William Scharling
1901 - 1905 Christopher Friedenreich Hage
1905 - 1908 Vilhelm Lassen
1908 Jens Christian Christensen* s.a.
1908 Niels Thomasius Neergaard s.a.
1908 - 1909 Charles Brun
1909 Niels Thomasius Neergaard (2x)
1909 - 1910 Carl Edvard Cohen Brandes s.a.
1910 - 1913 Niels Thomasius Neergaard (3x)
1913 - 1920 Carl Edvard Cohen Brandes (2x)
1920 Hans Peter Hjerd-Hansen
1920 A. M. Koefoed
1920 - 1924 Niels Thomasius Neergaard (4x)
1924 - 1926 Carl Valdemar Bramsnæs 1879 -
1926 - 1929 Niels Thomasius Neergaard (5x)
1929 - 1933 Carl Valdemar Bramsnæs (2x)
1933 - 1937 Hans Peter Hansen
1937 - 1942 Vilhelm Buhl s.a.
1942 Alsing Andersen s.a.
1942 - 1943 Kristian Hansen Kofoed 1867 -
1943 - 1945 none (7)
(7) Head of the department of Finances
Departementschef i Finansministeriet
1943 - 1945 Ejnar Dige
Ministers for Oversea Dependencies
1848 - 1917 the Ministers of Finances
Heads of the Central Administration of the
Colonies at the Ministry of Finances (8)
Koloniernes Centralbestyrelse Chefer
1870 - 1873 Martin Levy
1873 - 1876 Elnar T. J. Schrien
1876 - 1898 Christian Alexander Caroc
1898 - 1917 Andreas Christian Schlichtkrull
(8) This office was held by the head of the first department of
the ministry who was also in charge of the budget, pensions
and the general secretariat.
Actual colonial work was done by the :
Heads of the Colonial Bureau
Kolonialkontorets Chefer
1892 - 1909 John M. C. B. Ellermann 18.. - 1909
1908 - 1911 Tage Holling
1911 Carl Dines Hansen
Head of the West Indian Bureau
Vestindiskekontorets Chef
1911 - 1917 Carl Dines Hansen (until 1920 charged
to wind-up the colonial administration
after the sale of the Virgin islands to
the US) s.a.
____________________________________________________________________________
ADMINISTRATORS OF GERMAN OCCUPIED DENMARK DURING WW II
CHRONOLOGY
1940 : Denmark was occupied by German troops. As the - formal - aim of this
occupation was only "to protect Denmark's sovereignity and neutrality"
there was little German intervention in Danish politics. (1)
The German minister in Copenhagen became the highest German official
in the country, corresponding however with the Danish authorities by
normal diplomatic ways.
1941 : After the German invasion of the U.S.S.R. Denmark had to sever its
relations with this country, to banish the Danish Communist Party and
to allow the recrutment of Danish volunteers for the Waffen S.S.
1942 : A new government headed by the pro-German prime minister Scavenius
was formed. German control was gradually increased, a special German
representative replacing the regular diplomatic representative.
1943 : After the refusal of the Danish government to instore martial law,
Germany imposed direct control over the country. The commander of
the German troops now became the leading German official.
He was however soon replaced by a representative of the German S.S.
and Police as chief German official in charge.
(1) The only major exception being the confinment of the Danish army to
certain regions and the confiscation of the Danish combat aircrafts.
GERMAN ADMINISTRATORS
German Diplomatic Representatives in Denmark
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Ausserordentlicher Gesandter und bevollmächtigter Minister
1940 - 1942 Cecil von Renthe-Finck, already accredited
since 1936.
General Plenipotentiary of the Reich in Denmark
Generalreichsbevolmächtigter in Dänemark
1942 - 1945 Werner Best 1903 - 1989
Commanders of the German Troops in Denmark
Befehlhabers der deutschen Truppen in Dänemark
1940 Leonhard Kaupisch 1878 - 1945
1940 - 1942 Erich Lüdke 1882 - 1946
1942 - 1945 Hermann von Hanneken 1890 - 19..
1945 Georg Lindemann 1884 - 1963
Higher S.S. and Policeleader Denmark
Höherer S.S. und Polizeiführer Dänemark
1943 - 1945 Günther Pancke 1899 - 1973
DANISH ADMINISTRATORS
As the Germans could rely on the Danish government until its resignation in
1943 and then on the administrative heads of the departments (2), there was
no need for them to set up a pro-German indigenous civil administration (3).
(2) Although there were certainly some pro-Germans among them - prime
minister Scavenius being the most important - the ministers as a
whole may not be considerated as collaborators.
The same goes for the department officials, some of them remaining
in office after the liberation.
The resignation of the Danish government was linked to its refusal
to instore martial law.
Note on the resignation of the Danish Government :
Prime minister Scavenius first tendered his resignation to the
king, who accepted it. He then also tendered it to the German
representative, who refused it. After further negociations on
the subject had failed, the government was dismissed by the
Germans.
(3) Furthermore the only party they could rely on, the D.N.S.A.P.
(Danmarks National-Socialistiske Arbajders Parti) headed by
Frits Clausen (1893 - 1945), had no importance at all and was
divided into several factions. In 1942 the Germans asked the
government to include some D.N.S.A.P. members, but when refused
they didn't insist.
After 1943, the party lost all its importance, the Germans now
turning to the "Schallenburg Korpset" (Schallenburg Corps), a
purely military collaborationist group - part of the Germanische
SS - headed by Knud Borg Martinsen (1905 - 1949)
LEADERS OF THE RESISTANCE
Danish Council
Danske Råd
External resistance against the Germans started immediately in 1940, when
Danish diplomatic representatives abroad refused to recognise the new
situation created by the occupation. (4)
This was soon followed by the establishment, in London, of a Danish Council,
acting as a representative of the Free Danish.
(4) The most important among them was Henrik Kauffmann, the Minister
to the US, who, in 1941, placed Greenland under American protection.
Due to rivalry with Christmas Møller in being the leader of the
Free Danes, Kauffmann did however not recognize the authority of
the Danish Council.
Chairmen
1940 - 1942 K. G. Anker-Petersen
1942 - 1945 John Guido Leo Christmas Møller 1898 - 1948
Freedom Council
Frihedsråd / Frihedsrådet
In Denmark itself, the different resistance groups were united, in 1943, into
the Freedom Council.
Members
1943 - 1945 -Nils Banke (?)
-C. A. Bodilsen (from 1944)
-Ole Chiewitz (from 1944)
-Mogens Fog (1943 - 1944)
-Erling Foss (1943 - 1944)
-Børge Houmann
-Erik Husfeldt (?)
-Frode Jacobsen (5) 1906 - 1997
-Alfred Jensen (?)
-Flemming B. Muus, representative of the
Free Danes
-Arne Nø-Nygaard (in 1943)
-Aage Schock (1943 - 1944)
-Arne Sørensen (from 1943)
-Bishop Hans Øllgaard (from 1944)
(5) The Council had no Chairman for most of the war.
It was only in the last month before the liberation that Jacobsen -
the founder of the Council - emerged as de facto leader.
The Council continued to function for some time after the liberation.
ALLIED ADMINISTRATORS
After the liberation, in 1945, an Allied military administration briefly toke
control over Danish affairs.
Head of the Allied Military Administration (6)
1945 Robert E. Dewing (UK) 1891 - 1981
Danish representative
1945 G. Rasmussen
(6) For the whole of Denmark except Bornholm island, which was occupied
by Soviet troops
Commander of the Soviet troops and Military Governor of
Bornholm
1945 - 1946 ... Yukashev
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