Anker Henrik Jørgensen (13 July 1922 – 20 March 2016) was a Danish politician who served at various times as prime minister and foreign minister of Denmark. Between 1972 and 1982 he led five cabinets as prime minister. Jørgensen was president of the Nordic Council in 1986 and 1991.

He led or represented the Social Democratic Party for well over 30 years. His legacy is ambivalent. Politically, he is considered by many right wing followers to have been largely unsuccessful, having failed to mitigate the impact of the economic crisis of the 1970s and 1980s. Nonetheless, he is generally respected and even loved throughout Denmark for his personal integrity and down-to-earth personality, often exemplified by his refusal to move into the official prime minister residence Marienborg, preferring to stay with his wife in their small apartment in a working class area of Copenhagen.

While he has been described as not having the image of a strong or visionary leader, during his terms as prime minister he managed to maintain wide support for the Danish welfare state.

Background

Anker Henrik Jørgensen was born on 13 July 1922 to Johannes Albert Jørgensen and Maria Jørgensen, who both died of tuberculosis while he was a child. He was brought up by close members of his family. He studied at the , but left after the 7th grade to work at a warehouse. Through his job as a warehouse worker he became active in the Special Workers' Union, from January 2005 merged into Fagligt Fælles Forbund, and in the Social Democratic party.

He served his conscription period in 1943, at the Guard Hussar Regiment Mounted Squadron in Næstved. He was part of the fighting when the barracks was attacked by the Germans during Operation Safari. After being repatriated, Anker Jørgensen then joined the resistance in Copenhagen.<!---->

Political career

Early politics

He began his political career early, and in 1950 he became a member of a trade union. He led the Danish General Workers' Union between 1968 and 1972. Whilst he was chairman of the union, he was elected to the Parliament of Denmark for the first of many times in 1964.

As a member of parliament, he was responsible for labour-related issues. He located himself on the left wing of the Social Democratic party, speaking out for unskilled workers and the jobless, and criticised the leadership of Parliamentary group leader Per Hækkerup. He also gained attention for his vocal critique of American engagement in Vietnam. Before the 1972 referendum about whether Denmark should join the European Economic Community (ECC), he went against the stated interest of his own labour union, arguing for a yes.

Prime minister

A day after the EEC referendum, Jørgensen succeeded Jens Otto Krag as Prime Minister of Denmark.

left|thumb|Ingrid and Anker Jørgensen, 1990

After just over a year in opposition, he returned as prime minister with a Social Democratic minority government. In 1978, he expanded the government by including the Liberals in a grand coalition government in order to deal with economic issues. This coalition lasted until 23 October 1979,

Later ventures

He was President of the Nordic Council in 1986 and 1991, and was also head of the Danish delegation to the council during the same terms.

Jørgensen was elected "Dane Of The Year" in 1990 in a survey conducted by Danish Gallup for Berlingske Tidende.

thumb|Anker Jørgensen leaving the place of his residence for 49 years, the Copenhagen working class district Sydhavnen (South Harbour).

He was an Honorary President of the Socialist International.

He died on 20 March 2016, aged 93 after suffering natural causes in Copenhagen.

Personal life

In 1948, he married Ingrid Kvist Pedersen (17 August 1922 – 18 October 1997) to whom he remained married until her death from motor neuron disease. They had 4 children. Throughout this period, he lived in the working-class area of Sydhavnen, an inner city district of Copenhagen. In 2008, 86 years old, he finally left the Sydhavnen apartment, moving to an elderly care centre.

  • 1974 Received the Mathildepris by the Danish Women's Association
  • 1991 Received the Drassows Legat
  • 1993 Received the Jytte-prize
  • 1994 Received the Cultural prize by 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

Bibliography

  • Fra mine dagbøger, 1989–1990. og
  • 1972-1975: Bølgegang
  • 1975-1977: I smult vande
  • 1978-1982: Brændingen
  • Fra Christianshavn til Christiansborg : erindringer 1922-1972 / Anker Jørgensen, Fremad, 1994.

References

  • Anker Jørgensen fansite
  • "Plads til os alle" profile
  • Jørgensen, Anker Henrik at Leksikon.org