Search
Hans Hedtoft was one of the most prominent Social Democrats from the early 1930s until his death in 1955. As Prime Minister in the post-war years, he was the driving force behind Denmark’s membership of NATO.
Hans Christian Hansen (later renamed Hedtoft) was born on April 21, 1903 in Aarhus and died on January 29, 1955 during the Nordic Council meeting in Stockholm.
He was chairman of DSU 1927-29, and party secretary of the Social Democratic Party in 1935, the same year he was elected to the Danish Parliament. In 1939 he became chairman of the Social Democratic Party and served as Minister of Labor and Social Affairs in the 1945 coalition government. He was Prime Minister for two terms from 1947-50 and again from 1953-55.
Hans Hedtoft was Prime Minister in the period after 2. World War II, when Denmark had to choose a defense alliance. Hedtoft’s strong commitment to a Nordic defense union is well documented in the papers left behind. So is Denmark’s membership of the Atlantic Pact (NATO) in 1949, which came about after a Nordic defense union had to be shelved. In the years before, Hedtoft and the Social Democrats had been preoccupied with another national issue whose solution required international approval, namely South Schleswig.
During the occupation, Hedtoft, along with H.C. Hansen were stripped of all political posts as a result of anti-Nazi activities. The papers in this case, as well as Hedtoft’s political contacts to parts of the resistance and to Sweden, are available in the archive.
As is the case with his predecessor Th. Stauning, the archive contains speeches and articles as well as letters from a wide range of people. There is also material on the government negotiations in 1950 and 1953.
Hedtoft’s political activities can also be documented in the Social Democratic Archive.
IN THE ABA
Speeches and articles
Hans Hedtoft on his experience of the events of April 9, 1940, Socialdemokraten, April 9, 1946.
Hans Hedtoft’s speech on NATO to the Social Democratic Party’s Executive Committee, February 27, 1949.
Literature, photographs and posters
Literature by and about Hedtoft
Hans Hedtoft in ABA’s photo collection
Hans Hedtoft in the ABA’s poster collection
