Poul Hartling (14 August 1914 – 30 April 2000) was a Danish

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...

and diplomat. He was leader of Venstre from 1965 to 1977, and served as

Prime Minister of Denmark The prime minister of Denmark ( da, Danmarks statsminister, fo, Forsætisráðharri, kl, Ministeriuneq) is the head of government in the Kingdom of Denmark comprising the three constituent countries: Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Island ...

from 1973 to 1975. Prior to that, he served as foreign minister from 1968 to 1971 under Hilmar Baunsgaard. From 1978 to 1985, he served as the

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a United Nations agency mandated to aid and protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people, and to assist in their voluntary repatriation, local integrati ...

Career

Hartling graduated in theology 1939, became ordained as a priest, and later headed a teacher's seminary. He was a member of parliament 1957–1960, and again 1964–1977, and party leader 1965–1977. Hartling served as

Foreign Minister of Denmark The Minister for Foreign Affairs ( da, Udenrigsminister, fo, Uttanríkisráðharra, kl, Nunanut Allanut Ministeri) is the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. The officeholder is in charge of Danish (Denmark proper,), " metropolit ...

from 1968 until 1971 in the Cabinet of Hilmar Baunsgaard. Hartling was Prime Minister from 1973 until 1975. In the chaotic situation with many new parties after the

1973 Danish parliamentary election General elections were held in Denmark on 4 December 1973 and in the Faroe Islands on 13 December.Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) ''Elections in Europe: A data handbook'', p524 It has since been referred to as the ''Landslide Election'' ( ...

his single party minority government commanded only 22 out 179 seats in parliament. In social policy, Hartling's time as Prime Minister witnessed the passage of the Social Assistance Act of 1974, which instructed municipal authorities to provide day-care and recreation centres for children and young people. Hartling then left Danish politics to work for the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...

. He was the

(UNHCR) from 1978 until 1985. In 1981 Hartling accepted the

Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Swedish industrialist, inventor and armaments (military weapons and equipment) manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Chemistry, Physics, Physiolog ...

on behalf of the UNHCR.

References

* https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=mVHA9YVC6GQC&pg=PA179&dq=Denmark+Social+Assistance+Act+1974&hl=en&sa=X&ei=pf5gVdKBMoPX7AapyoOYBA&ved=0CEwQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=Denmark%20Social%20Assistance%20Act%201974&f=false

External links

Hartling's gravestone
1914 births 2000 deaths Prime Ministers of Denmark Danish Lutherans Foreign ministers of Denmark Members of the Folketing United Nations High Commissioners for Refugees Politicians from Copenhagen 20th-century Danish politicians Grand Crosses 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Grand Crosses of the Order of the Dannebrog Danish officials of the United Nations 20th-century Lutherans Leaders of Venstre (Denmark) {{Denmark-politician-stub