Jørgen Jensen (1920–1987) was a Danish trade unionist and politician who headed the

Communist Party of Denmark The Communist Party of Denmark (, DKP) is a communist party in Denmark. The DKP was founded on 9 November 1919 as the Left-Socialist Party of Denmark (, VSP), through a merger of the Socialist Youth League and Socialist Labour Party of Denma ...

(CPD) for ten years between 1977 and 1987.

Early life and education

Jensen was born in Copenhagen on 18 January 1920. His father was a worker. Jensen was trained as a car mechanic.

Career

Jensen began to involve in the trade union movement in 1940 and joined the CPD in 1945. During his participation in the CPD the party was still illegal. Jensen was among the leading figures of the All-Danish Committee for Peace between 1952 and 1962. He was elected as a member of the CPD's central committee in 1955 and was a member of its executive committee. He also led the trade unions committee of the CPD. He became the chairman of a division within the metalworkers’ trade union in the

Lyngby Kongens Lyngby (, Danish language, Danish for "the King's Heather Town"; short form Lyngby) is the seat and commercial centre of Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality in the northern suburbs of Copenhagen, Denmark. Lyngby Hovedgade is a busy shopping stre ...

district of Copenhagen in 1962 and he was elected chairman of the automotive repair workers' trade union in 1969. Jensen was elected to the

Parliament In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

on 9 January 1975 for the CPD representing the Frederiksborg constituency. He became the CPD's parliamentary speaker in 1977. His tenure at the Parliament lasted until 23 October 1979. He was named as the chairman of the CPD by the central committee in December 1977. Jensen succeeded Knud Jespersen in the post and remained in office until 13 April 1987. Jensen's successor as the CPD leader was Ole Sohn.

Views and public image

Jensen was one of the CPD politicians who were loyal to the Soviet regime. However, he also criticized it in relation to the working conditions in factories. He was also close to the

Polish United Workers' Party The Polish United Workers' Party (, ), commonly abbreviated to PZPR, was the communist party which ruled the Polish People's Republic as a one-party state from 1948 to 1989. The PZPR had led two other legally permitted subordinate minor parti ...

during his career at the CPD. He criticized both the Socialist People's Party and the

Left Socialists The Left Socialists (, abbr. VS) were a Marxism, Marxist and Socialism, socialist political organisation in Denmark. From 1968 to 1998, it was a registered political party also known as the Left Socialist Party. It was formed from a split in th ...

in February 1982 arguing that they were supporting the Polish groups against the

Communist regime A communist state, also known as a Marxist–Leninist state, is a one-party state in which the totality of the power belongs to a party adhering to some form of Marxism–Leninism, a branch of the communist ideology. Marxism–Leninism was ...

in the country. Jensen was not regarded as a charismatic leader. The Danish tabloid newspaper '' Ekstra Bladet'' nominated him as the "buffoon of the year" in 1981.

Personal life and death

Jensen died on 13 April 1987 when he was serving as the chairman of CPD.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jensen, Jorgen 1920 births 1987 deaths Communist Party of Denmark politicians Members of the Folketing 1975–1977 Members of the Folketing 1977–1979 Politicians from Copenhagen Leaders of political parties in Denmark Danish trade union leaders