Carl Theodor Zahle
Encyclopedia
Carl Theodor Zahle Danish lawyer and politician; prime minister of Denmark
1909-1910, 1913-1920. In 1895 he was elected member of the lower chamber of the Danish parliament, Folketinget, for Venstrereformpartiet. A campaigner for peace, in 1905 he co-founded Det Radikale Venstre
together with other (mostly pacifistic
) disgruntled members of Venstrereformpartiet. He continued on as a member of Folketinget for Det Radikale Venstre until 1928, when he became a member of the upper chamber of parliament Landsting
. In 1929 he became Justice Minister
, a post which he held until 1935. From 1936 until 1945 he was a board member
of nationwide daily Politiken
.
as the son of cobbler Christian Lauritz Gottlieb Zahle and his wife Karen Emilie. He was interested in politics already in high school and saw himself as a convinced democrat in opposition to the Estrup
government. He took a degree in law in 1890 and worked for some time at newspapers for instance the newspaper Politiken
. In 1894 he passed the bar exam to the high courts.
in the Ringsted
election district. He won the seat and kept it in subsequent elections until 1928 where he was elected to the upper house
of parliament. He kept his seat there until 1939. He was a co-founder of the Left Reform Party in 1895 and became a member of the parliamentary finance committee in 1901.
After disagreements with party leader J. C. Christensen
on the defence budget Zahle broke with his party and co-founded the Social Liberal Party
in 1905 and became the first chairman of the new party. In 1919 he was able to form a minority government but had to resign as prime minister the year later following an electoral defeat for his party. In 1911 he became mayor of Stege
.
In 1913 the Social Liberal Party
and the Social Democrats
got a majority in the lower house and Zahle was able to form a government backed by the Social Democrats. This government was in office until 1920.
Zahle was prime minister during World War I and the main objective for his administration during the war was to keep Denmark neutral. Zahle succeeded in this thanks to foreign minister Erik Scavenius
. Although Denmark was neutral the war meant a scarcity of goods and materials and regulation of the economy became necessary. Interior minister Ove Rode
was in charge of these policies.
After the war the opposition had accumulated great anger towards the Zahle government. The government was accused of having been too friendly towards Germany during the war and the economic regulations limited the profits of business life. On top of that came the question about northern Schleswig
and in particular Flensburg
. A referendum was held on the return of parts of Schleswig to Denmark from Germany and it was demanded that Germany should cede the city of Flensburg with no regards to the result of the referendum. Zahle refused to call for an election on this question and was deposed by king Christian X in 1920. This resulted in the Easter Crisis of 1920
where social liberals
, social democrats
and socialists saw the king's dismissal of Zahle as unconstitutional.
Zahle never became prime minister again but he became minister of justice under Thorvald Stauning
from 1929 to 1935. He had had this portfolio in his own governments and had worked for legal reforms. From 1936 to 1939 he was speaker of the upper house
.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
1909-1910, 1913-1920. In 1895 he was elected member of the lower chamber of the Danish parliament, Folketinget, for Venstrereformpartiet. A campaigner for peace, in 1905 he co-founded Det Radikale Venstre
Det Radikale Venstre
The Danish Social Liberal Party is a social liberal political party in Denmark. The party is a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party.-Origin:...
together with other (mostly pacifistic
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
) disgruntled members of Venstrereformpartiet. He continued on as a member of Folketinget for Det Radikale Venstre until 1928, when he became a member of the upper chamber of parliament Landsting
Landsting (Denmark)
The Landsting was a house of the Rigsdag in Denmark from 1849 until 1953, when the bicameral system was abolished. The house had powers equal to the Folketing, which made the two houses of parliament hard to distinguish....
. In 1929 he became Justice Minister
Justice Minister of Denmark
The Danish Minister for Justice is the head of the Ministry of Justice and a cabinet member.Under the current government, the post is held by Morten Bødskov.As the head of the department, the minister is responsible for:* The General judicial system including...
, a post which he held until 1935. From 1936 until 1945 he was a board member
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of nationwide daily Politiken
Politiken
Politiken is a Danish daily broadsheet newspaper, published by JP/Politikens Hus.The newspaper comes third among Danish newspapers in terms of both number of readers and circulated copies ....
.
Early life
C. Th. Zahle was born in RoskildeRoskilde
Roskilde is the main city in Roskilde Municipality, Denmark on the island of Zealand. It is an ancient city, dating from the Viking Age and is a member of the Most Ancient European Towns Network....
as the son of cobbler Christian Lauritz Gottlieb Zahle and his wife Karen Emilie. He was interested in politics already in high school and saw himself as a convinced democrat in opposition to the Estrup
Jacob Brønnum Scavenius Estrup
Jacob Brønnum Scavenius Estrup, , was a Danish politician, member of the Højre party. He was Interior Minister from 1865 to 1869 in the Cabinet of Frijs and Council President as well as Finance Minister from 1875 to 1894 as the leader of the Cabinet of Estrup.-Biography:Estrup was son of the...
government. He took a degree in law in 1890 and worked for some time at newspapers for instance the newspaper Politiken
Politiken
Politiken is a Danish daily broadsheet newspaper, published by JP/Politikens Hus.The newspaper comes third among Danish newspapers in terms of both number of readers and circulated copies ....
. In 1894 he passed the bar exam to the high courts.
Political career
In 1895 he was elected to the lower house of the Danish RigsdagRigsdag
Rigsdagen was the name of the Parliament of Denmark from 1849 to 1953.Rigsdagen was Denmark's first parliament, and it was incorporated in the Constitution of 1849. It was a bicameral legislature, consisting of two houses, the Folketing and the Landsting. The distinction between the two houses was...
in the Ringsted
Ringsted
Ringsted, a city in Ringsted municipality, is in the middle of the Danish island of Zealand. The municipal population is about 31,000 and the city population is 21,151 .Ringsted is approximately 60 km from Copenhagen.-Modern hotspot:...
election district. He won the seat and kept it in subsequent elections until 1928 where he was elected to the upper house
Landsting
Landsting can mean*Thing - the supreme assembly of a land in Scandinavia, during Viking and mediaeval times*The Parliament of Greenland.*Landstinget - one of the two houses of the Danish parliament between 1849 and 1953...
of parliament. He kept his seat there until 1939. He was a co-founder of the Left Reform Party in 1895 and became a member of the parliamentary finance committee in 1901.
After disagreements with party leader J. C. Christensen
J. C. Christensen
Jens Christian Christensen , most often called J. C. Christensen with the 'J' pronounced as an 'I', was a Danish politician normally considered the most important Danish political figure between circa 1900 and 1920.Born into a West Jutland peasant family and starting as a herd boy he was educated a...
on the defence budget Zahle broke with his party and co-founded the Social Liberal Party
Det Radikale Venstre
The Danish Social Liberal Party is a social liberal political party in Denmark. The party is a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party.-Origin:...
in 1905 and became the first chairman of the new party. In 1919 he was able to form a minority government but had to resign as prime minister the year later following an electoral defeat for his party. In 1911 he became mayor of Stege
Stege
Strege may refer to:*Stege, Denmark*Richard Stege*Stege Creek an alternate name for Baxter Creek, used especially in the Booker T. Washington Park and Stege Marsh areas.*Stege Marsh a wetlands area in Richmond, California...
.
In 1913 the Social Liberal Party
Det Radikale Venstre
The Danish Social Liberal Party is a social liberal political party in Denmark. The party is a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party.-Origin:...
and the Social Democrats
Social Democrats (Denmark)
The Social Democrats , is a Danish political party committed to the political ideology of social democracy. It is the major coalition partner in Denmark's government since the 2011 parliamentary election, and party leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt is the current Prime Minister of Denmark...
got a majority in the lower house and Zahle was able to form a government backed by the Social Democrats. This government was in office until 1920.
Zahle was prime minister during World War I and the main objective for his administration during the war was to keep Denmark neutral. Zahle succeeded in this thanks to foreign minister Erik Scavenius
Erik Scavenius
Erik Julius Christian Scavenius was the Danish foreign minister 1909–1910, 1913–1920 and 1940–1943, and prime minister from 1942 to 1943. His cabinet resigned in 1943 and suspended operations...
. Although Denmark was neutral the war meant a scarcity of goods and materials and regulation of the economy became necessary. Interior minister Ove Rode
Ove Rode
Ove Rode was a Danish politician, newspaper editor and Minister of Interior Affairs for Det Radikale Venstre....
was in charge of these policies.
After the war the opposition had accumulated great anger towards the Zahle government. The government was accused of having been too friendly towards Germany during the war and the economic regulations limited the profits of business life. On top of that came the question about northern Schleswig
Schleswig
Schleswig or South Jutland is a region covering the area about 60 km north and 70 km south of the border between Germany and Denmark; the territory has been divided between the two countries since 1920, with Northern Schleswig in Denmark and Southern Schleswig in Germany...
and in particular Flensburg
Flensburg
Flensburg is an independent town in the north of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg is the centre of the region of Southern Schleswig...
. A referendum was held on the return of parts of Schleswig to Denmark from Germany and it was demanded that Germany should cede the city of Flensburg with no regards to the result of the referendum. Zahle refused to call for an election on this question and was deposed by king Christian X in 1920. This resulted in the Easter Crisis of 1920
Easter Crisis of 1920
The Easter Crisis of 1920 was a constitutional crisis and a significant event in the development of constitutional monarchy in Denmark. It began with the dismissal of the elected government by the reigning monarch, King Christian X, a reserve power which was granted to him by the Danish constitution...
where social liberals
Det Radikale Venstre
The Danish Social Liberal Party is a social liberal political party in Denmark. The party is a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party.-Origin:...
, social democrats
Social Democrats (Denmark)
The Social Democrats , is a Danish political party committed to the political ideology of social democracy. It is the major coalition partner in Denmark's government since the 2011 parliamentary election, and party leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt is the current Prime Minister of Denmark...
and socialists saw the king's dismissal of Zahle as unconstitutional.
Zahle never became prime minister again but he became minister of justice under Thorvald Stauning
Thorvald Stauning
Thorvald August Marinus Stauning was the first social democratic Prime Minister of Denmark. He served as Prime Minister from 1924 to 1926 and again from 1929 until his death in 1942....
from 1929 to 1935. He had had this portfolio in his own governments and had worked for legal reforms. From 1936 to 1939 he was speaker of the upper house
Landsting
Landsting can mean*Thing - the supreme assembly of a land in Scandinavia, during Viking and mediaeval times*The Parliament of Greenland.*Landstinget - one of the two houses of the Danish parliament between 1849 and 1953...
.