Gert Petersen
Encyclopedia
Gert Verner Petersen was a journalist
and politician who helped found and represent the Socialist People's Party
. He was born in Nykøbing Falster
, Denmark
, as the son of the factory worker Karen Rolandsen. He got a high school diploma from Nykøbing Katedralskole in 1945 and studied history at the University of Copenhagen
.
in 1944 and incarcerated in the Frøslev camp until the end of the German occupation of Denmark
in 1945.
He was among those members who wanted to change the party line to a democratic form of socialism. He took part in this debate through the publication "Dialog". When the party line was not changed he followed Aksel Larsen
out of the communist party and became a co-founder of the Socialist People's Party
on February 15th 1959.
I. As a person who made a great effort to formulate the political ideology of popular socialism
and demarcate the party from the Social Democrats
to the right and the Communist Party of Denmark
and differing left-wing groups on the left, especially concerning the relationship between socialism and democracy. He took an unconditional stance for a democratic path to socialism.
II. As chairman he represented negotiation instead of confrontation when a minority of the parliamentary group wanted to change the political line to conform more with that of the Social Democrats
.
III. As a long-standing proponent for the "worker's majority strategy" which was significant for the policy of the party during the 1980s
. A worker's majority is to be understood as a cooperation between the Social Democrats
, the Socialist People's Party
and the rest of the left wing which were meant to bring about reforms in the direction of socialism
.
His membership of the youth wing of the National Socialist Workers' Party of Denmark was first publicly known in 1977, where the controversial author Erik Haaest
revealed Petersen's Nazi past.
At first Petersen denied his membership among other places in the newspaper BT
on August 26, 1977 with the words: "It is pure nonsense and pure lies. I have never been a member of the Nazi party." Later Petersen had to admit that the allegations were true. For many years until the middle of the 1980s he claimed to have been a member of the Nazi party as a "spy". At last he had to admit that he as a boy had been attracted by the social views and Führer principle of the Nazis.
Gert Petersen's relaxed stance on fashion and style was the background for the formation of the "Association for the beautification of Gert Petersen" - an association which rarely achieved its goals. The association, as well as a parody of the Anthem of the Soviet Union called "The Anthem to Gert Petersen", can be seen as examples of the humorous elements of the environment in and around the party.
He was a member of the European Parliament
(1977-79) and a member of the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe
from 1994.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and politician who helped found and represent the Socialist People's Party
Socialist People's Party (Denmark)
The Socialist People's Party is a green and socialist political party in Denmark.-1959–69:The SF was founded on 15 February 1959 by Aksel Larsen, a former leader of the Communist Party of Denmark and CIA agent. Larsen was removed from the ranks of the DKP for his criticism over the Soviet...
. He was born in Nykøbing Falster
Nykøbing Falster
Nykøbing Falster is a southern Danish city, seat of the Guldborgsund kommune. It belongs to Region Sjælland. The city lies on Falster, connected by the 295-meter-long Frederick IX Bridge over the Guldborgsund waterway to the island of Lolland. The town has a population of 16,464...
, Denmark
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...
, as the son of the factory worker Karen Rolandsen. He got a high school diploma from Nykøbing Katedralskole in 1945 and studied history at the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
.
Political development
In 1940 At thirteen years old he was a member of the Nazi National Socialist Workers' Party of Denmark for ten months but changed his political views and was from 1943 an active member of the resistance and was captured by the GestapoGestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
in 1944 and incarcerated in the Frøslev camp until the end of the German occupation of Denmark
Communist Party of Denmark
He became a member of the Communist Party of DenmarkCommunist Party of Denmark
Communist Party of Denmark is a communist political party in Denmark which was founded as Venstresocialistiske Parti in 1919. VSP was a split from the Danish Social Democratic Party. The party assumed its present name in 1920...
in 1945.
He was among those members who wanted to change the party line to a democratic form of socialism. He took part in this debate through the publication "Dialog". When the party line was not changed he followed Aksel Larsen
Aksel Larsen
Aksel Larsen was a Danish politician who was chairman of the Communist Party of Denmark and chairman and founder of the Socialist People's Party. Larsen became leader of the Communist Party in 1932, and was elected to the Danish Parliament in 1932...
out of the communist party and became a co-founder of the Socialist People's Party
Socialist People's Party (Denmark)
The Socialist People's Party is a green and socialist political party in Denmark.-1959–69:The SF was founded on 15 February 1959 by Aksel Larsen, a former leader of the Communist Party of Denmark and CIA agent. Larsen was removed from the ranks of the DKP for his criticism over the Soviet...
on February 15th 1959.
Socialist People's Party
He was a member of the party leadership of the party since 1961 and in periods the party's executive committee and its secretariat. He was party chairman in the period 1974 to 91 where he showed great ability to combine a Marxist analysis with day-to-day politics. Thus his influence was not limited to the Socialist People's Party but reached wide parts of the Danish left wing.Significance for the Socialist People's Party
Petersen has influenced his party in three ways:I. As a person who made a great effort to formulate the political ideology of popular socialism
Popular Socialism
Popular Socialism is a distinct Scandinavian socialist current. Around the world there are many parties called Popular Socialist Party or likewise, which does not really imply any specific ideological direction...
and demarcate the party from 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...
to the right and the Communist Party of Denmark
Communist Party of Denmark
Communist Party of Denmark is a communist political party in Denmark which was founded as Venstresocialistiske Parti in 1919. VSP was a split from the Danish Social Democratic Party. The party assumed its present name in 1920...
and differing left-wing groups on the left, especially concerning the relationship between socialism and democracy. He took an unconditional stance for a democratic path to socialism.
II. As chairman he represented negotiation instead of confrontation when a minority of the parliamentary group wanted to change the political line to conform more with that of 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...
.
III. As a long-standing proponent for the "worker's majority strategy" which was significant for the policy of the party during the 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
. A worker's majority is to be understood as a cooperation between 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...
, the Socialist People's Party
Socialist People's Party (Denmark)
The Socialist People's Party is a green and socialist political party in Denmark.-1959–69:The SF was founded on 15 February 1959 by Aksel Larsen, a former leader of the Communist Party of Denmark and CIA agent. Larsen was removed from the ranks of the DKP for his criticism over the Soviet...
and the rest of the left wing which were meant to bring about reforms in the direction of socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
.
Other
After Gert Petersen left parliament he was an active debater on especially foreign policy and frequently occurred in the debate pages of the newspapers.His membership of the youth wing of the National Socialist Workers' Party of Denmark was first publicly known in 1977, where the controversial author Erik Haaest
Erik Haaest
Erik Haaest is a controversial Danish journalist.Haaest's father was an active member of the Danish resistance. After the war, his father refused to accept any awards from Denmark's post-war government, because many officials who had collaborated with the Germans, were still unpunished, in...
revealed Petersen's Nazi past.
At first Petersen denied his membership among other places in the newspaper BT
B.T. (tabloid)
B.T. is a Danish tabloid newspaper which offers general news about various subjects such as sports, politics and current affairs.A large, red neon sign displays the B.T. logo at the square Trianglen in Østerbro, a part of Copenhagen....
on August 26, 1977 with the words: "It is pure nonsense and pure lies. I have never been a member of the Nazi party." Later Petersen had to admit that the allegations were true. For many years until the middle of the 1980s he claimed to have been a member of the Nazi party as a "spy". At last he had to admit that he as a boy had been attracted by the social views and Führer principle of the Nazis.
Gert Petersen's relaxed stance on fashion and style was the background for the formation of the "Association for the beautification of Gert Petersen" - an association which rarely achieved its goals. The association, as well as a parody of the Anthem of the Soviet Union called "The Anthem to Gert Petersen", can be seen as examples of the humorous elements of the environment in and around the party.
The politician
Gert Petersen was a member of parliament for the Socialist People's Party in the following electoral districts:- Østre Storkreds (November 22, 1966 – January 22, 1968)
- Odense Amtskreds (January 23, 1968 – September 20, 1971)
- Fyns Amtskreds (September 21, 1971 – February 14, 1977)
- Østre Storkreds (February 15, 1977 – March 19, 1998)
He was a member of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
(1977-79) and a member of the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
from 1994.
The journalist
He has been- co-publisher of Dialog 1953-60
- employed at the party publication SF-bladet 1959-67, and editor of the publication from 1962-67
- editor of Her og Nu 1967-74
Publications
- Vejen til socialismen i Danmark (1960)
- Veje til socialismen i vor tid (1966)
- Om socialismens nødvendighed (1980)
- Om fredens nødvendighed (1981)
- Om nødvendigheden af dansk fredspolitik (1982)
- Verden er ung endnu (1984)
- En ny verdensorden? Ja tak, men en bedre! (1991)
- Indenfor systemet - og udenfor. Erindringer (1998)
- Med frygten som drivkraft. Tanker om den kolde krig(2001)
External references
- Gert Petersen (1927-2009) Linkbox at Modkraft.dk/Tidsskriftcentret, with obituaries, interviews, articles etc.
Sources
- Folketinget