Ole Sohn
Encyclopedia
Ole Christian Liep Sohn (born September 12, 1954) is a Danish
politician and author. He is currently a member of the Parliament of Denmark for the Socialist People's Party
and Minister of Economic and Business Affairs.
in Denmark
in 1954. In the years 1970-1976 he worked as a ship's cook and an earth and concrete worker. In the years of 1972-1973 he took a Higher Preparatory Examination (HF)
and later went to teacher's college.
Sohn started his political career young. When he took his HF he was spokesperson for the students during the years of 1972-1973. From the mid-1970s he served in several union offices, among those the central board of the Danish General Workers' Union.
. From 1981 to 1991 he was a member of the party's central committee. He also served as a member of the Horsens
city council from 1982 to 1984. From 1987 to 1989 he was a candidate for the parliamentary elections for the communists. From 1989 to 1991 he was a candidate on the ticket of the Red-Green Alliance
which the communists had joined.
He was elected chairman of the communist party in 1987. This was a time of great internal disagreement, disagreements that would later split the party. In 1987 the communists choose to elect two chairmen instead of one. Sohn was elected chairman together with the trade unionist Jan Andersen who was a communist hardliner who viewed Mikhail Gorbachev
's reforms with great skepticism. Sohn was elected to balance out Andersen as a young and dynamic candidate who could represent the Gorbachev faction of the party.
The election of two chairmen was meant to symbolize cooperation between the two factions of the party but Andersen died shortly after, leaving the young Sohn with the sole responsibility for settling the internal struggles in the party. Sohn had to deal with the great upheavals in the communist world in the late 1980s. However he was too young to cope with the old hard-liners in the party. They managed to win the power struggle and in 1990 they deposed him. This led to a party congress where the Sohn faction won and the party was split. However a year after he left the communist party and joined the Socialist People's Party
.
and has been in parliament since. He is his party's spokesperson on financial policy and is chairman of his party's parliamentary group.
He is one of the key figures of his party and was one of the main candidates in the 2007 election
.
, using material that has been released from Soviet archives after the breakup of the union.
In 2004 he founded the publishing firm Forlaget Sohn.
From the 1990s and onwards he has also been active in the Writers' Union.
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...
politician and author. He is currently a member of the Parliament of Denmark for 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 Minister of Economic and Business Affairs.
Early life
Ole Sohn was born in Thorsted near HorsensHorsens
Horsens is a Danish city in east Jutland. It is the site of the council of Horsens municipality. The city's population is 53,807 and the Horsens municipality's population is 82,835 ....
in 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...
in 1954. In the years 1970-1976 he worked as a ship's cook and an earth and concrete worker. In the years of 1972-1973 he took a Higher Preparatory Examination (HF)
Higher Preparatory Examination (HF)
The Higher Preparatory Examination is a 2-year general upper secondary programme building on to the 10th form of the Folkeskole and leading to the higher preparatory examination , which qualifies for admission to higher education, subject to the special entrance regulations applying to the...
and later went to teacher's college.
Sohn started his political career young. When he took his HF he was spokesperson for the students during the years of 1972-1973. From the mid-1970s he served in several union offices, among those the central board of the Danish General Workers' Union.
The Communist Party
Sohn was 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...
. From 1981 to 1991 he was a member of the party's central committee. He also served as a member of the Horsens
Horsens
Horsens is a Danish city in east Jutland. It is the site of the council of Horsens municipality. The city's population is 53,807 and the Horsens municipality's population is 82,835 ....
city council from 1982 to 1984. From 1987 to 1989 he was a candidate for the parliamentary elections for the communists. From 1989 to 1991 he was a candidate on the ticket of the Red-Green Alliance
Red-Green Alliance (Denmark)
The Red-Green Alliance is a socialist political party in Denmark.- History :The party was formed in 1989 as an electoral alliance by three left-wing parties, Left Socialists , Communist Party of Denmark and Socialist Workers Party...
which the communists had joined.
He was elected chairman of the communist party in 1987. This was a time of great internal disagreement, disagreements that would later split the party. In 1987 the communists choose to elect two chairmen instead of one. Sohn was elected chairman together with the trade unionist Jan Andersen who was a communist hardliner who viewed Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
's reforms with great skepticism. Sohn was elected to balance out Andersen as a young and dynamic candidate who could represent the Gorbachev faction of the party.
The election of two chairmen was meant to symbolize cooperation between the two factions of the party but Andersen died shortly after, leaving the young Sohn with the sole responsibility for settling the internal struggles in the party. Sohn had to deal with the great upheavals in the communist world in the late 1980s. However he was too young to cope with the old hard-liners in the party. They managed to win the power struggle and in 1990 they deposed him. This led to a party congress where the Sohn faction won and the party was split. However a year after he left the communist party and joined 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...
.
The Socialist People's Party
Sohn was first elected to parliament on the ticket of the Socialist People's Party in the 1998 electionDanish parliamentary election, 1998
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 11 March 1998. The Social Democratic Party-led government of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen remained in power in a very close vote that required several recounts. The right-wing parties led by Venstre had been expected to win. Venstre leader Uffe...
and has been in parliament since. He is his party's spokesperson on financial policy and is chairman of his party's parliamentary group.
He is one of the key figures of his party and was one of the main candidates in the 2007 election
Danish parliamentary election, 2007
The 66th Folketing election in Denmark was held on 13 November 2007. The election allowed prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen to continue for a third term in a coalition government consisting of the Liberals and the Conservative People's Party with parliamentary support from the Danish People's...
.
As author
Besides his political work Sohn is an author and publisher. He has written several books on the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, using material that has been released from Soviet archives after the breakup of the union.
In 2004 he founded the publishing firm Forlaget Sohn.
From the 1990s and onwards he has also been active in the Writers' Union.
Publications
- Fra Folketinget til celle 290 1992
- Et liv i kamp og kærlighed 1993
- Der var bud efter dem 1994
- Her kommer fra dybet den mørke armé 1995
- Den højeste straf 1996
- Frihedens port 1999
- Vanviddets logik 2000
- Rundt om filmen DEN HØJESTE STRAF 2001
- De drog mod øst 2002
Personal life
Ole Sohn is married to Inger Sohn. Together they have two children, Iben and Christian.External references
- Biography from Parliament of Denmark.
- Biography from the Socialist People's PartySocialist 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...
.