Young Conservatives (Denmark)
Encyclopedia
Young Conservatives is the youth wing of the Conservative People's Party
of Denmark
, and the oldest political youth organization in the world. KU is considered an institution in Danish youth politics and often seen as a rebellious and ideological watchdog of the mother-party. Internationally KU is very well-represented and active in various elections throughout the year.
Following its formation KU grew quickly as an organisation and many local branches throughout Denmark sprung up. Later prominent party members were chairmen of KU in this period, most notably John Christmas Møller
, a historic figure in Danish politics, exiled in England during the Second World War, and celebrated as one of the reasons why Denmark was counted among the allied forces after WWII, despite of its collaboration with Germany. KU is most famous for three periods history - the massive growth during the 1930s, the resistance fight during WWII, and the ideological awakening of the 1980s.
Like other youth organisations of the era, KU also took a critical stance towards democracy in the early 30's, and the ability of democracy to handle the economical and societal crisis that the West was facing. Parts of KU wanted to replace parliamentarism with a corporative system, and found symbolic inspiration in fascist Italy and Germany. This reflected itself in the green uniforms and leather straps members of KU wore and the formation of 'Stormtropperne', a security patrol designed to protect open air speakers from violent assaults by socialists. The German Sturmabteilung
was the inspiration. This more unfortunate period of KU history is something the organization still struggles with.
The uniformation, and the formation of a security patrol was also used by the young social democrats and the young communists, but has since been ascribed solely to KU. The uniformation only lasted for 3 days before it was banned by the Danish parliament following a violent incident in which a young social democrat from 'DSU' killed a young communist in a bar brawl. It has also been insinuated by layman history, most notably in the popular Danish TV-series 'Matador', that KU was directly inspired by Nazism and anti-semitism, which however, was never the case, and has since been rebutted by history.
Following the growth of fascism in Europe, Jack Westergaard and his supporters in KU simultaneously lost momentum in the organisation, and were excluded, as the tides - with later party leader Aksel Møller as new chairman - began to change.
, which immediately became the beginning of the infamous and much debated collaboration between Nazi Germany and the Danish Government. Whilst most of the Danish population did not approve of the collaboration, many saw little reason to fight, or did not begin doing so until after the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact
was breached in 1941, whereafter communists joined the fight.
KU's young conservatives were therefore among the first to pick up any real resistance, viewing the collaboration policy led by the government as national treason committed by the Social Democrats and the Danish Social-Liberal Party, the two parties in government which had disarmed Denmark in the preceding years from being the heaviest armed country in Europe to one of the least militarized in the late 30's.
A young conservative, Arne Sejr, wrote 'Danskerens regler' (The Rules of the Dane) on the very day of the invasion, and instigated civil disobedience and sabotage of Nazi rule. As the war went on, thousands of members of KU began committing illegal sabotage, writing illegal papers and employing guerilla tactics. Typically the recruitment of freedom fighters took place in 'terrænsportsforeninger' (terrain sport clubs) which were legal gymnastics clubs that arranged orienteering, but also functioned as a cover for recruitment and training camps, employing military-like training exercises.
To this day KUs legendary 'Konsulent Kursus' (KK) (Consultant Course) exists, which albeit in a moderated form works in a similar way, and each year attracts young conservatives who go through a selection procedure.
Due to the chaotic period, it is unfortunately impossible to state the exact number of casualties, but more than 50 KU members are believed to have given their life in a fight for a free Denmark - more than any other youth organisation during the resistance. Bjarne Reuter
, a popular and much appraised Danish author, has written the bestseller 'Drengene fra Skt. Petri', a story of a group of young boys who form a resistance group and repeatedly sabotage and destroy Nazi installations until they are finally caught and sent to a concentration camp. 'Drengene fra Skt. Petri' is in fact the dramatization of the true story of 'Aalborg
KU', and their resistance fight.
and former prime-minister Poul Schlüter
were chairmen during this period.
In the 60s KU considered changing its name to 'Centrum', and the local branch Odense
KU even proposed a resolution introducing economic democracy
, termed 'ØD' in Denmark at the given period of time. This is to be seen as a result of the spring of 1968, and the drastic drop in membership as the agenda was now mostly set by the left and the hippie- and peace-movement. Any major changes in politics however, never happened, and the name as well as the logo stuck with KU.
, Ronald Reagan
, and the conservative wave sweeping over the Western hemisphere, KU experienced a renaissance in membership. Once again as in the 30s, KU set the agenda in many areas of the public debate, and members of KU went on to become today's leading voices in the political debate on libertarian and economically conservative issues.
Since then KU has gone down in membeship, but is now once again experiencing an increase in membership and recently gained 800 members in 3 weeks through its kapitalist.dk campaign. The national congress in 2006 drew more than 250 delegates, something which has not been seen in KU for many years.
, KU proposed a resolution committing the party to a flat tax system, instead of the current progressive Danish tax system. The resolution which was narrowly defeated, caught enormous attention in the media, and the following day, Berlingske Tidende
, one of the largest papers in the country, praised KU for its audacity and talent, and proclaimed that KU was the political future of tomorrow.
The current executive board consists of
Lasse Honoré Rasmussen (National Chairman), Sille Beck Hansen (National Deputy Chairman) and the board, Kristoffer Beck, Jens Salling, Christoffer Brandt, Anders Mygind Christensen and Trine Imer Kappel.
The largest local branches in KU is Århus KU, with Odense KU and KU Copenhagen as 2nd and 3rd.
The Danish freedom institution Libertas
was also founded by members of KU.
Many of the founders of CEPOS
were current or former members of KU.
In 2004 former Prime Minister Poul Schlüter
was awarded the honorary membership of KU for excellence in political leadership and for the distribution of conservatism in Danish politics.
Conservative People's Party (Denmark)
The Conservative People's Party , also known as Conservatives is a Danish political party.-History:The party was founded 1915 based mostly on its predecessor, Højre , but also on the Free Conservatives and a moderate faction of Venstre , the liberals.The party has participated in several coalition...
of 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...
, and the oldest political youth organization in the world. KU is considered an institution in Danish youth politics and often seen as a rebellious and ideological watchdog of the mother-party. Internationally KU is very well-represented and active in various elections throughout the year.
History
Founded by Carl F. Herman von Rosen on December 8, 1904, more than a decade before its mother party, KU is the oldest youth political organisation in Denmark, and the oldest remaining youth political organisation in the world.Following its formation KU grew quickly as an organisation and many local branches throughout Denmark sprung up. Later prominent party members were chairmen of KU in this period, most notably John Christmas Møller
John Christmas Møller
Guido Leo John Christmas Møller, usually known as Christmas Møller was a Danish politician representing the Conservative People's Party.-Life:...
, a historic figure in Danish politics, exiled in England during the Second World War, and celebrated as one of the reasons why Denmark was counted among the allied forces after WWII, despite of its collaboration with Germany. KU is most famous for three periods history - the massive growth during the 1930s, the resistance fight during WWII, and the ideological awakening of the 1980s.
The 30's
In the early 1930s KU experienced a major increase in membership and peaked at more than 30,000 members under the leadership of chairman Jack G. Westergaard. KU became somewhat of an institution by being the first non-leftist organization to use 'modern campaign methods', such as posters, pamphlets, marches, demonstrations and gatherings. Hosting open air meetings with thousands of participants, demonstrating in the parks of Copenhagen, and flying over Copenhagen in propeller airplanes with conservative air leaflets became the trademark of the organization. One such incidence, when Copenhagen was plastered with thousands of campaign posters in a single night - is this day commemorated in the official KU song.Like other youth organisations of the era, KU also took a critical stance towards democracy in the early 30's, and the ability of democracy to handle the economical and societal crisis that the West was facing. Parts of KU wanted to replace parliamentarism with a corporative system, and found symbolic inspiration in fascist Italy and Germany. This reflected itself in the green uniforms and leather straps members of KU wore and the formation of 'Stormtropperne', a security patrol designed to protect open air speakers from violent assaults by socialists. The German Sturmabteilung
Sturmabteilung
The Sturmabteilung functioned as a paramilitary organization of the National Socialist German Workers' Party . It played a key role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s...
was the inspiration. This more unfortunate period of KU history is something the organization still struggles with.
The uniformation, and the formation of a security patrol was also used by the young social democrats and the young communists, but has since been ascribed solely to KU. The uniformation only lasted for 3 days before it was banned by the Danish parliament following a violent incident in which a young social democrat from 'DSU' killed a young communist in a bar brawl. It has also been insinuated by layman history, most notably in the popular Danish TV-series 'Matador', that KU was directly inspired by Nazism and anti-semitism, which however, was never the case, and has since been rebutted by history.
Following the growth of fascism in Europe, Jack Westergaard and his supporters in KU simultaneously lost momentum in the organisation, and were excluded, as the tides - with later party leader Aksel Møller as new chairman - began to change.
KU during WWII
On April 9, 1940 German troops rolled over the Danish border as part of Operation WeserübungOperation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
, which immediately became the beginning of the infamous and much debated collaboration between Nazi Germany and the Danish Government. Whilst most of the Danish population did not approve of the collaboration, many saw little reason to fight, or did not begin doing so until after the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, named after the Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov and the German foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, was an agreement officially titled the Treaty of Non-Aggression between Germany and the Soviet Union and signed in Moscow in the late hours of 23 August 1939...
was breached in 1941, whereafter communists joined the fight.
KU's young conservatives were therefore among the first to pick up any real resistance, viewing the collaboration policy led by the government as national treason committed by the Social Democrats and the Danish Social-Liberal Party, the two parties in government which had disarmed Denmark in the preceding years from being the heaviest armed country in Europe to one of the least militarized in the late 30's.
A young conservative, Arne Sejr, wrote 'Danskerens regler' (The Rules of the Dane) on the very day of the invasion, and instigated civil disobedience and sabotage of Nazi rule. As the war went on, thousands of members of KU began committing illegal sabotage, writing illegal papers and employing guerilla tactics. Typically the recruitment of freedom fighters took place in 'terrænsportsforeninger' (terrain sport clubs) which were legal gymnastics clubs that arranged orienteering, but also functioned as a cover for recruitment and training camps, employing military-like training exercises.
To this day KUs legendary 'Konsulent Kursus' (KK) (Consultant Course) exists, which albeit in a moderated form works in a similar way, and each year attracts young conservatives who go through a selection procedure.
Due to the chaotic period, it is unfortunately impossible to state the exact number of casualties, but more than 50 KU members are believed to have given their life in a fight for a free Denmark - more than any other youth organisation during the resistance. Bjarne Reuter
Bjarne Reuter
Bjarne Reuter is a Danish writer and screenwriter, best known for his books for children and teenagers.Many of his works are set in the fifties and sixties, the time period of his childhood and adolescence. Many also deal with the Copenhagen area, where he was born...
, a popular and much appraised Danish author, has written the bestseller 'Drengene fra Skt. Petri', a story of a group of young boys who form a resistance group and repeatedly sabotage and destroy Nazi installations until they are finally caught and sent to a concentration camp. 'Drengene fra Skt. Petri' is in fact the dramatization of the true story of 'Aalborg
Aalborg
-Transport:On the north side of the Limfjord is Nørresundby, which is connected to Aalborg by a road bridge Limfjordsbroen, an iron railway bridge Jernbanebroen over Limfjorden, as well as a motorway tunnel running under the Limfjord Limfjordstunnelen....
KU', and their resistance fight.
KU after the war
Shortly after the war ended on May 5, 1945 KU experienced a large increase in members again. Two legendary characters in Danish politics, former minister of justice Erik Ninn-HansenErik Ninn-Hansen
Erik Ninn-Hansen is a Danish politician. He served in the Cabinet of Hilmar Baunsgaard, first as Defence Minister, and later as Finance Minister...
and former prime-minister Poul Schlüter
Poul Schlüter
Poul Holmskov Schlüter is a Danish politician, who served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 1982 to 1993.Born in Tønder, south Jutland, he graduated from the University of Copenhagen in 1957 with a degree in law, and joined the bar in 1960. Schlüter was a member of the Danish Parliament for the...
were chairmen during this period.
In the 60s KU considered changing its name to 'Centrum', and the local branch Odense
Odense
The city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen...
KU even proposed a resolution introducing economic democracy
Economic democracy
Economic democracy is a socioeconomic philosophy that suggests a shift in decision-making power from a small minority of corporate shareholders to a larger majority of public stakeholders...
, termed 'ØD' in Denmark at the given period of time. This is to be seen as a result of the spring of 1968, and the drastic drop in membership as the agenda was now mostly set by the left and the hippie- and peace-movement. Any major changes in politics however, never happened, and the name as well as the logo stuck with KU.
KUs renaissance in the 80's
In the 1980s, as Poul Schlüter became party leader and later prime-minister, and inspired by Margaret ThatcherMargaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
, Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, and the conservative wave sweeping over the Western hemisphere, KU experienced a renaissance in membership. Once again as in the 30s, KU set the agenda in many areas of the public debate, and members of KU went on to become today's leading voices in the political debate on libertarian and economically conservative issues.
Since then KU has gone down in membeship, but is now once again experiencing an increase in membership and recently gained 800 members in 3 weeks through its kapitalist.dk campaign. The national congress in 2006 drew more than 250 delegates, something which has not been seen in KU for many years.
KU Today
At the mother party convention in 2005, after heavy research including an interview with former Estonian prime minister Mart LaarMart Laar
Mart Laar is an Estonian statesman, historian and a founding member of the Foundation for the Investigation of Communist Crimes. He was the Prime Minister of Estonia from 1992 to 1994 and from 1999 to 2002, and is the leader of the conservative party Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica...
, KU proposed a resolution committing the party to a flat tax system, instead of the current progressive Danish tax system. The resolution which was narrowly defeated, caught enormous attention in the media, and the following day, Berlingske Tidende
Berlingske Tidende
Berlingske, previously known as Berlingske Tidende , is a Danish national daily newspaper based in Copenhagen...
, one of the largest papers in the country, praised KU for its audacity and talent, and proclaimed that KU was the political future of tomorrow.
The current executive board consists of
Lasse Honoré Rasmussen (National Chairman), Sille Beck Hansen (National Deputy Chairman) and the board, Kristoffer Beck, Jens Salling, Christoffer Brandt, Anders Mygind Christensen and Trine Imer Kappel.
The largest local branches in KU is Århus KU, with Odense KU and KU Copenhagen as 2nd and 3rd.
Honorary and prominent members
KU has many former members that have since gone into particularly politics, academia and business, and founded successful international companies or become professors or ministers of government.The Danish freedom institution Libertas
Libertas
Libertas was the Roman goddess and embodiment of liberty.- Temples and derived inspirations :In 238 BC, before the Second Punic War, having long been a Roman deity along with other personified virtues, Libertas assumed goddess status...
was also founded by members of KU.
Many of the founders of CEPOS
CEPOS
The Danish Centre for Political Studies, also known as CEPOS, is an independent research institution recognized under the Danish state, which works as a classical liberal/free-market conservative think-tank in Denmark.-History:...
were current or former members of KU.
In 2004 former Prime Minister Poul Schlüter
Poul Schlüter
Poul Holmskov Schlüter is a Danish politician, who served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 1982 to 1993.Born in Tønder, south Jutland, he graduated from the University of Copenhagen in 1957 with a degree in law, and joined the bar in 1960. Schlüter was a member of the Danish Parliament for the...
was awarded the honorary membership of KU for excellence in political leadership and for the distribution of conservatism in Danish politics.
Sources and bibliography
- Much of the text in this article is based on material from the organization's official website.
- Christensen, Lars. Ungdomsoprør: Konservativ Ungdom gennem 90 år. Frederiksberg: 1994.