Jens Otto Krag

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Jens Otto Krag
Prime Minister of Denmark
In office September 3, 1962 – February 2, 1968
Preceded by	Viggo Kampmann
Succeeded by	Hilmar Baunsgaard
In office October 11, 1971 – October 5, 1972
Preceded by	Hilmar Baunsgaard
Succeeded by	Anker Jørgensen
Born	September 15, 1914
Died	June 22, 1978
Political party	Social Democrats

Jens Otto Krag (IPA: [jɛns ʌtˢo ˈkʰʁɑːˀʊ̯ˀ]) (September 15, 1914 – June 22, 1978) was a Danish politician. He was Prime Minister 1962-1968 as leader of the Cabinet of Jens Otto Krag I and II, and again 1971-1972 as leader of the Cabinet of Jens Otto Krag III.

Krag was born in Randers, Denmark. He joined the Danish Social Democratic Party youth organization in 1930 and rose through the ranks of the party. In the 1930's he moved to Copenhagen and studied economics at the University of Copenhagen while remaining very active in the party.

During World War II, he was Danish supply director and advisor to the labor unions on economic matters. He was elected to Parliament (Folketinget) in 1947 and became Commerce Minister. He supported the strengthening of the Danish military and Danish membership of NATO in 1949.

In 1950 Krag resigned from Parliament and, in order to become more fluent in the English language and see more of the world, requested a position at the Danish embassy in the United States. He received the position, and was in America until 1953 when he was re-elected to parliament and became a minister without portfolio. He was minister of the new department of foreign economic affairs from 1953 until 1958 and Foreign Minister from 1958 until 1962.

In September 1962 he succeeded Viggo Kampmann as Prime Minister and leader of the Danish Social Democratic Party. He was Prime Minister until February 1968 when the Social Democrats lost power. He became Prime Minister again in 1971 when his party returned to power.

During his second term as Prime Minister, Krag campaigned particularly for European cooperation and unity. He sponsored a referendum for Denmark to join the European Economic Community. In 1972 the referendum passed, but the nation was divided over the issue, and Krag resigned, claiming that he had become tired of politics. His last role in public life was as the European Common Market representative to the United States from 1974 until 1975.

Krag is widely recognised as one of the greatest politicians of all time in Denmark. He was in the front-line of politics for 25 years, holding high ministerial offices for most of that time. He managed to raise Denmark's profile on the world stage, striking up strong relationships with fellow European leaders as well as American presidents Kennedy and Johnson. His list of political achievements is also one of the most impressive, overseeing one of the longest periods of economic expansion in Danish history. However, his largest achievement, and the one he himself was most proud of, was taking Denmark into the EEC in 1972. With that task accomplished he felt he could retire at a high point.

Krag was at one and the same time one of the most charismatic and withdrawn Danish politicians ever. He never enjoyed the attention he had to subject to, and many people found him rather arrogant. According to his most thorough (and quite sympathetic) biographer (Bo Lidegaard, Krag I-II, 2001/2002) he never truly settled into the role as a politician, always considering himself on the way 'to somewhere else'. Apparently the post he always dreamed of holding was that of governor of the central bank. Only when he had definitively quit politics in 1972 did he start realising that he would miss it. He didn't manage to fill that space during his remaining years.

His private life was very colourful, but ultimately rather sad. In addition to fathering a child outside wedlock, he was married twice. Both marriages ended in divorce, largely due to his own persistent infidelity. Already during his time in politics he struggled with alcoholism, an illness that became more pronounced after his retirement. He died of heart failure in Skiveren, Denmark at the age of 63.

In the Danish TV series Krøniken (2004-2006) he was portrayed by the actor Lars Mikkelsen.

Political offices
Preceded by Hans Christian Hansen	Foreign Minister of Denmark October 8, 1958 – September 3, 1962	Succeeded by Per Hækkerup
Preceded by Viggo Kampmann	Prime Minister of Denmark September 3, 1962 – February 2, 1968	Succeeded by Hilmar Baunsgaard
Preceded by Per Hækkerup	Foreign Minister of Denmark November 28, 1966 – October 1, 1967	Succeeded by Hans Tabor
Preceded by Hilmar Baunsgaard	Prime Minister of Denmark October 11, 1971 – October 5, 1972	Succeeded by Anker Jørgensen
Preceded by Viggo Kampmann	Leader of the Danish Social Democrats 1962 – 1972	Succeeded by Anker Jørgensen