Ditlev Gothard Monrad

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Ditlev Gothard Monrad
Ditlev Gothard Monrad

In office
December 31, 1863 – July 11, 1864
Preceded by Carl Christian Hall
Succeeded by Christian Albrecht Bluhme

Born November 24, 1811(1811-11-24)
Died March 28, 1887 (aged 75)

Ditlev Gothard Monrad (November 24, 1811March 28, 1887) was a Danish politician and bishop of Lolland-Falster. He is one of the pioneers of the making of a constitutional Denmark after 1848. As Council President 1863-1864 he was the Danish state leader during the disastrous Second War of Schleswig against the German Confederation - led by Otto von Bismarck and the ensuing peace negotiations which resulted in the Peace of Vienna.
After this war a depressed and disillusioned Monrad emigrated to New Zealand. After sending his sons to Nelson and other districts of New Zealand to scout for land, he chose to settle in Palmerston North in the North Island of New Zealand. He bought 482 acres of land at Karere Block. He lived first in a small hut, later he erected a timber house and started clearing bushland. He and his family farmed cows and sheep. Monrad helped the New Zealand Company to find suitable settlers from Scandinavia and he helped many Danish immigrants to find land to settle on. Most notably in the area of Dannevirke.
His work was disturbed by Māori rioters, Hauhaus under chief Titokowaru. Monrad buried his belongings and went with the family to Wellington and then went back to Denmark in 1869. His sons Viggo and Johannes later returned to Karere to become farmers.

Before leaving New Zealand he presented a precious collection of sketches and etchings by old European masters, e.g. Rembrandt, Rubens, Dürer og van Dyck to the New Zealand Government. They are now part of the collection at the national museum of New Zealand - Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and are occasionally on display there.

Monrad Intermediate is a Palmerston North intermediate school named after Ditlev Gothard Monrad.

Political offices
Preceded by
New office
Kultus Minister of Denmark
22 March 184815 November 1848
Succeeded by
Johan Nicolai Madvig
Preceded by
Carl Christian Hall
Kultus Minister of Denmark
6 May 18592 December 1859
Succeeded by
Vilhem August Borgen
Preceded by
Vilhem August Borgen
Kultus Minister of Denmark
24 February 1860 - 31 December 1863
Succeeded by
Christian Thorning Engelstoft
Preceded by
Johan Christian von Jessen
Interior Minister of Denmark
24 February 186015 September 1861
Succeeded by
Peter Martin Orla Lehmann
Preceded by
Carl Christian Hall
Council President of Denmark
31 December 186311 July 1864
Succeeded by
Christian Albrecht Bluhme
Preceded by
Carl Emil Fenger
Finance Minister of Denmark
31 December 186311 July 1864
Succeeded by
Christian Nathan David
Preceded by
Carl Christian Hall
Foreign Minister of Denmark
31 December 18638 January 1864
Succeeded by
George Quaade
Preceded by
Carl Christian Hall
Minister for Holstein and Lauenburg
31 December 186311 July 1864
Succeeded by
Christian Albrecht Bluhme

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