List of Danish foreign ministers

This is a list of Foreign Minister of Denmark since the establishment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1848.

List of Danish Foreign Ministers (1848-present)

# Portrait Foreign Minister
(Born-Died)		 Term Political Party Cabinet(s)
Took office Left office Time in office
1
Frederik Markus Knuth
(1813–1856)		March 22, 1848November 16, 1848239 days IndependentMoltke I
2
Adam Wilhelm Moltke
(1785–1864)		November 16, 1848August 6, 18501 years, 263 days IndependentMoltke II
3
Holger Reedtz
(1800–1857)		August 6, 1850October 18, 18511 years, 73 days IndependentMoltke II
Moltke III
4
Christian Albrecht Bluhme
(1794–1866)		October 18, 1851December 12, 18543 years, 55 days IndependentMoltke IV
Bluhme I
Ørsted
5
Wulff Scheel-Plessen
(1809–1876)		December 12, 1854January 15, 185534 days IndependentBang
6
Ludvig Nicolaus Scheele
(1796–1874)		January 15, 1855April 17, 18572 years, 92 days IndependentBang
Andræ
7
Ove Wilhelm Michelsen
(1800–1880)		April 17, 1857July 10, 18581 years, 84 days IndependentAndræ
Hall I
8
Carl Christian Hall
(1812–1888)		July 10, 1858December 2, 18591 years, 145 days National LiberalHall I
9
Carl Frederik Blixen-Finecke
(1822–1873)		December 2, 1859February 24, 186084 days IndependentRotwitt
(8)
Carl Christian Hall
(1812–1888)		February 24, 1860December 31, 18633 years, 310 days National LiberalHall II
10
Ditlev Gothard Monrad
(1811–1887)		December 31, 1863January 8, 18648 days National LiberalMonrad
11
George Quaade
(1813–1889)		January 8, 1864July 11, 1864185 days IndependentMonrad
(4)
Christian Albrecht Bluhme
(1794–1866)		July 11, 1864November 6, 18651 years, 118 days IndependentBluhme II
12
Christian Emil Krag-Juel-Vind-Frijs
(1817–1896)		November 6, 1865May 28, 18704 years, 203 days Nationale GodsejereFrijs
13
Otto Rosenørn-Lehn
(1821–1892)		May 28, 1870June 11, 18755 years, 14 days Nationale GodsejereHolstein-Holsteinborg
Fonnesbech
14
Frederik Moltke
(1825–1875)		June 11, 1875October 1, 1875 †112 days Nationale GodsejereEstrup
(13)
Otto Rosenørn-Lehn
(1821–1892)		November 10, 1875May 21, 1892 †16 years, 193 days Nationale GodsejereEstrup
15
Tage Reedtz-Thott
(1839–1923)		June 3, 1892May 23, 18974 years, 354 days HøjreEstrup
Reedtz-Thott
16
Niels F. Ravn
(1826–1910)		May 23, 1897April 27, 19002 years, 339 days HøjreHørring
17
Hannibal Sehested
(1842–1924)		April 27, 1900July 24, 19011 years, 88 days HøjreSehested
18
Johan Henrik Deuntzer
(1845–1918)		July 24, 1901January 14, 19053 years, 174 days VenstreDeuntzer
19
Frederik Raben-Levetzau
(1850–1933)		January 14, 1905October 12, 19083 years, 272 days VenstreJ.C. Christensen
20
William Ahlefeldt-Laurvig
(1860–1923)		October 12, 1908October 28, 19091 years, 16 days VenstreNeergaard I
Holstein-Ledreborg
21
Erik Scavenius
(1877–1962)		October 28, 1909July 5, 1910250 days Social LiberalsZahle I
(20)
William Ahlefeldt-Laurvig
(1860–1923)		July 5, 1910June 21, 19132 years, 351 days VenstreKlaus Berntsen
22
Edvard Brandes
(1847–1931)		June 21, 1913June 24, 19133 days Social LiberalsZahle II
(21)
Erik Scavenius
(1877–1962)		June 24, 1913March 30, 19206 years, 280 days Social LiberalsZahle II
23
Henri Konow
(1862–1939)		March 30, 1920April 5, 19206 days IndependentOtto Liebe
24
Otto Scavenius
(1875–1945)		April 5, 1920May 5, 192030 days IndependentM.P. Friis
25
Harald Scavenius
(1873–1939)		May 5, 1920October 9, 19222 years, 157 days VenstreNeergaard II
26
Christian Cold
(1863–1934)		October 9, 1922April 23, 19241 years, 197 days VenstreNeergaard III
27
Carl Moltke
(1869–1935)		April 23, 1924December 14, 19262 years, 235 days IndependentThorvald Stauning I
28
Laust Jevsen Moltesen
(1865–1950)		December 14, 1926April 30, 19292 years, 137 days VenstreMadsen-Mygdal
29
Peter Rochegune Munch
(1870–1948)		April 30, 1929July 8, 194011 years, 69 days Social LiberalsThorvald Stauning II
(21)
Erik Scavenius
(1877–1962)		July 8, 1940August 29, 1943[1]3 years, 52 days IndependentThorvald Stauning III
Vilhelm Buhl I
Scavenius
No Danish government in between August 29, 1943 and May 5, 1945. Office is assumed by the permanent secretary.[1]
–
Vilhelm Buhl (Acting)
(1881–1954)		May 5, 1945May 7, 19452 days Social Democrats–
30
John Christmas Møller
(1894–1948)		May 7, 1945November 7, 1945184 days Conservative People'sVilhelm Buhl II
31
Gustav Rasmussen
(1895–1953)		November 7, 1945October 30, 19504 years, 357 days IndependentKnud Kristensen
Hans Hedtoft I
32
Ole Bjørn Kraft
(1893–1980)		October 30, 1950September 30, 19532 years, 335 days Conservative People'sErik Eriksen
33
Hans Christian Hansen
(1906–1960)		September 30, 1953October 8, 19585 years, 8 days Social DemocratsHans Hedtoft II
H.C. Hansen I
H.C. Hansen II
34
Jens Otto Krag
(1914–1978)		October 8, 1958September 3, 19623 years, 330 days Social DemocratsH.C. Hansen II
Viggo Kampmann I
Viggo Kampmann II
35
Per Hækkerup
(1915–1979)		September 3, 1962November 28, 19664 years, 86 days Social DemocratsJens Otto Krag I
Jens Otto Krag II
(34)
Jens Otto Krag
(1914–1978)		November 28, 1966October 1, 1967307 days Social DemocratsJens Otto Krag II
36
Hans Tabor
(1922–2003)		October 1, 1967February 2, 1968124 days Social DemocratsJens Otto Krag II
37
Poul Hartling
(1914–2000)		February 2, 1968October 11, 19713 years, 251 days VenstreHilmar Baunsgaard
38
Knud Børge Andersen
(1914–1984)		October 11, 1971December 19, 19732 years, 69 days Social DemocratsJens Otto Krag III
Anker Jørgensen I
39
Ove Guldberg
(1918–2008)		December 19, 1973February 13, 19751 years, 56 days VenstrePoul Hartling
(38)
Knud Børge Andersen
(1914–1984)		February 13, 1975July 1, 19783 years, 138 days Social DemocratsAnker Jørgensen II
40
Anker Jørgensen
(born 1922)		July 1, 1978August 30, 197860 days Social DemocratsAnker Jørgensen II
41
Henning Christophersen
(born 1939)		August 30, 1978October 26, 19791 years, 57 days VenstreAnker Jørgensen III
42
Kjeld Olesen
(born 1932)		October 26, 1979September 10, 19822 years, 319 days Social DemocratsAnker Jørgensen IV
Anker Jørgensen V
43
Uffe Ellemann-Jensen
(born 1941)		September 10, 1982January 25, 199310 years, 137 days VenstrePoul Schlüter I
Poul Schlüter II
Poul Schlüter III
Poul Schlüter IV
44
Niels Helveg Petersen
(born 1939)		January 25, 1993December 21, 20007 years, 331 days Social LiberalsP.N. Rasmussen I–II–III–IV
45
Mogens Lykketoft
(born 1946)		December 21, 2000November 27, 2001341 days Social DemocratsP.N. Rasmussen IV
46
Per Stig Møller
(born 1942)		November 27, 2001February 23, 20108 years, 88 days Conservative People'sA.F. Rasmussen I–II–III
V–K
L.L. Rasmussen
V–K
47
Lene Espersen
(born 1965)		February 23, 2010October 3, 20111 years, 222 days Conservative People'sL.L. Rasmussen
V–K
48
Villy Søvndal
(born 1952)		October 3, 2011December 12, 20132 years, 70 days Socialist People'sThorning-Schmidt I
S–R–SF
49
Holger K. Nielsen
(born 1950)		December 12, 2013January 30, 201449 days Socialist People'sThorning-Schmidt I
S–R–SF
50
Martin Lidegaard
(born 1966)		January 30, 2014Incumbent1 years, 90 days Social LiberalsThorning-Schmidt II
S–R

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 On 29 August 1943, the Danish government resigned, refusing to grant further concessions to Nazi Germany. All government operations were assumed by the permanent secretaries of the individual departments, and this arrangement lasted until the Liberation of Denmark on 5 May 1945. Since King Christian X never accepted the resignation of the government, it existed de jure until a new cabinet was formed on 5 May 1945.