Jens Otto Krag
Jens Otto Krag (September 15 1914 June 22 1978) was a Danish politician.
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. During World War II, he was Danish supply director and advisor to the labor unions on economic matters. He was elected to Parliament in 1947 and became commerce minister. He supported the strengthening of the Danish military.
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 1952 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 referrendum for Denmark to join the European Economic Community. In 1972 the referrendum passed, but the nation was divided over the issue, and Krag resigned, claiming that he had becom tired of politics. His last role in public life was as the European Common Market representative to the United States from 1974 until 1975. He died in Skiveren, Denmark.
