Hans Hækkerup

Hans Hækkerup (3 December 1945 – 22 December 2013) was a Danish politician who has served as a member of parliament (Folketing) for the Social Democratic party and as the Minister of Defense in four cabinets of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen.

Hans Hækkerup
Born3 December 1945
Frederiksberg, Denmark
Died22 December 2013(2013-12-22) (aged 68)
Alma materUniversity of Copenhagen
Occupationpolitician
Spouse(s)Lisa Hækkerup
(divorced, 3 sons)
Susanne Rumohr-Hækkerup≤
(2011－, 1 son)
Children4
Parent(s)Per & Grethe Hækkerup

Early life

Hækkerup was born in Frederiksberg, Denmark. He was the son of former Minister of Economy Per Hækkerup and former Member of Parliament Grete Hækkerup. He graduated from the Frederiksborg Gymnasium (State School) in 1964 and received a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Copenhagen in 1973.

Career

After working in several government ministries, Hækkerup was elected to the Folketing in 1979. He held several committee memberships including the Committee on Danish Security Policy, the Committee on Greenlandic Affairs, the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Foreign Policy. He was Chairman of the Defense Committee from 1991 to 1993.[1]

As Secretary of Defense for the administration of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen from 1993 to 2000, Hækkerup is considered to have contributed actively to the escalation of Danish military efforts abroad – including Denmark's participation in NATO's military action in Yugoslavia in 1999. He served as Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Kosovo from January 2001 to December 2001.

After leaving office, Hækkerup worked as a research director at the Royal Danish Defence College's China Studies at the Institute for Strategy.

Personal life

Hækkerup was previously married to Lisa Hækkerup. In 2011, Hækkerup was living in Mexico, where his second wife, Susanne Rumohr Hækkerup, was the Danish ambassador.[2] He had four sons: three from his first marriage and one from his second.

On 15 April 2011 it was reported that Hækkerup was suffering from multiple system atrophy.[2] He died from the disease on 22 December 2013.[3][4]

Timeline
  • 1973–1976 Secretary, later Head of Social Affairs
  • 1976–1977 Vice Minister – Ministry of Education
  • 1977–1979 Head of Section, Ministry of Labour
  • 1977–1980 Course supervisors at the Danish School of Public Administration
  • 1981–1985 Consultant in Public Servant Organization
  • 1991–1993 Chairman of the Parliamentary Defense Committee
  • 1993–2000 Minister of Defense
  • 2001 Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Kosovo
  • 2007–2010 Research Director, China Studies, Royal Danish Defence College
  • 2008–2009 Chairman of the Danish Defence Commission of 2008

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-04-05. Retrieved 2009-04-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. Rasmussen, Peter (15 April 2011). "Hans Hækkerup ramt af dødelig sygdom" [Hækkerup hit by deadly disease]. Jyllands Posten (in Danish).
  3. Østergaard, Janus (30 December 2013). "Hans Hækkerup død efter mystisk hjernesygdom" [Hækkerup dies from mysterious brain disease]. Ekstra Bladet (in Danish).
  4. Former UN Kosovo envoy Hans Haekkerup dies
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