Hans Hækkerup

Hans Hækkerup
Hækkerup in 2000
Minister of Defence
In office
25 January 1993 – 21 December 2000
Prime MinisterPoul Nyrup Rasmussen
Preceded byKnud Enggaard
Succeeded byJan Trøjborg
Personal details
Born(1945-12-03)3 December 1945
Frederiksberg, Denmark
Died22 December 2013(2013-12-22) (aged 68)
Mexico
Spouse(s)Lisa Hækkerup (divorced)
Susanne Rumohr-Hækkerup (m.2011)
Children5
Parent(s)Per Hækkerup
Grethe Hækkerup
Alma materUniversity of Copenhagen

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 Defence from 1993 to 2000 under Poul Nyrup Rasmussen.

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 Minister of Defence in 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 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 five sons: three from his first marriage and two from his second.

In 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
    → 10 December 2001; Acting Chairman of the Assembly of Kosovo
  • 2007–2010; Research Director, China Studies, Royal Danish Defence College
  • 2008–2009; Chairman of the Danish Defence Commission of 2008

References

  1. ^ "UNMIK - Former SRSRG - Hans Haekkerup". Archived from the original on 2009-04-05. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
  2. ^ a b Rasmussen, Peter (15 April 2011). "Hans Hækkerup ramt af dødelig sygdom" [Hækkerup hit by deadly disease]. Jyllands Posten (in Danish). Archived from the original on 18 April 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  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