Erik Scavenius

He was an envoy to Vienna and Rome from 1912 to 1913 and to Stockholm from 1924 to 1932. From 1932 to 1940, he was chairman of the board of the major daily Politiken. Scavenius was the owner of a large estate from 1915 to 1946. After 1945, he experienced marital and economic difficulties.

The appointment of the 32-year-old head of section Scavenius as minister of Foreign Affairs in the Radical Left Social Liberal cabinet Danish: Det Radikale Venstre (1909-1910) came as a surprise. He was reappointed when the party formed another cabinet in 1913. During World War I, he strongly put his efforts into the continuation of "the German course", a policy of keeping Denmark out of conflict with its neighbouring great power through adaptation. Among other things he supported giving in to the German demands to mine the Danish straits in August 1914.

Scavenius was also an important figure as foreign minister during the negotiations surrounding the return of parts of Schleswig to Denmark following the war. Scavenius was one of the chief advocates of the Danish government's official position, advocating a return of only territories with clear Danish majorities (see Easter Crisis of 1920). That was opposed to the more "maximalist" position which demanded a return of all previously Danish territories south to the "Danevirke".[1]

Erik Scavenius (left) with German plenipotentiary of Denmark, Dr. Werner Best.

Scavenius became foreign minister again during most of the German occupation of Denmark. As such, he was the most important liaison between the Danish government and the German authorities. In addition, he was prime minister for some of the war as head of a coalition cabinet after the Telegram Crisis. He was more of a professional diplomat than an elected politician and held an elitist approach to government. At this time, the Social Liberal Party did not consider Scavenius to be its representative although the party accepted his line, along with the other coalition parties.

Scavenius was concerned that emotional public opinion would destabilise his attempts to build a compromise between Danish sovereignty and the realities of occupation. He felt strongly that he was Denmark's most ardent defender. After the war, there was much recrimination of his stance, particularly from members of the active resistance, who felt that he had hindered the cause of resistance and threatened Denmark's national honour. He felt that these people were vain and seeking to build their own reputations or political careers through emotionalism.

After 29 August 1943, Erik Scavenius lost all of his real powers when the German authorities dissolved the Danish government following the refusal of that government to crack down on unrest to the satisfaction of the German plenipotentiary. His cabinet resigned in 1943 and suspended operations. The resignation was never formally accepted by King Christian X of Denmark so the cabinet existed de jure, until a new one was formed following the liberation on 5 May 1945. Scavenius was politically isolated after 1945, but the parliamentary commission on misconduct during the Occupation did not find reason to impeach him for the High Court of the Realm for maladministration of office in its report in 1955.