- Henrik Kauffmann
Henrik Kauffmann (
August 26 1888 -June 5 1963 ) was the Danishambassador to theUnited States duringWorld War II . OnApril 9 1941 , the anniversary of the Germanoccupation of Denmark , he signed on his own initiative "in the Name of the King"" ( _da. I Kongens Navn) an "Agreement relating to the Defense of Greenland" authorizing the United States to defend the Danish colonies onGreenland from Germanaggression . The treaty was signed by theUnited States Secretary of State Cordell Hull and approved by PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt onJune 7 1941 .Kauffmann's treaty was approved by the local officials on Greenland but declared void by the Danish government in
Copenhagen . Kauffmann ignored this protest citing that Denmark was occupied by a hostile power, consequently, he considered the government to be unable to protect Danish interests. The government responded by charging Kauffmann withhigh treason and stripping him of his rank. Kauffmann ignored both actions. Kauffmann's line was supported by the Danish consuls general in the United States, as well as by the Danish ambassador toIran . These diplomats were dismissed as well. Kauffmann replied by urging Danish diplomats around the world not to follow instructions from Copenhagen.Kauffmann was nicknamed "the King of Greenland" for his independent political moves in the Greenland affair.
Rehabilitation
Revoking the sentence against Kauffmann was one of the first tasks done by the Danish Parliament following the Liberation of Denmark in May 1945. Kauffmann joined the Cabinet of National Unity and served as
Minister without Portfolio fromMay 12 toNovember 7 1945 .Kauffmann's treaty was adapted in the early 1950s and remains the legal basis for the U.S.
Thule Air Base inGreenland .Literature
cite book
last = Lidegaard
first = Bo
year = 1996
title = I Kongens Navn. Henrik Kauffmann i dansk diplomati 1919-1958
publisher = Samleren
location = CopenhagenExternal links
* [http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/paw/206.html "Agreement between U.S. Secretary of State and Danish Minister on the status of Greenland April 10, 1941"]
* [http://www.thule.af.mil/History/index.htm History of the Thule Air Base] "This article is based on the corresponding article on the Danish Wikipedia accessed on 27 February 2006."
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