Bodil Koch
Encyclopedia
Bodil Koch was the wife of a prominent professor, a Social Democrat, and a minister. She was married to professor Hal Koch, an advocate of democracy as a continuing deliberation instead of the majority's rights over the minorities. She represented the Social Democrats
in the Danish Parliament, Folketinget from 1947 – 1968.
In 1947, she was elected to the Folketing
and three years later she became the first female Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs
in the world and the third female minister in Denmark. She only held the office for six weeks, as Prime Minister
Hans Hedtoft
resigned 30 October 1950 over a dispute on the continued rationing of butter.
When the Social Democrats
returned to the power in 1953, she again was appointed Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs. She held office until 1966, when she was appointed new Minister of Culture
. She held office until Hilmar Baunsgaard
in 1968 replaced Jens Otto Krag
as prime minister.
with a master’s degree in theology in 1929, the same year she married Hal Koch. Their fundamental beliefs combined the Evangelical-Lutheran view of Christianity with Socratic humanism. Both had a strong interest in traveling and science and working for the common good. They were the icons of a whole generation after World War II searching for a new set of values. They had five children, and during the 1930s Bodil Koch was a stay-at-home mother and the wife of Hal Koch. They challenged the traditional idea of the nuclear family, and eventually she saw the ideal family as two working adults and a number of children who all participated in cooking and debating.
. It came as a surprise to many that she as a female, an academic, and practicing Protestant from Copenhagen could be elected in a rural area Herning
in Jutland
. She became a member of the Danish Parliament for the Social Democrats in 1947, and three years later she became Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs from September until October 1950. The Social Democrats regained power in 1953, and she was Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs until 1966 and Minister Cultural Affairs from 1966 until 1968 during three different governments led by the Social Democratic party.
As Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs, Bodil Koch implemented reforms of ecclesiastical legislation, and she was a fierce defendant of the freedom of preaching in the state church Danish National Church. She worked hard to modernize the church including the ordination of women. After her death her ideas and visions were incorporated the Danish Church Law of 1973.
In 1949, she grudgingly voted with her party for Denmark's membership of NATO with her party. In 1952 and 1955 she voted against the party line, first against foreign military forces in Denmark during peacetime and second against Western Germany's admission to NATO. She was against the Vietnam War and nuclear rearmament and agitated for an open debate about the relationship between the Eastern and Western blocks during the Cold War in the 1950s and 1960s. Koch became world wide famous for the first time when she in 1958 publicly criticized the US Secretary of State John Foster Dulles
during the NATO conference in Copenhagen, May 1958.
The last two years of her political career Koch was Minister of Cultural Affairs (1966-1968). Her influence on cultural affairs was less than on ecclesiastical affairs, but she had always been interested and knowledgeable about culture and literature.
Social Democrats (Denmark)
The Social Democrats , is a Danish political party committed to the political ideology of social democracy. It is the major coalition partner in Denmark's government since the 2011 parliamentary election, and party leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt is the current Prime Minister of Denmark...
in the Danish Parliament, Folketinget from 1947 – 1968.
In 1947, she was elected to the Folketing
Folketing
The Folketing , is the national parliament of Denmark. The name literally means "People's thing"—that is, the people's governing assembly. It is located in Christiansborg Palace, on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen....
and three years later she became the first female Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs
Minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs of Denmark
Minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs of Denmark is a Danish political minister office. The main responsibility of the minister is the Danish People's Church....
in the world and the third female minister in Denmark. She only held the office for six weeks, as Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Denmark
The Prime Minister of Denmark is the head of government in Danish politics. The Prime Minister is traditionally the leader of a political coalition in the Folketing and presides over the cabinet....
Hans Hedtoft
Hans Hedtoft
Hans Hedtoft Hansen was Prime Minister of Denmark from 13 November 1947 to 30 October 1950 as the leader of the Cabinet of Hans Hedtoft I and again from 30 September 1953 to 29 January 1955 as the leader of the Cabinet of Hans Hedtoft II.Hedtoft was a Social Democrat, and had taken over the...
resigned 30 October 1950 over a dispute on the continued rationing of butter.
When the Social Democrats
Social Democrats (Denmark)
The Social Democrats , is a Danish political party committed to the political ideology of social democracy. It is the major coalition partner in Denmark's government since the 2011 parliamentary election, and party leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt is the current Prime Minister of Denmark...
returned to the power in 1953, she again was appointed Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs. She held office until 1966, when she was appointed new Minister of Culture
Culture Minister of Denmark
Culture Minister of Denmark is the Danish political minister office responsible for culture, head of the Ministry of Culture of Denmark.The political responsibility for culture, as well as church and education, was with the Kultus Minister from 1848 to 1916 when that post was split up into the...
. She held office until Hilmar Baunsgaard
Hilmar Baunsgaard
Hilmar Baunsgaard was a Danish politician. He was a member of Det Radikale Venstre, a social liberal party. He was the Prime Minister of Denmark from 15 February 1968, ending 15 years of government by the Social Democrats, until 9 October 1971, when the Social Democrats regained power...
in 1968 replaced Jens Otto Krag
Jens Otto Krag
Jens Otto Krag was a Danish politician. He was Prime Minister from 1962 to 1968 and again from 1971 to 1972....
as prime minister.
Personal life
Bodil Koch graduated from the University of CopenhagenUniversity of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
with a master’s degree in theology in 1929, the same year she married Hal Koch. Their fundamental beliefs combined the Evangelical-Lutheran view of Christianity with Socratic humanism. Both had a strong interest in traveling and science and working for the common good. They were the icons of a whole generation after World War II searching for a new set of values. They had five children, and during the 1930s Bodil Koch was a stay-at-home mother and the wife of Hal Koch. They challenged the traditional idea of the nuclear family, and eventually she saw the ideal family as two working adults and a number of children who all participated in cooking and debating.
Political engagement
Bodil Koch's engagement in political affairs took off during World War II with op-eds and articles in Danish newspapers and she gave speeches all over the country. In 1944, she and 8 other prominent women founded the grass root organization Folkevirke (The People's Work or National Commitment). The goal of Folkevirke was to mobilize and educate women about democracy on a local, regional, and national level. Women all over the country, from Copenhagen to rural areas in Jutland were participated in study groups and gave speeches about the problems of the Danish society.Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs
Folkevirke became Bodil Koch's stepping stone to Folketinget. Now that she had been fighting for women to get into politics, she ran for office herself in the 1947 Folketing electionDanish Folketing election, 1947
Folketing elections were held in Denmark on 28 October 1947, except in the Faroe Islands where they were held on 18 February 1948. The Social Democratic Party remained the largest in the Folketing, with 57 of the 150 seats...
. It came as a surprise to many that she as a female, an academic, and practicing Protestant from Copenhagen could be elected in a rural area Herning
Herning
Herning Municipality is a municipality in Region Midtjylland on the Jutland peninsula in western Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 1,336 km² and a total population of 84,208...
in Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
. She became a member of the Danish Parliament for the Social Democrats in 1947, and three years later she became Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs from September until October 1950. The Social Democrats regained power in 1953, and she was Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs until 1966 and Minister Cultural Affairs from 1966 until 1968 during three different governments led by the Social Democratic party.
As Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs, Bodil Koch implemented reforms of ecclesiastical legislation, and she was a fierce defendant of the freedom of preaching in the state church Danish National Church. She worked hard to modernize the church including the ordination of women. After her death her ideas and visions were incorporated the Danish Church Law of 1973.
A lady in her own right
Bodil Koch was highly respected for her work, also by her opponents in Folketinget, and her biographer Birgitte Possing, describes her as "a lady in her own right". She was a great speaker, spontaneous, and very outspoken — also in other political areas than her own. She was from time to time a thorn in the side of her own party, especially in the debate about foreign policy. She was just like Denmark in a foreign policy dilemma: Since 1864 when Denmark was defeated by the Germans the tradition had been that it was too small a country to focus only on military capacity, instead it had to concentrate on socio-economic gains internally. But now Denmark was a member of NATO and the alliance was in the middle of the Cold War. The policy of deterrence worked, but there was a fear in Denmark that the country would be deleted from the map if retaliation was automatically set in action.In 1949, she grudgingly voted with her party for Denmark's membership of NATO with her party. In 1952 and 1955 she voted against the party line, first against foreign military forces in Denmark during peacetime and second against Western Germany's admission to NATO. She was against the Vietnam War and nuclear rearmament and agitated for an open debate about the relationship between the Eastern and Western blocks during the Cold War in the 1950s and 1960s. Koch became world wide famous for the first time when she in 1958 publicly criticized the US Secretary of State John Foster Dulles
John Foster Dulles
John Foster Dulles served as U.S. Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953 to 1959. He was a significant figure in the early Cold War era, advocating an aggressive stance against communism throughout the world...
during the NATO conference in Copenhagen, May 1958.
The last two years of her political career Koch was Minister of Cultural Affairs (1966-1968). Her influence on cultural affairs was less than on ecclesiastical affairs, but she had always been interested and knowledgeable about culture and literature.