Knud Olsen was the Social Democratic mayor of Skive 1982-89.
Early life
Olsen was born in Tarm in 1932, after which the family lived partly near Skjern and partly near Vejle, before moving to Copenhagen in 1944. Here they lived in the building next door to another future mayor of Skive , Søren Andersen, without knowing each other. In Copenhagen, Olsen trained as a school teacher and worked as a teacher in Copenhagen from 1954-63. As a school teacher, he became particularly well known for his work with school comedies, where many successful ones were staged.
He then moved back to Jutland, where he worked as a teacher south of Silkeborg until 1967, when he became a teacher at the defense civilian education in Fredericia.
In 1970, Olsen and his wife moved to Skive to become inspector at the newly established training school in connection with Skive Seminarium Dalgas School, today Ådalskolen. Here he remained as inspector for 11 years until he took over as mayor.
Political life and the mayoralty
Olsen was not very politically engaged when he came to Skive, but on request he ran for the Egeris parish council in 1973, where he became chairman of the council until 1977.
From here he continued his political work in the Social Democratic Party, elected to Skive City Council in 1978. Already in the same period in 1982, he was elected chairman of the party after a vote in the party and thus became mayor. In the subsequent municipal elections, he became the biggest vote-getter in Skive’s history
Knud Olsen’s time as mayor was primarily characterized by the many cuts that took place. The Schlütter government had severely restricted municipal finances and became known for the “Skivebremsen”, which was an attempt to limit costs from rising in difficult times. This meant closing the schools in Hem and Nr. Søby and reducing the size of Rønbjerg school. In addition, an attempt was made to keep the town’s elderly in their own homes.
He chose to leave in 1989 and was succeeded by fellow party member Jonna Stavnsbjerg.
After Olsen’s time as mayor, he went back to teaching and later gave lectures.
He held several positions of trust, including as chairman of Skive Seminarium, as a member of the Skive Museum board and as a board member of the local European movement.
As a person
Knud Olsen was married to Hanne Lydia with whom he had 5 children.
He loved his work as a teacher and working with cultural preservation, which is why he was awarded a Knight’s Cross.
Sources
- Mortensen Niels, Skive kommunes historie bind III, Skive Museums Forlag 2003, p. 410-413
- Skive Folkeblad 29/5-1982, 9/5-2018