Carl Hansen was a central figure in Skive where, in addition to being editor of Skive Folkeblad, and politically active in favor of the homesteading and temperance movements, he was mayor 1927-1929
Early life
Carl Hansen was born in Vinde in 1870 to Christian Hansen and Ingeborg Jensdatter, a smallholder couple. Hansen was educated at a secondary school in Copenhagen run by his brother. In 1889, Hansen attended Officer’s School and became first Lieutenant and then Captain in the army. After completing his education, Hansen took over the smallholding from his parents in 1891. He first ran this homestead and then another homestead and finally Højgården in Hem, before becoming editor of Skive Folkeblad in 1911.
While running the farms, Hansen became associated with the cooperative dairy movement, where he became chairman of Skive Dairy as early as 1893. He later held positions of trust within the dairy movement, as chairman of Viborg Amts Mejeriforening, in 1900 member of De Samvirkende Jydske Mejeriforeninger, and in 1902 member of De Samvirkende Danske Mejeriforeninger.
Through his work, Carl Hansen became the driving force behind the establishment of sanatoriums to combat tuberculosis, including Krabbesholm sanatorium, now Resenlund.
Political career
Chairman of the parish council in Resen parish in 1895, reportedly the election was postponed until after Hansen’s 25th birthday so that he could be elected to the parish council.
The big issue was the smallholders’ movement, and Hansen became one of the main men behind the political organization of the smallholders. In 1901, he helped found the smallholders’ association “Fremad“, which was a pioneering organization that covered the entire Salling, Fjends and Ginding Herreder.
From this strong local position, there was an opportunity to expand his political career and in 1902 Hansen was elected to parliament in a by-election. Hansen sat in parliament until 1908, when he chose to resign after breaking with his Reform Party.
Hansen chose to continue his political work on a more local level and was elected to Skive City Council in 1917. Here he served as chairman of the Radical Left Party from 1917-1933. Hansen experienced being mayor for 2 years 1927-29, where he was elected mayor with only 3 votes in the city council, 14 out of the 17 members chose to abstain.
The temperance movement
Very unusually, Hansen chose to join the temperance movement after he was elected to parliament. Typically, politicians joined the temperance cause because it gave them a political advantage, and then abandoned it. Hansen, however, did not want to
He would later become chairman of Salling Temperance Society and an investor in transforming Hotel Royal into a temperance hotel.
As a person
Carl Hansen’s political views were crucial to his character, especially within the smallholder movement. Always an advocate for the weak and an idealist, he was referred to by a political opponent as “the most selfless man in the Skive region”.
Carl Hansen had a strong national feeling towards Denmark and worked to strengthen that feeling among the rest of the population.
Hansen was an excellent marksman and after being trained as an officer, he was a member of the Vinde shooting association.
He was married twice, first to Nicoline Christensen until her death and then to Anne Jensen. He had 4 children, two of whom died young. His son Elin Hansen followed in his father’s footsteps as editor of Skive Folkeblad.
Sources
- Skive Folkeblad 10/9-1940