Eske Brun

Eske Brun

Danish politician
Date of Birth: 25.05.1904
Country: Denmark

Content:
  1. Eske Brun: Greenland's Wartime Leader
  2. Governance of North Greenland
  3. Wartime Authority in Greenland
  4. Governor of Greenland
  5. Post-War Leadership

Eske Brun: Greenland's Wartime Leader

Born and Early Life

Eske Brun was born in Aalborg, Denmark, in 1904. After his father's untimely death when Eske was 15, his family relocated to Ordrup, north of Copenhagen. In 1929, he graduated with a law degree from the University of Copenhagen.

Governance of North Greenland

In 1932, Brun became acting governor of North Greenland. He was promoted to governor in 1939.

Wartime Authority in Greenland

With the outbreak of World War II and the German occupation of Denmark, communication with Copenhagen was severed. Brun and his colleague, Aksel Svane, invoked the Greenlandic Administration Act of 1925 to assume control of the island. With the assistance of Danish ambassador to the US, Henrik Kauffmann, they established supply lines from the US and Canada.

Governor of Greenland

From 1941 until the end of the war, Svane remained in the US coordinating supply efforts. Brun took on the duties of governor for both North and South Greenland, consolidating administration in Godthåb.

Post-War Leadership

After the war, Brun served as vice-president of the Greenland Administration from 1947 and as president of Greenland from 1949. He continued to hold high-ranking administrative positions until his retirement in 1964.

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