A Remembrance of Knud Tholstrup

Jane Birgitte Holm Kosan
and Henry Fagerli-Nielsen Kosan

[Reprinted from Grundskyld, April, 1989, with the title, "Georgism's
Grand Old Man, Knud Tholstrup - Denmark: In Memoriam"]

It is with sincere grief we must announce the death of Mr. Knud Tholstrup at an age of 84 years.

Knud Tholstrup was sparkling vital almost to the end. As late as the "Kosan Prize" -- presentation on November 21st. 1988, he was the host at the actuaI prize-giving at the Stock-exchange in Copenhagen, even he did not feel quite well at that time. Shortly after Knud Tholstrup got very seriously ill. But that did not stop him and he kept on dictating contributions to the daily press and giving interviews to the broadcasting corporations concerning industry and trade matters having public interest, until he died.

Knud Tholstrup has in many ways written history in Denmark.

He was really unique, and with his strong personality and vitality, he was a rare initiator and an inspiration to his surroundings. Thus he created the "Kosan Croup" -- one of the big concerns in Denmark.

His warm humanity and great energy made him a leading figure who was greatly respected and truly affected.

He created an image not only as a businessman but also as a politician and a powerful public debater with strong opinions all through his life.

Knud Tholstrup was born at Karlslunde Mejeri (Karlslunde Dairy) where his father Rasmus Tholstrup was a dairyworker and a farmer (cheese and pigs).

Knud Tholstrup left school when he was 15 years old and began working in agriculture.

In 1919 Knud Tholstrup attended the Agricultural School at Vejlby near Arhus from which he graduated in agriculture. After having spent two winters there, he worked on a farm in Scotland for 6 months. When he returned in 1923 he was put in charge of the biggest pig-rearing operation in Denmark on his father's farm, where father and son established a comprehensive milling- and foodstuff business.

In 1932 when the agricultural crisis culminated with the introduction of a "pig-card-system11, which was introduced with the purpose of reducing the number of pigs, Knud Tholstrup suddenly became destitute. Therefore he had to find himself a new occupation. His brother Jacob could use him as a co-director in "Kobenhavns Smorrebrod" ("Copenhagen Open Sandwiches"). Here the two brothers worked together until 1941. Their common project, amongst others, achieved appreciation as the largest kitchen in Denmark.

Knud Tholstrup's life work was, however, the "Kosan Group". Under his influence the Tholstrup brothers and a brother in law in 1941 acquired "Dansk Flaske-gas Co. ("Danish Bottle Gas Co.") and with that he laid the foundation stone to the concern, the "Kosan Group" is today.

Knud Tholstrup became director of the recently acquired firm and he remained director until he, on his 7oth years birthday July 12th 1974, enthrusted the chair to his son Svend K. Tholstrup.

Knud Tholstrup was the chairman of the board of the parent company until 1986, whereupon Svend K. Tholstrup took over his seat.

Knud Tholstrup was a member of the board until his death.

Knud Tholstrup has always been known for his superb businessman-ship. He saw the possibilities in the new acquisition, and used his great imagination and creative power together with his tireless energy in order to develop and expand the company and its area of business.

During Knud Tholstrup's expert management the firm developed other activities apart from the original marketing of bottled gas under the name of Kosangas.

Thus Knud Tholstrup predicted that transportation of gas would soon be done by ship.

In 1951 a second hand small coaster was bought and it was rebuilt in order to make the first experience in maritime transportation of gas.

With the experience gained the worlds first specially built gastankship "Rasmus Tholstrup" was designed and commissioned in 1953.

Today the fleet consists of 19 specially built gas-tankers for transportation of LPG (Liquified Petroleum Gasses) and other products transported under pressure and cooling.

Quite naturally new areas of activities were introduced. Knud Tholstrup personally took care of that.

In the beginning Kosangas bought the gas-cylinders from other firms, but in order to get a bigger and more stable production, Knud Tholstrup acquired the steel cylinder factory "Cylindric" at Middelfart. It was very natural to expand the production by the manufacture of beer kegs, milking machine buckets, silencers and steel tubes. The production of silencers and steel tubes has been sold at a later date.

Knud Tholstrup's fundamental idea was that the essence of the Group should be the bottled gas. His interest was therefore to cover the whole field of the LPG operation.

At a time when the company was contemplating to rationalize the filling of the cylinders, Knud Tholstrup made contact with Mr. Svend Christensen, who was an expert in this area and had worked up a factory producing automatic gas-filling equipments. The result was that Kosan from 1958 - I970 successively took over the firm, which got the name "Kosan Cris-plant".

By this, as on many other occasions Knud Tholstrup made it a condition that he had the founder/manager with him, because he was aware of the fact that the personal element in a firm is a very significant part of the firm itself.

"Kosan Crisplant" is today an advanced, strongly export-minded firm. The idea of gas-filling carousels was the basis for other related products, such as sorting systems for luggage at airports, and post and parcel sorting systems in postal offices.

The purpose of delivering everything needed for an LPG distribution was the founding of the company, which today under the name of "Kosan Teknova" is manufacturing very high quality cylinder valves and regulators to bottled gas for more than l00 countries.

The diversification-policy was further developed when Svend K. Tholstrup in 1974 took over the management position.

Today the firm has subsidiary companies, such as "Kosan Brunata" which is dealing with heat measurement and heating accounts in blocks of flats.

"Kosan Flextek" imports advanced machine tools for the iron and machinery industry in Denmark, and "Kosan Svanehoj produces, amongst other things, pumps for LPG-tankers.

But besides building up, developing, and extending his empire, Knud Tholstrup always directed big resourses towards survival of the society being a free country with free enterprise. Thus he entered active political work as a member of the "Folketing" (The Danish parliament) elected by the "Retsforbundet" (Henry Georgist political party) from 1946 - 1958. He was among the promoters of the "Three-parts-government" ("Socialdemotratic party", "The Radikal party" and "Retsforbundet" 1957 - I960.

He was a great admirer of the economic philosopher Henry George, upon whose ideologies the Constitutional State is founded. To the spreading of his theories, Knud Tholstrup has participated in establishing a Henry George library in Copenhagen.

After he left the parliament due to an increasing amount of work in the KosanGroup, his interest in the Henry George ideas did not stop and ever since he has participated tirelessly in the public debate with a zeal that is unprecedented in Denmark. As he once put it himself: "as long as unsolved problems are calling for me, even ten wild horses can not stop me fighting against injustice."

For his efforts as a debater Knud Tholstrup received Jyllands-Posten's (a big Danish newspaper) The "Debate Prize" in 1983, and in 1988 - as the first, he was awarded "The Adam Smith Prize". The prize is named after the Scottish philosopher and economist.

The criterion to get the prize is that "the recipient regardless of sex, race and nationality somehow in his activity has worked to promote the ideas of persona] freedom and free market economy".

In 1988 the presidium decided to award the prize to Knud Tholstrup for his long standing activity as a businessman, a politician, a writer, a speaker and a debater of public matters an activity where he has always tried to promote liberal ideas.

In 1983 the "Kosan Prize" was made on the initiative of Knud Tholstrup. The prize which consist of a weighty silver medal carrying the inscription "speech is silver -- silence is subjugation" together with a cheque of 50,000 Danish crowns, is given to citizens who has specially participated in the debate to promote a free economic life and the liberty of speech which is a prerequisite for free trade.

The history will also remember Knud Tholstrup when he with hours notice started a relief action for the wounded during the rebellion in Hungary in 1956.

In the matter of two days Knud Tholstrup and his brother Poul Tholstrup together with a medical doctor left with lorries carrying medicine and supplies and drove themselves all the way to Hungary. They were met with spontaneous tribute for their deed which, not least, consisted forcing all obstacles without visum or entry permit.

After his return Knud Tholstrup awarded the king's acclaim and became "Knight of the Dannebrog".

Among many positions of trust a membership of the "Society of the Merchants Guild" for 40 years from 1947 - 1987 threw his personality into public eyes.

Knud Tholstrup has published a number of books and writings for example: "Why Put up with Inflation?"; "Economic liberalisme" (Free enterprise); "The Third Way - a New Economy"; "Speech is silver ... silence is subjugation" (only in Danish); etc. etc.

In his family life Knud Tholstrup was of the same pure carat as in his business and in his public effort. In 1929 he married Eva Brodsgaard. (Dead 1968). They have the sons Ole and Svend Knud and the daughter Inga. Knud Tholstrup left II grandchildren, who in Knud had a real "grandfather".

In 1969 he married the actress Signi Crenness. Mrs. Signi Grenness Tholstrup has accompanied her husband on his many and long journeys, and she was as great a comfort to Knud Tholstrup when he was well, as when he got ill.

In Knud Tholstrup Kosan and Denmark has lost a remarkable and valuable person. We can say the same for The Danish Henry George Movement and The International Henry George Movement.

We nave lost a reliable and honest fighter for the right and justice in the world.