Torsten Valdemar Hvidt, a driving force in the Danish European Mission for many years, has died. He died on November 22 and was 90 years old. From the 1970s until 2014, he was involved in the Danish European Mission's Board of Directors and the then Board of Representatives. He was a close friend of the mission's founder, Hans Kristian Neerskov, and a lawyer for the Danish European Mission since its inception.
Under the auspices of the Sakharov Committee, Torsten Hvidt and Neerskov organized hearings at Christiansborg, where the theme was human rights violations in the Eastern Bloc, including freedom of religion. Together with Neerskov, Torsten also traveled to Georgia to deliver the New Testament translated into Georgian. Torsten also worked closely for decades with Bent Honoré, who was also involved in the work for many years.
Torsten was a lawyer specializing in German affairs. He was a lawyer for the German, Swiss and Austrian embassies in Copenhagen. For 20 years, he was a board member of the Danish-German Industry and Trade Club, including eight years as chairman. In 1996 he received the German Bundesverdienstkreuz am Bande and the Austrian Goldenes Ehrenzeichen.
At the Danish European Mission, Torsten was a great encouragement to the employees, a good listener and open to new initiatives. He was also involved in the difficult years in the 1990s, when a replacement for Hans Kristian Neerskov had to be found. The choice fell on Henrik Ertner Rasmussen, after which there was calm around the Danish European Mission.
Torsten was buried outside Nivå Church, where Pastor Jørgen Sejrgaard gave a very nice speech. For his funeral, Torsten requested that instead of flowers, the participants made a donation to the work of the Danish European Mission.
A major figure in the Danish European Mission has been promoted to glory after a long life of using his many talents for the benefit of many.
Honor the memory of Torsten Hvidt.
