Munk was born Kaj Harald Leininger Petersen on the island of Lolland. His father died in 1899 and his mother in 1903. He was then adopted by the Munk family.

His first play, Pontius Pilate, was written when he was just 16. After finishing school he went to theological college and was ordained in 1924. He served as pastor for the rest of his life, and at the same time was the most important dramatist in Denmark. His plays all have a strong religious message, and he was a strong and prominent opponent of the Nazis. After the Germans occupied Denmark in World War II he continued his open opposition and call for the Danes to protect the Jews, which led to his murder by the Nazis.

References

Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon. (Herzberg: Verlag Traugott Bautz, 2001). Also available at: http://www.bautz.de/bbkl/
Heinrich, Sarah. "Commemorating Kaj Munk," Pietisten, 14(2) (1999). Also available at: http://www.pietisten.org/summer99/kajmunk.html

Indexes

European
Denmark
19th Century
20th Century
Literature
Christian
Murdered, Assassinated
Formal, American/European-Type Adoption
School-age Years, Adolescence
Orphaned (Both Parents)
Others ("Strangers")
Parent(s) Died, Disappeared or Became Incapacitated