Ditlev Gothard Monrad

Who was Ditlev Gothard Monrad?

Ditlev Gothard Monrad was a Danish politician and bishop of Lolland-Falster.

Monrad was one of the pioneers of the making of a constitutional Denmark after 1848. As Council President 1863-1864 he was the Danish state leader during the early part of Second War of Schleswig against the German Confederation, led by Otto von Bismarck, which resulted in the Peace of Vienna.

After this war a depressed and disillusioned Monrad emigrated to New Zealand. After sending his sons to Nelson and other districts of New Zealand to scout for land, he chose to settle in Palmerston North in the North Island of New Zealand. He bought 482 acres of land at Karere Block. He lived first in a small hut, then later he erected a timber house and started clearing bushland. He and his family farmed cows and sheep. Monrad helped the New Zealand Company to find suitable settlers from Scandinavia and he helped many Danish immigrants to find land to settle on, most notably in the area of Dannevirke.

His work was disturbed by Māori rioters, who were Hauhaus under chief Titokowaru. Monrad buried his belongings and went with the family to Wellington and then went back to Denmark in 1869. His sons Viggo and Johannes later returned to Karere to become farmers.