Oluf Berntsen

Oluf Berntsen graduated in 1913 and performed his military service as a corporal in the veterinary corps. He then worked in Canadian civil service (1914-15), for the Forestal Land, Timber and Railways Company in Argentina (1915-16), and for the Banque des Pays du Nord in Paris (1917-20). While in Paris he also studied at the prestigious École libre des sciences politiques earning a diploma in 1920.

Berntsen became a bank director and worked for various international banks, for the Bankers Trust Company of New York in Paris (1920-29) and London (1929-31), for the Bank for Foreign Exchange in København (Copenhagen, 1931-36), around 1940 again in Paris and for the Bank for International Settlements in Basel (1946-56).

Oluf Berntsen was the son of the Danish council president (prime minister) Klaus Berntsen, acting from 1910-13, and the brother of 1920 fencing Olympian Aage Berntsen, a physician, poet and painter. Oluf married Juliette Huberte Suzanne Willms with whom he had one daughter and one son.

Little is known of his fencing career. During his study years in København he represented the Akademisk Fægteklub and competed in all three individual fencing events at the 1912 Olympic Games. His best result came in the sabre individual event where he advanced to the semi-finals. Unlike his brother Aage, Oluf never won a national championship title.