Henningsen was a leading figure of the cultural life of Denmark between the world wars. He trained as an architect with expertise in functionalist design and later became a cultural critic and author. He made Danish revues a political weapon of the left wing without giving up their role as entertainment (the so-called PH-revues 1929-32). Most of his writings praised natural behaviour, sexual broad-mindedness and simple living. In 1933 he edited his most famous book
Hvad med Kulturen? (What About Culture?), a polemical, audacious and urgent criticism of Danish cultural life and its snobish traditionalsim. He drew parallels between prudery, moralizing and fascist leanings. Two of his works, both co-authored,
History of Eroticisms and
Kaerlighedens Billedbog were banned in Australia in the 1950s and 1960s. Henningsen is included in AustLit because his work was
banned or restricted in Australia by the Federal censor.
