Hjalmar Hammarskjöld
Encyclopedia
Knut Hjalmar Leonard Hammarskjöld (February 4, 1862 – October 12, 1953) was a Swedish politician
, scholar, cabinet minister, Member of Parliament
from 1923 to 1938 (first chamber), and Prime Minister of Sweden
from 1914 to 1917.
In 1890, he married Agnes Almquist (1866–1940). The couple had four sons: Bo, Åke, Sten and Dag
.
, Kalmar County
. He was a versatile legal expert and prominent as both a scientist and as a legislator. In 1891 he became a professor in Uppsala
and had a great influence on Swedish and Nordic civil law. He laid the foundation for his reputation as a great expert in international law at the same time through diligent work in international meetings, and became a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration
in 1904 at The Hague.
As Minister of Justice 1901–02 in Fredrik von Otter
s government he made an ambitious but unsuccessful attempt to resolve the problems concerning the right to vote, and was, on his resignation, appointed president of the Göta court of appeal. In connection with the dissolution of the union between Sweden and Norway
, he was minister of education in Christian Lundeberg
's coalition government and negotiator in Karlstad
. He was thereafter appointed to be the Swedish ambassador to Copenhagen
. He returned in 1907 to Uppsala as county governor, but often took leave of absence for various other assignments.
After the peasant armament support march
(Swedish: bondetåget) and the resignation of the liberal government, he became head of a non-parliamentarian government in 1914, tasked with solving defense issues. His "bailey government" (Swedish: borggårdsregering) was politically independent, but loyal to the king and rather conservative. It was created on an initiative from Arvid Lindman
, the leader of the second chamber, who did not want the king to appoint a war government under the leader of the first chamber, Ernst Trygger
.
After the outbreak of the First World War
that same year, a truce was established between the parties and the defense problem was solved to the satisfaction of the military. Hammarskjöld was principled and inflexible in his interpretations of civil law during the height of the war. It was during this time that the term "Hunger shield" (Swedish: Hungerskjöld) was coined, because his intractability impeded efforts to support the citizens. He was seen as friendly towards Germany
when he rejected the proposal for a common trade agreement with Great Britain
that Marcus Wallenberg
(senior), brother of the foreign minister
Knut Wallenberg, had brought home from London
in 1917. The split between the PM and the foreign minister became apparent and the leaders of the right-wing in the parliament revoked their support for the prime minister, who was forced to submit his resignation.
Hammarskjöld had a dominant nature and was perceived by his opponents as authoritarian and self-willed, but claims that he favoured Germany lack documented support. He had many prestigious assignments, for example chairman of the Nobel Foundation
1929–47 and member of parliament (independent conservative). He was voted into the Swedish Academy
in 1918 to the same chair as Prime Minister Louis De Geer had occupied, number 17. Hammarskjöld's son, Dag, inherited the chair, as well as the position, after his death. Hammarskjöld's investigations were a major contributing factor to the decision to establish the Supreme Administrative Court of Sweden
.
Hjalmar Hammarskjöld died on October 12, 1953 in Stockholm
, just more than 6 months after his youngest son became the 2nd Secretary General of the United Nations.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, scholar, cabinet minister, Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
from 1923 to 1938 (first chamber), and Prime Minister of Sweden
Prime Minister of Sweden
The Prime Minister is the head of government in the Kingdom of Sweden. Before the creation of the office of a Prime Minister in 1876, Sweden did not have a head of government separate from its head of state, namely the King, in whom the executive authority was vested...
from 1914 to 1917.
In 1890, he married Agnes Almquist (1866–1940). The couple had four sons: Bo, Åke, Sten and Dag
Dag Hammarskjöld
Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjöld was a Swedish diplomat, economist, and author. An early Secretary-General of the United Nations, he served from April 1953 until his death in a plane crash in September 1961. He is the only person to have been awarded a posthumous Nobel Peace Prize. Hammarskjöld...
.
Biography
The son of Knut, a lieutenant and landowner, and Maria Cöster, Hjalmar Hammarskjöld was born into the Hammarskjöld family in Tuna, VimmerbyTuna, Vimmerby
Tuna is a locality situated in Vimmerby Municipality, Kalmar County, Sweden with 249 inhabitants in 2005....
, Kalmar County
Kalmar County
Kalmar County is a county or län in southern Sweden. It borders the counties of Kronoberg, Jönköping, Blekinge and Östergötland. To the east in the Baltic Sea is the island Gotland....
. He was a versatile legal expert and prominent as both a scientist and as a legislator. In 1891 he became a professor in Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
and had a great influence on Swedish and Nordic civil law. He laid the foundation for his reputation as a great expert in international law at the same time through diligent work in international meetings, and became a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration
Permanent Court of Arbitration
The Permanent Court of Arbitration , is an international organization based in The Hague in the Netherlands.-History:The court was established in 1899 as one of the acts of the first Hague Peace Conference, which makes it the oldest institution for international dispute resolution.The creation of...
in 1904 at The Hague.
As Minister of Justice 1901–02 in Fredrik von Otter
Fredrik von Otter
Fredrik Wilhelm von Otter was a Swedish friherre, naval officer and politician, most notably serving as Prime Minister of Sweden from 1900 to 1902....
s government he made an ambitious but unsuccessful attempt to resolve the problems concerning the right to vote, and was, on his resignation, appointed president of the Göta court of appeal. In connection with the dissolution of the union between Sweden and Norway
Union between Sweden and Norway
The Union between Sweden and Norway , officially the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, consisted of present-day Sweden and Norway between 1814 and 1905, when they were united under one monarch in a personal union....
, he was minister of education in Christian Lundeberg
Christian Lundeberg
Christian Lundeberg was a Swedish politician who served as Prime Minister of Sweden from 2 August to 7 November 1905....
's coalition government and negotiator in Karlstad
Karlstad
Karlstad is a city, the seat of Karlstad Municipality, the capital of Värmland County, and the largest city in the province Värmland in Sweden. The city had 61,685 inhabitants in 2010 out of a municipal total that during the first quarter 2010 was 84,885 inhabitants...
. He was thereafter appointed to be the Swedish ambassador to Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. He returned in 1907 to Uppsala as county governor, but often took leave of absence for various other assignments.
After the peasant armament support march
Peasant armament support march
Peasant armament support march of 1914 was a manifestation primarily by Swedish farmers held on February 6th 1914 in Stockholm. It resulted in a constitutional crisis triggered by the court yard speech held by king Gustav V to the marchers at the royal palace....
(Swedish: bondetåget) and the resignation of the liberal government, he became head of a non-parliamentarian government in 1914, tasked with solving defense issues. His "bailey government" (Swedish: borggårdsregering) was politically independent, but loyal to the king and rather conservative. It was created on an initiative from Arvid Lindman
Arvid Lindman
Salomon Arvid Achates Lindman was a Swedish Rear Admiral, Industrialist and conservative politician...
, the leader of the second chamber, who did not want the king to appoint a war government under the leader of the first chamber, Ernst Trygger
Ernst Trygger
Ernst Trygger was a Swedish jurist professor and conservative politician. He served as Prime Minister of Sweden from 1923 to 1924. He also served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1928 to 1930 in the government of Arvid Lindman...
.
After the outbreak of the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
that same year, a truce was established between the parties and the defense problem was solved to the satisfaction of the military. Hammarskjöld was principled and inflexible in his interpretations of civil law during the height of the war. It was during this time that the term "Hunger shield" (Swedish: Hungerskjöld) was coined, because his intractability impeded efforts to support the citizens. He was seen as friendly towards Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
when he rejected the proposal for a common trade agreement with Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
that Marcus Wallenberg
Marcus Wallenberg
Marcus Wallenberg, born 2 September 1956 in Stockholm, is a Swedish banker and industrialist, B. Sc of Foreign Service. Son of the banker Marc Wallenberg, and his wife Olga Wehtje, he is a member of the prominent Wallenberg family. His nickname "Husky" came from his grandfather, Marcus "Dodde"...
(senior), brother of the foreign minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
Knut Wallenberg, had brought home from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1917. The split between the PM and the foreign minister became apparent and the leaders of the right-wing in the parliament revoked their support for the prime minister, who was forced to submit his resignation.
Nobel Foundation
The Nobel Foundation is a private institution founded on 29 June 1900 to manage the finances and administration of the Nobel Prizes. The Foundation is based on the last will of Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite....
1929–47 and member of parliament (independent conservative). He was voted into the Swedish Academy
Swedish Academy
The Swedish Academy , founded in 1786 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden.-History:The Swedish Academy was founded in 1786 by King Gustav III. Modelled after the Académie française, it has 18 members. The motto of the Academy is "Talent and Taste"...
in 1918 to the same chair as Prime Minister Louis De Geer had occupied, number 17. Hammarskjöld's son, Dag, inherited the chair, as well as the position, after his death. Hammarskjöld's investigations were a major contributing factor to the decision to establish the Supreme Administrative Court of Sweden
Supreme Administrative Court of Sweden
The Supreme Administrative Court of Sweden is the supreme court and the third and final tier for administrative court cases in Sweden, and is located in Stockholm...
.
Hjalmar Hammarskjöld died on October 12, 1953 in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, just more than 6 months after his youngest son became the 2nd Secretary General of the United Nations.
Literature
- T. Gihl, The history of Swedish foreign policy 4 (1951)
- D. Hammarskjöld, Hjalmar Hammarskjöld: entry speech in the Swedish Academy (1954)
- W. Carlgren, The minister Hammarskjöld (1967)
- S.A. Söderpalm, The big company owners and the democratic breakthrough (1969)