Major General Erik Lennart Rönnberg (21 November 1938 – 25 December 2022) was a

Swedish Army The Swedish Army () is the army, land force of the Swedish Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Sweden. Beginning with its service in 1521, the Swedish Army has been active for more than 500 years. History Svea Life Guards dates back to the year 1 ...

officer. His senior commands include postings as

Chief of the Army Staff Chief of the Army Staff or Chief of Army Staff, which is generally abbreviated as COAS, is a title commonly used for the appointment held by the most senior staff officer or the chief commander in several nations' armies. * Chief of Army Staff ( ...

and of the

General Staff Corps General Staff Corps (, Gst) was an administrative corps within the Swedish Armed Forces between 1937 and 1990 and consisted of Swedish Army officers chosen for duty in the Defence Staff and Army Staff. It replaced the earlier General Staff. Histo ...

(1990–1994) and Chief of Staff of the

Middle Military District Middle Military District (, Milo M) was a Sweden, Swedish Military district (Sweden), military district, a command of the Swedish Armed Forces that had operational control over Middle Sweden, for most time of its existence corresponding to the ar ...

(1994–1995).

Early life

Rönnberg was born on 21 November 1938 in Fjällsjö Parish,

Strömsund Municipality Strömsund Municipality (; ) is a municipalities of Sweden, municipality in Jämtland County in northern Sweden. Its administrative centre, seat is located in Strömsund. The nearest larger city is Östersund, the provincial capital of Jämtland, ...

, Sweden, the son of Albin Rönnberg and his wife Hilda (née Viklund). Rönnberg became an officer candidate in

Västernorrland Regiment The Västernorrland Regiment (), designation I 21, is a Swedish Army infantry unit which operated in various forms the years 1869–1983, 1991–2000 and from 2022. It is located in Sollefteå Garrison in Sollefteå with a detachment in Östersun ...

on 28 August 1960 and he graduated from

Military Academy Karlberg Military Academy Karlberg (, MHS K) is a Swedish military academy, since its inauguration in 1792 in operation in the Karlberg Palace in Solna, just north of central Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urb ...

in 1961.

Career

Rönnberg was commissioned as an officer with then rank second lieutenant and assigned to

on 1 September 1961. He participated in UN operations in the

Gaza Strip The Gaza Strip, also known simply as Gaza, is a small territory located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea; it is the smaller of the two Palestinian territories, the other being the West Bank, that make up the State of Palestine. I ...

with the

United Nations Emergency Force The United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) was a military and peacekeeping operation established by the United Nations General Assembly to secure an end to the Suez Crisis, Suez Crisis of 1956 through the establishment of international peacekeeper ...

(UNEF) in 1962 and in

Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...

with the

United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...

(UNFICYP) in 1964. Rönnberg was promoted to lieutenant on 1 September 1963 and to captain on 1 September 1969. Rönnberg attended the

Swedish Armed Forces Staff College The oyalSwedish Armed Forces Staff College (, MHS) was from 1961 to 1996 the Swedish Armed Forces highest institution for officers training, for staff and senior executive education and was located in Stockholm. In 1997 it was merged with the S ...

in 1971 and he was promoted to major on 1 October 1972. He served as an office head in the Education Department in the Army Staff from 1973 to 1976. Rönnberg attended the

British Army Staff College Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army and the presidency armies of British India (later merged to form the Indian Army). It had its origins in the Royal Military College, High Wycombe, founded in 1799, which ...

in 1976 and was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 1 October 1977. He served as head of department in the staff of the

Southern Military District The Order of the Red Banner Southern Military District () is a military district of Russia. It is one of the five military districts of the Russian Armed Forces, with its jurisdiction primarily within the North Caucasus region of the country ...

from 1976 to 1978 and as head of the Planning Department in the Army Staff from 1978 to 1981. Rönnberg attended the Swedish National Defence College in 1981 and served as battalion commander in Västernorrland Regiment from 1981 to 1983. He was promoted to colonel and appointed regimental commander of Västernorrland Regiment on 1 October 1982. On 1 April 1987, Rönnberg was promoted to senior colonel and was appointed military district inspector and head of the Education and Personnel Section in the staff of the

Lower Norrland Military District Lower Norrland Military District (, Milo NN), originally II Military District () was a Sweden, Swedish Military district (Sweden), military district, a command of the Swedish Armed Forces that had operational control over Lower Norrland, for most ...

. On 1 April 1990, Rönnberg was promoted to major general and assumed the position of the last

and of the

. On 1 July 1994, Rönnberg assumed the position of Chief of Staff of the

. Rönnberg then served as head of the Swedish Delegation to the

Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission The Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) was established by the Korean Armistice Agreement signed 27 July 1953, declaring an armistice in the Korean War. It is, with the Military Armistice Commission, part of the mechanism regulating the ...

(NNSC) from 1 January 1997 to February 1998. Rönnberg was at the disposal of the Chief of Army Command from 1998. Rönnberg retired in 1999.

Personal life

Rönnberg was married between 1967 and 1990 to Iréne Hellman (born 1946), the daughter of P.K. Hellman and Lotten (née Valberg).

Death

Rönnberg died on 25 December 2022 in in

Sundbyberg Municipality Sundbyberg Municipality ( or ''Sundbybergs stad'') is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden, just north of the capital Stockholm. Sundbyberg is wholly within the Stockholm urban area and has a 100% urban population. Sundbybe ...

, Sweden. The funeral service was held on 19 January 2023 in

Sundbyberg Church Sundbyberg Church is the main church of Sundbyberg, in Sweden, and is a part of the Church of Sweden. It is located in Central Sundbyberg, on Rosengatan 15. Opened in 1911, it was built in a Swedish church building architecture after drawings of ar ...

Awards and decorations

United Nations Emergency Force Medal The United Nations Emergency Force Medal was a service medal of the United Nations for service in the United Nations Emergency Force between 7 November 1956 and 19 May 1967. History In 1956, Egypt came into conflict with the combined forces of Is ...

(UNEF) *

United Nations Medal A United Nations Medal is an international decoration awarded by the United Nations (UN) to the various world countries members for participation in joint international military and police operations such as peacekeeping, humanitarian efforts, a ...

( UNFICYP)

Dates of rank

*1961 – Second lieutenant *1963 –

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

*1969 –

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

*1972 –

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

*1977 – Lieutenant colonel *1982 –

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

*1987 –

Senior colonel __NOTOC__ Senior colonel is an officer rank usually placed between a regular colonel and a British brigadier or American brigadier general. Use Most western militaries tend to equate a senior colonel as being on the level of a "brigadier general ...

*1990 – Major general

Bibliography

* * *

Honours

*Member of the

Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences The Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences () is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden and was founded on 12 November 1796 by Gustaf Wilhelm af Tibell. The academy is an independent organization and a forum for military (army and air force) and de ...

(1982)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ronnberg, Lennart 1938 births 2022 deaths Swedish Army major generals People from Strömsund Municipality Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences