General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

Carl Gustaf Valdemar Hammarskjöld (22 April 1865 – 27 February 1940) 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 and

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

Early life

Hammarskjöld was born on 22 April 1865 at Väderum farm in Tuna Parish,

Vimmerby Municipality Vimmerby Municipality () is a municipality in Kalmar County, south-eastern Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Vimmerby. Stångån is a small river running through the municipality. The municipality was created by the local government ref ...

, Sweden, the son of lieutenant Knut Hammarskjöld (1818–1891) and Wilhelmina ''Mimmi'' (née Cöster) (1832–1901). Carl Gustaf Hammarskjöld was brother to Hjalmar Hammarskjöld, cousin to and Hugo Hammarskjöld, all of which were born in the same room, on the same farm, and became all (cabinet) ministers. Carl Gustaf was uncle to

Dag Hammarskjöld Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjöld (English: ,; 29 July 1905 – 18 September 1961) was a Swedish economist and diplomat who served as the second secretary-general of the United Nations from April 1953 until his death in a plane crash in Septe ...

Career

Hammarskjöld was commissioned as an officer in Värmland Rifle Corps (''Värmlands fältjägarkår'', No 26) in 1885 with the rank of ''

underlöjtnant ''Underlöjtnant'' (from the German word '' Unterleutnant'') was the lowest officer rank in the Swedish Army from 1835 to 1937 instead of the previous ranks of ''fänrik'' and cornet. was reintroduced in 1914 with the same position as , from 19 ...

''. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1891 and served as a staff adjutant and lieutenant in the

General Staff A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, Enlisted rank, enlisted, and civilian staff who serve the commanding officer, commander of a ...

in 1895. Hammarskjöld was promoted to captain in the army and in the General Staff in 1899 and he served as a teacher at the Royal Swedish Army Staff College from 1899 to 1903. He then served as captain in Vaxholm Grenadier Regiment in 1903 and as a general staff officer in the staff of the 2nd Army Division (''II. arméfördelningen'') from 1903 to 1905. Hammarskjöld served as chief of staff in the 1st Army Division (''I. arméfördelningen'') from 1905 to 1906 then he was promoted to major in the General Staff and appointed vice chief of the Military Office of the Ministry of Land Defence. In 1910, Hammarskjöld was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the 1st Life Grenadier Regiment. Hammarskjöld was secretary in several military committees and assisted the General Staff in drafting proposals for a new conscript law in 1911 and experimental mobilization in 1912. He was promoted to colonel in the army in 1913. In the

Ministry of Land Defence Ministry of Land Defence () was in a broad sense, one of the eight ministries, in which the Government of Sweden, Swedish government administration was divided into. Its head was called Minister of War. The Ministry of Land Defence Department was es ...

from 1913 to 1914, he drafted a proposal for a new conscript law and a new army order. He was also an expert in the same ministry regarding commissariat equipment for the ''Landstorm''. He then served as commander of the 1st Life Grenadier Regiment from 1914 and of the 3rd Infantry Brigade from 1 January 1917. Hammarskjöld was promoted to major general and appointed commanding officer of the 6th Army Division (''VI. arméfördelningen'') in 1919. In 1919, Hammarskjöld became a member of the Committee on Defense Audit (''Försvarsrevisionen''). Hammarskjöld served as

Minister of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divid ...

and head of the

Ministry of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see American and British English spelling differences#-ce.2C -se, spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and Mi ...

from 27 October 1920 to 6 June 1921. He then served eight years, from 1922 to 1930 as Chief of the General Staff. He was promoted to lieutenant general in 1926 and to full general then he retired from the military in 1930. Hammarskjöld transferred to the reserve and remained there until 1937. Hammarskjöld was a member of ''

Andra kammaren The Andra kammaren (lit. "Second Chamber", often abbreviated 'AK'; referred to in some non-Swedish sources as the Chamber of Deputies) was the lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral Riksdag of Sweden between 1866 and 1970 that replaced the R ...

'' 1918 to 1920, and of the '' Första kammaren'' from 1924 to 1932, representing .

Personal life

On the 28 November 1903 he married Dora Albertina Almgren (11 October 1876 – 30 November 1956), the daughter of Chief Director of the

Swedish State Railways The Swedish State Railways () or SJ, originally the Royal Railway Board (), was the former government agency responsible for operating the state-owned railways in Sweden. History The Swedish State Railways was created on 1 June 1888 as an ...

, Fredrik August Almgren and Johanna Charlotta Wasenius. They had two children, Carl (born 1904) and Bengt (born 1905).

Death

Hammarskjöld died on 27 February 1940 in Hedvig Eleonora Parish, Stockholm. He was buried on 2 March 1940 in

Norra begravningsplatsen Norra begravningsplatsen, literally "The Northern Burial Place" in Swedish, is a major cemetery of the Stockholm urban area, located in Solna Municipality. Inaugurated on 9 June 1827, it is the burial site for a number of Swedish notables. Th ...

Solna Municipality Solna ( or , ), also known as Solna Municipality, is a municipalities of Sweden, municipality in central Stockholm County, Sweden, located just north of Stockholm City Centre. Its seat is located in the town of Solna, which is a part of the Stockh ...

Dates of rank

*1884 –

Sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...

*30 October 1885 – ''

Underlöjtnant ''Underlöjtnant'' (from the German word '' Unterleutnant'') was the lowest officer rank in the Swedish Army from 1835 to 1937 instead of the previous ranks of ''fänrik'' and cornet. was reintroduced in 1914 with the same position as , from 19 ...

'' *6 August 1891 –

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 ...

*7 April 1899 –

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 ...

*16 February 1906 –

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 ...

*12 June 1909 – Lieutenant Colonel *14 February 1913 –

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 ...

*14 July 1919 – Major General *23 April 1926 –

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

*23 April 1930 –

Awards and decorations

Swedish

King Gustaf V's Jubilee Commemorative Medal (1928) * Royal_Order_of_the_Sword_-_Commander_Grand_Cross_BAR

Commander Grand Cross of the

Order of the Sword The Royal Order of the Sword (officially: ''Royal Order of the Sword''; Swedish: ''Kungliga Svärdsorden'') is a Swedish order of chivalry and military decoration created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Or ...

(6 June 1926) * Royal_Order_of_the_Sword_-_Commander_1st_Class_BAR

Commander 1st Class of the

(6 June 1919) * Royal_Order_of_the_Sword_-_Commander_BAR

Commander of the 2nd Class of the

(6 June 1916) * Royal_Order_of_the_Sword_-_Knight_1st_Class_BAR

Knight 1st Class of the

(1905) * Commander 1st Class of the

Order of the Polar Star The Royal Order of the Polar Star (Swedish language, Swedish: ''Kungliga Nordstjärneorden''), sometimes translated as the Royal Order of the North Star, is a Swedish order of chivalry created by Frederick I of Sweden, King Frederick I on 23 F ...

(6 December 1923) * Knight of the

(1912) * Commander 2nd Class of the

Order of Vasa The Royal Order of Vasa () is a Swedish order of chivalry founded on 29 May 1772 by Gustav III, King Gustav III. It is awarded to Swedish citizens for service to state and society especially in the fields of agriculture, mining and commerce. His ...

(30 September 1914)

Foreign

FIN Order of the White Rose Grand Cross BAR

Grand Cross of the

Order of the White Rose of Finland The Order of the White Rose of Finland (; ) is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, and the Order of the Lion of Finland. The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The ...

(1925) *

Knight 2nd Class of the Order of St. Anna (1909) * DNK Order of Danebrog Knight 1st Degree BAR

Knight of the

Order of the Dannebrog The Order of the Dannebrog () is a Denmark, Danish order of chivalry instituted in 1671 by Christian V of Denmark, Christian V. Until 1808, membership in the Order was limited to fifty members of noble or royal rank, who formed a single cla ...

(11 September 1906) * PRU Roter Adlerorden BAR

Knight 3rd Class of the

Order of the Red Eagle The Order of the Red Eagle () was an order of chivalry of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was awarded to both military personnel and civilians, to recognize valor in combat, excellence in military leadership, long and faithful service to the kingdom, o ...

(1908)

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 ...

(1907) and President (1931–1933).

References

External links

Entry
at '' Svenskt biografiskt lexikon'' Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences (1907) and President (1931–1933). {{DEFAULTSORT:Hammarskjold, Carl Gustaf 1865 births 1940 deaths Swedish Army generals Ministers for defence of Sweden Members of the Andra kammaren Members of the Första kammaren Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences Burials at Norra begravningsplatsen Commanders Grand Cross of the Order of the Sword Commanders First Class of the Order of the Polar Star Commanders Second Class of the Order of Vasa People from Vimmerby Municipality Carl Gustaf