Per Albin Hansson

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Per Albin Hansson
23rd Prime Minister of Sweden
In office 1932 – 1936 1936–1946
Preceded by	Felix Hamrin Axel Pehrsson-Bramstorp
Succeeded by	Axel Pehrsson-Bramstorp Tage Erlander
Born	October 28, 1885 (1885-10-28)
Died	October 6, 1946 (aged 60)
Political party	Social Democrats
Spouse	Elisabeth Fryckberg
Religion	Lutheran/Church of Sweden

Per Albin Hansson (October 28, 1885–October 6, 1946), leader of the Swedish Social Democrats, was a Prime Minister in four governments between 1932 and 1946, including the coalition government which was formed during World War II, and included all major parties except the Communists.

[edit] Politics

Politically Hansson advocated and worked for the introduction of a welfare state system, which he called Folkhemmet (the People's Home). Hansson died in Stockholm on 6 October 1946 of a heart-attack he suffered while stepping off a tram at the Ålstens Gård station, after traveling home, as he always did, as an ordinary passenger on a tram. He is interred in the Norra begravningsplatsen in Stockholm.

[edit] World War II

Sweden was neutral during World War II, but cooperated and traded with both sides.

[edit] The 1941 "Midsummer Crisis"

After the German invasion of the Soviet Union in early summer of 1941; Operation Barbarossa, the Germans in June 22 asked Sweden for some military concessions. The Swedish government granted these requests for logistical support. (mainly German troop transports between Finland, occupied Norway, occupied Denmark) In Sweden the political deliberations surrounding this decision have been called the "midsummer crisis". Recent research by Carl-Gustaf Scott argues however that there never was a "crisis", and that

"the crisis was created in historical hindsight in order to protect the political legacy of the Social Democratic Party and its leader Per Albin Hansson."^[1]

[edit] Trade with the Axis and the Allies

To smelt the steel required by the German Ruhr industry Germany was in 1939 - 1940 dependent on shipments of Swedish Iron ore since access to the supplies from the mines in France, the traditional supplier, were cut off until the invasion of France. In 1939 - 1940 the Allies tried various ways to stop the shipments of Swedish ore, for example by mining Norwegian territorial waters. (see Plan R 4)

Also payments from the Allies reached in agreement to stop the sale of steel to Nazi Germany were broken^{[citation needed]}, and the Germans were charged extortionate 'smugglers rates' for the steel.^{[citation needed]}

The sale of steel^{[dubious – discuss]} to Hitler's Germany prolonged the war against Russia^{[dubious – discuss]} where tanks played an important role.

A downed stray V2 rocket was also sold to the Allies in 1942, passing details of advanced nazi rocket engineering over. In effect, the main political priority was to avoid direct war engagement of Sweden during WWII, ignoring the greater moral issues and playing both sides for profit^[2]. During the latest stages of WWII, Sweden was no longer seriously threatened by invasion from the Allies or the third Reich.

[edit] Political legacy

In Swedish socialist circles Per Albin is still highly regarded. At the time many on the left wing regarded him as a traitor siding with the nazis. The poster below, is from the Swedish communist party protesting the use of Swedish railways by Nazi troops.

Communist election poster, demanding an end to foreign military transports (of men and war materiels) through Sweden

The birthplace of Per Albin Hansson

Per Albin Hansson in his youth

The newly appointed Swedish cabinet, assembled outside the Royal Palace in Stockholm, December 13, 1939.

[edit] See also

• Swedish neutrality during World War II
• Per Albin Line

[edit] References