"...In the very first days of the war, a German division was passed through the territory of Sweden for operations in Northern Finland. However, the Prime Minister of Sweden, Social Democrat P. A. Hansson, immediately promised the Swedish people that no more troops would be allowed through the territory of Sweden. one German division and that the country would in no way enter into a war against the USSR.
Sweden took upon itself to represent the interests of the USSR in Germany, and yet the transit of German military materials to Finland began through Sweden; German transport ships transported troops there, taking refuge in Swedish territorial waters, and until the winter of 1942/43 they were accompanied by a convoy of Swedish naval forces. The Nazis achieved the supply of Swedish goods on credit and their transportation mainly on Swedish ships..."
"...It was Swedish iron ore that was the best raw material for Hitler. After all, this ore contained 60 percent pure iron, while the ore received by the German military machine from other places contained only 30 percent iron. It is clear that production military equipment made of metal smelted from Swedish ore, it cost the treasury of the Third Reich much less.
In 1939, the same year when Nazi Germany unleashed World War II, it was supplied with 10.6 million tons of Swedish ore. Wow! After April 9, that is, when Germany had already conquered Denmark and Norway, ore supplies increased significantly. In 1941 by sea 45 thousand tons of Swedish ore were supplied daily for the needs of the German military industry. Little by little, Sweden traded with Nazi Germany grew and eventually accounted for 90 percent of all Swedish foreign trade. From 1940 to 1944, the Swedes sold more than 45 million tons of iron ore to the Nazis.
The Swedish port of Luleå was specially converted to supply iron ore to Germany through the Baltic waters. (And only Soviet submarines after June 22, 1941, at times caused great inconvenience to the Swedes, torpedoing Swedish transports in whose holds this ore was transported). Supplies of ore to Germany continued almost until the moment when the Third Reich had already begun, figuratively speaking, to give up the ghost. Suffice it to say that back in 1944, when the outcome of the Second World War was no longer in doubt, the Germans received 7.5 million tons of iron ore from Sweden. Until August 1944, Sweden received Nazi gold through the banks of neutral Switzerland."
Sweden's economic miracle
In other words, wrote Norschensflamman, “Swedish iron ore ensured the Germans’ success in the war. And this was a bitter fact for all Swedish anti-fascists.” However, Swedish iron ore came to the Germans not only in the form of raw materials.
The world-famous SKF concern, which produced the best ball bearings on the planet, supplied these, not so, at first glance, tricky technical mechanisms to Germany. Fully ten percent of the ball bearings received by Germany came from Sweden, according to Norschensflamman. Anyone, even someone completely inexperienced in military affairs, understands what ball bearings mean for the production of military equipment. But without them, not a single tank will move, not a single submarine will go to sea! Note that Sweden, as Norschensflamman noted, produced bearings of “special quality and technical characteristics", which Germany could not obtain from anywhere else. Importing bearings from Sweden became especially important for Germany when the VKF bearing plant in Schweinfurt was destroyed in 1943. In 1945, economist and economic advisor Per Jakobsson provided information that helped disrupt the supply of Swedish bearings to Japan.
Let's think: how many lives were cut short because formally neutral Sweden provided Nazi Germany with strategic and military products, without which the flywheel of the Nazi military mechanism would, of course, continue to spin up, but certainly not at such a high speed as it was? The question of the “infringed” Swedish neutrality during the Second World War is not new; Russian Scandinavian historians and diplomats, who by their nature worked in the USSR Foreign Ministry in the Scandinavian direction, are well aware of this. But not even many of them are aware that in the autumn of 1941, that very cruel autumn, when the existence of the entire Soviet state was at stake (and therefore, as a consequence, the fate of the peoples inhabiting it), King Gustav V Adolf of Sweden sent Hitler a letter in which he wished “dear Reich Chancellor further success in the fight against Bolshevism”..."
1939-1940
8,260 Swedes took part in the Soviet-Finnish War.
1941-1944
900 Swedish Nazis participated in the occupation of the USSR as part of the Finnish army, in particular, the siege of Leningrad.
Wallenberg family
With great reluctance and awkwardness, the Wallenberg family remembers that during the war years the Wallenbergs took part in financing and supplying iron ore to Hitler's Germany from Sweden (from 1940 to 1944 the Nazis received more than 45 million tons of ore), steel, ball bearings, electrical equipment, tools, pulp and other goods that were used in war production. Many in Sweden still remember this and reproach the Wallenbergs for collaborating with the Nazis.
The Wallenberg family, through banking and industrial empires from major corporations and stakes in other large companies, controls a third of Sweden's GDP. The family controls more than 130 companies. The largest: ABB, Atlas Copco, AstraZeneca, Bergvik Skog, Electrolux, Ericsson, Husqvarna, Investor, Saab, SEB, SAS, SKF, Stora Enso. 36% of shares listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange belong to the Wallenbergs.
The Wallenberg-owned bank SEB received more than $4.5 million from the German Central Bank between May 1940 and June 1941 and acted as a purchasing agent (through intermediaries) for the German government in the purchase of bonds and securities in New York. York.
In April 1941, Finance Minister Ernst Wigforss and SEB Bank President Jacob Wallenberg agreed to issue a loan to Germany for the construction of ships in Swedish shipyards, the Nazis received a very significant amount for those times - 40 million crowns, which corresponds to today's 830 million crowns
Swedish historian and ambassador Christer Wahl Brooks, together with archivist Bo Hammarlund, proved the duality of the Swedish Ministry of Finance's policies during the Second World War. The head of this department, Ernst Wigforst, went down in history as an opponent of the passage of Nazi troops through Sweden during the attack on Norway. Val Brooks found out that Wigforst actively helped Nazi Germany with money, although he did it in Swedish interests.
As part of a routine check in the archives of the Ministry of Finance, Hammarlund found a document in the form of a letter dating from April 1941, reports the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter. This letter was written by the director of the Swedish bank Skandinaviska Banken, Ernst Herslov, but was never officially registered.
The letter provides a summary of the conversation between the Minister of Finance and Herslov. Wigforst argued for the need to send Germany loans that would allow the Nazis to pay for the work of Swedish shipbuilders. “The minister made it clear that it would be desirable to make loans available,” Herslov wrote. In reality, the money was supposed to help Sweden increase exports to Nazi Germany. According to historians, the existence of such secret deals is a much more serious indication of assistance to the Nazis than the opening of borders for the free movement of Nazi troops.
The researcher was shocked that such important conversations from a state point of view were conducted one-on-one between the minister and the banker. By law, a decision to provide loans to a foreign country would have to be approved by the Swedish government. “One can understand why Wigforst avoided publicity in this matter,” writes Dagens Nyheter.
The text of the letter indicates that Wigforst managed to secure the allocation of loans.
Historians found confirmation of their hypothesis in the diaries of the head of the Swedish central bank, Ivar Rooh. He mentioned that his company allocated significant sums to ensure that Germany supplied Sweden with fewer products in response to iron ore and other raw materials exported from Scandinavia for the war industry.
According to Val Brooks and Hammarlund, the amount of bribes reached 40 million crowns. The letter also indicates that in the spring of 1941 Germany continued to actively build ships in Sweden, although Stockholm officially declared its neutrality. A similar policy was pursued by Madrid, which helped with the basing of Nazi submarines and the placement of Berlin spies, but did not officially consider itself a belligerent.
Ingvar Feodor Kamprad (Swedish: Ingvar Feodor Kamprad) (born March 30, 1926) is an entrepreneur from Sweden. One of richest people world, founder of IKEA, a chain of stores selling household goods.
In 1994, personal letters from Swedish fascist activist Per Engdahl were published. From them it became known that Kamprad joined his pro-Nazi group in 1942. At least until September 1945, he was actively raising money for the group and attracting new members. The timing of Kamprad's departure from the group is unknown, but he and Per Endahl remained friends until the early 1950s. After these facts became known, Kamprad said that he bitterly regretted this part of his life and considered it one of his biggest mistakes. After this, he wrote a letter of apology to all Jewish IKEA employees.
The founder of the Swedish furniture concern IKEA, Ingvar Kamprad, was much more closely associated with the Nazi movement than was previously known. Thus, Kamprad was not only a member of the fascist movement “New Swedish Movement” / Nysvenska rörelsen, but also in the Nazi Lindholm Association / Lindholmsrörelse. This became known from a book by an employee of the Swedish television SVT - Elisabeth Åsbrink.
This book also publishes for the first time data that a case was opened against the 17-year-old Kamprad, already in 1943, by the Swedish Security Police Säpo, where he was held under the heading “Nazi.”
After the war, in the 50s, Kamprad continued to be friends with one of the leaders of the Swedish fascists, Per Engdahl. And just a year ago, in a conversation with Elisabeth Osbrink, he called Engdahl a “great man.”
Ingvar Kamprad's involvement in the Nazi movement in Sweden was known earlier, but this information had not been published before. Ingvar Kamprad's spokesman, Per Heggenes, said that Kamprad had already repeatedly apologized and asked for forgiveness for his past Nazi views. He has repeatedly said that today he has no sympathy for the Nazis or Nazism.
“This whole story is 70 years old,” said Pär Heggenes, noting that Kamprad himself knew nothing about the fact that he was being monitored by the Security Police.
Historians question Sweden's neutrality during World War II
A number of studies commissioned by the Swedish government confirm assumptions that Sweden, which officially remained neutral during the Second World War, was ready to meet Nazi Germany halfway in many ways.
The revelation may add fuel to debate over the country's immigration policies and Sweden's decision not to join NATO.
Once powerful and warlike, Sweden last went to war 200 years ago. The Second World War was a serious test of Swedish neutrality. The prospect of an invasion by both fascist troops and allies seemed quite realistic at that time.
Until now, Sweden seemed to be quite pleased with itself. Yes, it supplied a significant amount of iron ore to Germany, allowed Nazi troops to pass unhindered through its territory and did not allow in Jews fleeing from the Germans.
However, at the same time, they allowed the Allies to develop an intelligence network on their territory, and at the end of the war they provided refuge to Jews from neighboring countries occupied by the Germans. They also developed an emergency plan to participate in the liberation of Denmark.
However, according to information released this week, starting in 1937, the Swedish government instructed the Swedish Lutheran Church to apply Nazi laws when it came to German citizens.
Thus, Swedes who married Germans had to provide evidence that their parents, as well as grandparents, did not have Jewish roots. Marriages between Germans and Swedish Jews were annulled.
By order of their German partners, German companies fired Jewish employees. Newspapers were ordered not to criticize Hitler and not to publish articles about the concentration camps or the occupation of Norway.
Cultural ties between Sweden and Nazi Germany remained very close.
Meanwhile, the Nazis' attitude towards the Swedes remains very vague. On the one hand, they were respected as "an exceptionally pure example of the Nordic race." On the other hand, the German leadership complained that modern Swedes had become too peace-loving and non-conflict, that is, they bore little resemblance to the ideal of the Aryan warrior.
Neighboring countries often accuse Sweden of taking an overly preachy tone when it comes to moral and ethical debates. Some attribute this to the country's Protestant heritage. Some see this as a throwback to Sweden's once "dominant" position. Still others believe that complacency is explained by the fact that Sweden has not been at war for a long time.
Whatever it is the real reason, it is likely that Swedes will now be more willing to moderate their tone and become more self-critical, and also recognize that their past may not seem so blameless to other countries. An example of this is the recent controversy over Sweden's controversial human sterilization program.
According to the 1935 law on “racial hygiene”, about 60 thousand Swedes were deprived of the opportunity to have children due to the fact that they did not have enough “Nordic” appearance, they were born from parents different races or showed “signs of degeneration.”
In the 1920s, 30s and 40s. The idea of “racial hygiene” was extremely popular not only in Germany. Denmark, Norway, Canada, and 30 American states have implemented sterilization programs.
Marie Stopes, a pioneer of family planning in Britain, was a strong advocate of this idea: she argued that by encouraging working-class people to have fewer children and upper-class people to have more children, the gene pool of the Anglo-Saxon nation could be improved.
However, most European countries abandoned this idea after the war. The Swedish Institute of Racial Biology continued to operate until 1976.
It is also interesting that sterilization was advocated not only by far-right nationalists, but also by governments formed by Social Democrats.
Sweden received even more military orders after the outbreak of World War II. And mostly these were orders for Nazi Germany. Neutral Sweden became one of the main economic pillars of the national Reich. Suffice it to say that in 1943 alone, of the 10.8 million tons of iron ore mined, 10.3 million tons of iron ore were sent to Germany from Sweden. Until now, few people know that one of the main tasks of Navy ships Soviet Union, who fought in the Baltic, was not only the fight against fascist ships, but also the destruction of ships of neutral Sweden carrying cargo for the Nazis.
Well, how did the Nazis and the Swedes pay for the goods they received from them? Only by what they looted in the territories they occupied and most of all in the Soviet occupied territories. The Germans had almost no other resources for settlements with Sweden. So when you're in Once again they will talk about “Swedish happiness”, remember who paid for it for the Swedes and at whose expense.
The history of two world conflicts sometimes demonstrates amazing examples countries that, for various reasons, managed to avoid participating in hostilities. Some managed to do this only during the First World War; a few managed to remain neutral during the Second World War. The latter includes, in particular, Sweden. By choosing the path of strict neutrality, the Scandinavian kingdom managed to “slip” between the great powers and even receive some benefits.
Sweden on the eve of the First World War
By the beginning of the First World War, as historian Sophie Kvarnström rightly notes, Sweden had enjoyed peace for a century. Since the signing of the Treaty of Kiel in 1814, according to which the Kingdom of Denmark transferred Norway to it, Sweden has not participated in any more wars. This was quite unusual for her, since in the 17th–18th centuries this northern state was very active in the basin Baltic Sea, constantly expanding its sphere of influence. However, the descendants of the soldiers of Gustav II Adolf and Charles XII no longer showed their former belligerence, although they were ready to defend the borders of their country if necessary.
Swedish coastal defense battleship "Sverige" (Sverige) on the Åland Islands, March 1918 (Imperial War Museums)
Like many other neutral states in northern Europe, Sweden had close trade ties with Great Britain, which was the importer of Swedish goods, and with Germany, which, on the contrary, was the main supplier of foreign products to the Swedish market. The losses from a break with any of the countries could be catastrophic. Thus, Sweden's neighbor, located across the Sound, Denmark, fully experienced the delights of the trade war and blockade in 1914–1918.
Economically, Sweden was very similar to its Scandinavian neighbors. 75% of its 5.7 million population lived in rural areas, 25% lived in small towns. The main export goods were timber and iron. Political life The kingdom was relatively peaceful, socialists and trade unions gradually won seats in parliament, achieving general elections to its lower house.
Swedish hospital ship Kulpa, transporting German prisoners of war from Russia, 1917 (Imperial War Museums)
The most significant political event for Sweden at the beginning of the twentieth century was the breaking of the union with Norway, which became an independent kingdom with a Danish prince on the throne. The ensuing political conflict between right and left dragged on until 1914 and negatively affected the rearmament program of the army and navy. Swedish historians have noted:
“The constant strengthening of the armed forces during the First World War, of course, made it possible to consider the Swedish defense as quite powerful, but this was achieved at the cost of exacerbating ideological contradictions, which spilled out even before the end of the war, and subsequently, in the 1920s, caused a significant reduction weapons."
The conflict between King Gustav V and the liberal government of Karl Staaf over the latter's cuts in defense spending on the eve of the war led to the fact that one of the planned battleships of the Sverige class was even built with funds collected by the Swedes by subscription. In August 1914, after the outbreak of war and the coming to power of the conservative government of Hjalmar Hammarskjöld, laws on the reorganization of the army were pushed through parliament.
Exchange of prisoners. A batch of Russian prisoners of war, prepared for exchange for Germans and Austrians, awaiting loading onto the Swedish steamer Jarl Birger. Sassnitz, Germany, August 1917 (Imperial War Museums)
According to historian Ingvar Andersson, the bill “...was adopted by the votes of the right and the majority of liberals, while some liberals and social democrats voted against it. According to the new law on defense reform, the period of retraining for ordinary military personnel was 340–365 days, and for students who were to become junior reserve officers - 485 days.”.
In addition, during the war, not only the army and reservists, but also members of the Landsturm (men aged 35 to 42 who had completed military service) were often mobilized to guard the borders.
Neutrality and working for peace
However, despite the military operations in Europe, the Swedish army did not have much work. Sweden firmly adhered to neutrality, although diplomats from both the Central Powers and the Entente countries tried to win it over to their side. Periodically Russian government For example, there was concern that the Swedes, in alliance with the Germans, could strike the Baltic states, Finland and Petrograd.
Swedish soldiers of the 20th Infantry Regiment one hundred years ago. Photo taken in the town of Umeå in northern Sweden (http://swedishmauser.blogspot.ru)
Political forces in the kingdom differed in their sympathies towards the countries participating in the world war. The upper class and bourgeoisie, closely associated with Germany, were extremely sympathetic to the latter, as well as the officer corps in the army and navy. It is curious that even the Swedish Social Democrats, who, as Sophie Kvarnström writes, relied on the German model of party building, also sympathized with the Germans. However, few Swedes were willing to take part in the war.
A number of nationalist organizations, the so-called. “activists”, advocated for expanding Sweden’s influence in the Scandinavian world and was revanchist towards Russia (especially against the backdrop of German successes in Eastern Front). Perhaps the most famous pro-German Swede in those years was the famous journalist and traveler Sven Hedin. King Gustav V, on the contrary, was very peaceful and sought neutrality.
Reservists, guarding the railway bridge in Lenning (https://digitaltmuseum.se)
In December 1914, on the initiative of the Swedish monarch, a meeting of the three Scandinavian kings took place in the city of Malmo, at which an agreement was reached on the neutrality of all three states. In 1917, in Oslo (then called Christiania), King Gustav assured the Norwegians:
“I would not be honest either to myself or to history if I said that everything that happened in 1905 can already be forgotten. The rupture of the alliance created by King Charles XIV Johan inflicted a deep wound on the idea of unifying our Scandinavian Peninsula, in the healing of which I, for my part, am ready to take an active part. That's why I'm here today to say ex-brother according to the union: let us create a new union, not according to the old model, but a union of minds and hearts, the vital force of which, I hope, will be greater than before.”
The most serious concern of the Swedish command was the possible defense of the island of Gotland, the convenient location of which could encourage one of the warring powers to capture it. Throughout the war, Swedish ships were constantly on duty in the waters near the island, and in August 1914 it was even decided to mobilize 360 people from the local Landsturm. In total, no more than 13,000 people were under arms at any one time during the war. Several Swedish volunteers took part in the war on the German side. Sweden suffered its main losses as a result of the loss of merchant ships: about 700 sailors did not return home.
War economy
Much more seriously than all the military invasions, Sweden was affected by the policy of economic blockade, carried out with varying success by both blocs. The first victims of this conflict were neutral countries. On the one hand, they were necessary for everyone (Swedish ore went to both sides), and on the other, too often cargo flowed through the neutrals to the enemy, which fueled the war economy. The gradually tightening knot of the British blockade, which sought to deprive Germany latest sources import of scarce goods, finished off Sweden. In 1916, the country was threatened by famine, and the government of the Prime Minister “Hungerschöld” (from the word hunger - i.e., hunger), which did not want to make concessions to the Entente, fell. The cabinets that replaced him quickly accepted the terms of the Allies' game.
Swedish food cards, December 1918 (https://digitaltmuseum.se)
Diplomatic scandals also contributed to this, especially the so-called The “Luxbourg Affair” consisted in the fact that one of the German diplomats in Argentina used Swedish communication channels to transmit to Germany information about the results of the submarine war unleashed by the Germans in the Atlantic. However, this did not prevent the government of Niels Eden from signing a secret treaty with the Germans in 1918: in it, in exchange for recognizing the Åland Islands as Swedish, Sweden agreed to the German occupation of Finland and the establishment of German hegemony in the Baltic.
Life for Swedes worsened during the war. Despite the profits that a number of speculators and industrialists received, most of Swedish society experienced serious difficulties in providing the basic necessities. Consumption of meat, butter, and bread has seriously decreased. Almost half of the grain was imported, as was the feed needed for livestock farming. Ingvar Andersson notes:
“Gradually, difficulties in supply began to be noticed, among other things, due to the fact that harvests were usually below average. Prices rose rapidly due to shortages of goods and large output paper money. The cost of living from the beginning of the war to the first half of 1918 doubled and continued to rise. An attempt to establish firm maximum prices failed. When price rationing was introduced, grain began to be used for other purposes and, when sowing, was replaced by other crops for which there were no fixed prices. As soon as there was a shortage of goods, under-the-table sales and speculation in food and other necessities began to flourish. Special commissions were created to regulate supplies; in mid-1916 sugar rationing was introduced, and in 1917 - rationing of flour and bread, fats and coffee... Industry was slow to adapt to new conditions, and the production of substitutes was not particularly successful. True, there was no great unemployment, since logging absorbed the labor force of textiles and other mothballed enterprises. But price increases in the country remained sensitive, and discontent grew. In 1917 the situation began to become difficult."
Swedish Landsturm (https://digitaltmuseum.se)
Against this background, spontaneous protests arose, which in some cases resulted in small riots, and rumors about a revolution began to spread among workers, fortunately, the events of February and October 1917 in Russia greatly contributed to this. Ultimately, all the discontent culminated in violent demonstrations in 1918, the worst economic year, which contributed to the rise to power of the Social Democrats, who became the most significant political force in the country.
The last major event of 1914–1918 that split Swedish society was the civil war in Finland. The large Swedish-speaking community living there cried out for help. “Activists” from Sweden itself, numbering about 1000 people, even volunteered to fight against the Finnish “Reds”. At the same time, the Swedish Social Democrats tried to help their political comrades in Finland, but did so rather sluggishly, on the one hand, fearing involvement in a big war (and on the German side), and on the other, not wanting to lose the agreement reached so painfully with Britain.
Literature:
- Qvarnström S. Sweden: Encyclopedia // International Encyclopedia of the First World War (WW1), 2014 (http://encyclopedia.1914–1918-online.net)
- Scandinavia in the First World War: Studies in the War Experience of the Northern Neutrals / ed. Ahlund C. – Nordic Academic Press, 2016
- Andersson I. History of Sweden - M.: Foreign Literature Publishing House, 1951
- History of Sweden / Jan Melin, Alf V. Johansson, Susanne Hedenborg - M.: “The Whole World”, 2002
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Despite pro-German sentiments among the public and some political forces, during the Second World War Sweden adhered to conditional neutrality, which, according to a number of well-known experts, was facilitated by the mutual interest of the parties involved in armed conflicts.
At the same time, the state of the so-called “non-intervention” can only be called conditional, thanks to the mediation activities of the Swedish leadership during armed conflicts, namely the conclusion with Nazi Germany of a number of trade and economic agreements for the supply of industrial raw materials and finished products for the needs of the war, as a rule, iron ore, ball bearings, electrical equipment , tools, pulp, and in some cases weapons and equipment.
In addition, Sweden granted Germany the right to transit armed forces through its territory to conduct military operations in the North. It should be noted that the German plans for the Swiss state were successfully implemented until 1943, a turning point in world history, which is interpreted with the beginning of the collapse of the German military machine (victory at Stalingrad and then Kursk).
Predicting the imminent destruction of Nazi Germany already in August 1943, Sweden banned the transit of the German army, weapons and equipment through its territory, trade with Germany was stopped in the fall of 1944, and diplomatic relations were broken in May 1945.
In turn, the Soviet Union positively assessed the conditional independence of its northern neighbors - this made it possible to focus on more important areas. Moreover, despite the actions of the Swedish side during the Finnish-Soviet war (several thousand Swedish volunteers participated in combat operations on the side of Finland), it was the Soviet leadership that came out in defense of Sweden at the time of the Germans’ aggressive activities in the North, sending a note to the German government in 1940 , which stated the desire to maintain Swedish neutrality.
In return for demonstrated loyalty, Sweden served as a diplomatic mediator between the warring parties.
Thus, thanks to a pragmatic policy of double standards, Sweden was able to endure the war period with relative ease, while maintaining socio-economic and political stability.
Raoul Wallenberg Moreover, during the war, having received huge profits from trade relations with Nazi Germany, this northern country was able to significantly strengthen its industrial potential and make a good deposit for the future.
At the same time, along with the seeming selfishness of the Swedish leadership, we must not forget about its assistance to the resistance movement in countries such as Denmark and Norway, as well as the work of the Swedish Red Cross in rescuing people from Scandinavia who were in German concentration camps.
Quite remarkable is the activity of a representative of the Swedish political elite, R. Wallenberg, who was able to save about 100 thousand Jews living in Hungary from extermination by the SS punitive units.
via
By the beginning of the Second World War, 1939 - 1945. Among the Nordic countries, Sweden had the most powerful Armed Forces. Despite the fact that Sweden has maintained military neutrality since 1814 and did not officially participate in military conflicts, many citizens of this country in the 19th - first half of the 20th centuries. actively participated in many wars as volunteers. For example, in the civil war of 1936 - 1939. 500 Swedish citizens participated in Spain. At the beginning of World War II, Swedish volunteers (8260 people, 33 people died) in the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939 - 1940. fought on the side of Finland. In the spring and summer of 1940, 300 Swedish volunteers served in the Norwegian army. Since the summer of 1941, 1,500 Swedish volunteers fought against the Red Army as part of the Finnish army (25 people died), and in German army- 315 (40 people died).
Swedish volunteers in Spain. 1937
In addition, Sweden has traditionally been one of the world's largest producers and suppliers various types weapons. Since 1923 the company AB Landsverk produced tanks and exported them to many armies of the world, and the company AB Bofors was a manufacturer and supplier of various types of artillery pieces. In this regard, the Swedish army has always been well equipped technically and equipped with the latest weapons.
King Gustav V of Sweden
The difficult international situation in Europe in the second half of the 1930s. forced the Swedish government to take drastic measures to increase defense capability Armed Forces countries. Since 1936, by decision of the Swedish parliament, annual spending on the army and navy was increased from 118 million to 148 million US dollars. Of these, expenses for the Air Force increased from 11 million to 28 million US dollars. Firm AB Svenska Järnvägsverkstädernas Aeroplanavdelning began the development and production of combat aircraft.
With the outbreak of the World War, spending on the Armed Forces increased sharply. Since 1942, Sweden's annual military budget has amounted to US$755 million.
As of September 1939, the Swedish Armed Forces numbered 110,000 people. By the beginning of active hostilities in Northern Europe, mobilization was carried out in Sweden and the number of military personnel increased to 320,000 people. Also in June 1940, civil defense units were formed, which included 5,000 people. In total, by 1945, the Swedish Armed Forces included up to 600,000 soldiers and officers.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Swedish Armed Forces was King Gustav V ( Gustaf V).
Since 1937, the direct leadership of the army was carried out by the “chief of the army” ( chefen for armen) Lieutenant General Per Sylvan ( Per Sylvan).
Lieutenant General Per Sylvan (right). 1940
In 1940, Per Sylvan was replaced by Lieutenant General Ivar Holmqvist ( Carl Axel Fredrik Ivar Holmquist).
Lieutenant General Ivar Holmqvist
Earl William Archibald Douglas. 1919
Since 1944, the position of “chief of the army” was occupied by a veteran civil war in Finland 1918, Lieutenant General Count Wilhelm Archibald Douglas ( Vilhelm Archibald Douglas).
By the beginning of 1941, the Swedish ground army increased from five to 10 infantry divisions ( Fordelning). The divisions were consolidated into six military districts. The troops on the island of Gotland were under a separate command, forming the 7th Military District.
The infantry division included three infantry and one artillery regiment. The cavalry was organized into four regiments (each with four machine guns and two cannon armored vehicles) and organized into two cavalry brigades. Each brigade was assigned one battalion of armored vehicles (four armored vehicles).
The infantry were armed with 6.5 mm rifles M/38, 6.5 mm rapid-fire rifles M/42, 9 mm submachine guns M/37-39 And Suomi-KP Model 1931, 6.5 mm light machine guns M/37, 6.5 mm heavy machine guns M/42, 4 mm mortars M/40, 20 mm heavy machine guns M/36 And M/40, 80 mm heavy mortars M/29, 120 mm heavy mortars M/41, 20 mm anti-tank rifles M/42, backpack flamethrowers M/41.
Swedish machine gunners. 1943
The Swedish infantry was sufficiently supplied with powerful (3-ton) trucks Swedish production ( Scania-Vabis lastvogn LB350, Volvo terränlastvagn n/42 and others), which significantly increased the degree of its mobility.
Swedish truck Volvo n/42. 1943
In 1942 - 1943, equipped with armored cars, trucks and motorcycles, the infantry was organized into two motorized and one bicycle brigades.
Swedish motorized infantry. 1942
The artillery had 37 mm anti-tank guns M/38, 105 mm howitzers M/39, 105 mm howitzers M/40H And M/40S, 150 mm howitzers M/38 And M/39, 105 mm field guns M/34. Swedish artillery was equipped for transportation with armored tractors Terrangdragbil M/40 and M/43 Volvo, as well as belt tractors Allis-Chalmers, although some of the light artillery was transported by horse.
Swedish artillery tractor M/43 Volvo
Since 1940, the Swedish coast began to be fortified with numerous machine gun nests, and by 1942 a powerful coastal defense system had emerged, equipped with large-caliber artillery - a 152-mm gun M/98, 152 mm gun M/40, 210 mm gun M/42, as well as light rapid-fire 57 mm guns M/89V.
210-mm M/42 coastal artillery gun. 1944
In 1939, two air defense regiments were formed, armed with 20-mm M/40 machine guns, 40-mm M/36 anti-aircraft guns, 75-mm M/30 anti-aircraft guns, 75-mm M/37 and 105 anti-aircraft guns -mm anti-aircraft guns M/42, as well as 1500 mm searchlights M/37 and radar installations.
Swedish radar
In September 1939, in addition to Swedish-made tanks, the combat schedule of the Swedish Armed Forces included French and Czechoslovakian tanks. At this time, the tanks in service were: small StrvM/37(48 cars), light Strv M/31 (three cars), StrvM/38(16 cars), StrvМ/39(20 cars), StrvМ/40L og K(180 cars), StrvM/41(220 cars) and medium StrvM/42(282 cars). In addition, among the Swedish armored vehicles were armored personnel carriers Tgbil M/42 KP(36 vehicles), armored vehicles Landsverk L-180(five cars) and Pbil m/39(45 cars).
Since 1943, a self-propelled artillery mount was adopted Sav M/43 in the amount of 36 cars.
Swedish self-propelled gun Sav M/43. 1943
Until 1942, self-propelled guns, tanks and armored vehicles were part of the staff of several cavalry (tank squadrons) and infantry regiments:
- tank battalion of the Life Guards Gotha Infantry Regiment;
- tank battalion of the Skaraborg Infantry Regiment;
- tank battalion of the Södermanland Infantry Regiment;
- tank squadron of the Life Guards Hussar Regiment;
- tank squadron of the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment;
- tank squadron of the Skonsky Cavalry Regiment;
- tank squadron of the Norland Dragoon Regiment.
In 1942 - 1943 all tank regiments were consolidated into three separate tank brigades and the Life Guards Gotha Tank Regiment (two motorized battalions and one tank company).
Swedish tank M/42. 1943
The Swedish Air Force, which arose in 1926, by 1945 included about 800 aircraft of various types (fighters, attack aircraft, bombers, torpedo bombers, reconnaissance aircraft) and of various production - Swedish, German, English, Italian, American.
In August 1941, a parachute battalion (595 people) was formed as part of the Swedish Air Force. The paratroopers landed from Swedish-made gliders ( Lg 105) and by parachute.
Swedish glider Lg 105. 1944
The Swedish Navy was the only branch of this country's troops that took part in military clashes during the Second World War. In 1940, the Swedish Navy carried out mining of its territorial waters, and also in 1942 occasionally conducted military operations against the USSR Navy. As a result, Swedish Navy losses amounted to eight ships and 92 killed personnel.
By August 1, 1943, the Swedish Navy consisted of 228 warships - one air cruiser with 11 aircraft on board, seven coastal defense battleships, one light cruiser, 11 destroyers, 19 submarines, 64 patrol, minesweepers and patrol ships, 54 torpedo boats.
Swedish battleship Gustav V. 1943
The most likely enemy was the General Staff of the Swedish Armed Forces in 1940 - 1943. defined Germany, and in 1943 - 1945. - THE USSR. Sweden's military potential made it possible to provide serious resistance in the event of an enemy invasion. Also in April 1945, Sweden planned to land its troops in Denmark. This operation was prevented by the diplomatic efforts of the countries participating in the Anti-Hitler coalition.
Svergies Militara Bedredskap 1939 - 1945, Militarhistoriska forlaget, Militarhogskolan 1982.
Svensk Upplsagsbok, Forlagshuset Nordens Boktryckeri, Malmo 1960.
The period of preparation for war,
Sweden during World War II
wars, coalition rule
government
/248/ In his famous speech at Skansen on August 27, 1939, Prime Minister Per Albin Hansson declared: “Our preparedness for war must be considered good.” He meant economic side of preparations for war. Important raw materials were stockpiled. The main threat in Sweden was considered a possible blockade of the country, as happened during the First World War. On September 1, in connection with the outbreak of war between Germany and Poland, the government published a declaration of neutrality. After the outbreak of war between England/France and Germany, on September 3, another declaration of neutrality was issued.
The Soviet Union used the non-aggression pact with Germany to strengthen its position. Bases were established in the Baltic states. Representatives of Finland were also summoned to Moscow, but the parties were unable to reach any agreement, and the Soviet Union attacked Finland on November 30, 1939.
In Sweden this caused an internal political crisis. Foreign Minister Sandler was more decisive about helping Finland than other members of the government. Sandler was forced to resign. 13 Dec- /249/ a coalition government was formed, consisting of representatives of social democracy, Right Party, People's Party and Peasant Union. Per Albin Hansson remained prime minister. Diplomat Christian Gunther became Foreign Minister.
The “Winter War” in Finland deeply hurt the feelings of the Swedish people. Under the slogan “Finland’s cause is our cause,” various types of assistance were organized for the Finns. The Swedish government provided Finland with significant loans. Weapons were sent to our eastern neighbor. Good results gave a collection of funds and things. A volunteer corps was created, which by the end of the war numbered 12 thousand people. The solidarity movement also demanded that regular troops be sent to Finland, but the government refused this. The Freikorps did not participate in major operations, but relieved the Finnish army of guard duty in the vast border areas of Northern Finland.
It ended with the Soviet Union. Finland managed to maintain its independence, but it lost a significant part of its territories. Less than a month later, on April 9, the next blow to the Nordic countries was dealt: Germany attacked Denmark and Norway. Denmark was occupied in one day, and the Norwegians resisted. In particular difficult situation hit German troops in northern Norway. The Germans demanded from Sweden permission to transport weapons to their formations in the north, but the Swedish government refused them this. After the end of the war in Norway, however, it admitted that the Germans were sending their soldiers for rest or re-formation using the Swedish railways. This transit lasted until 1943.
In 1940–1941, Sweden was under strong pressure from Germany. In his foreign policy Sweden tried to adapt to the new balance of power in Europe. It provided Germany with all sorts of privileges. The biggest concession came in June 1941, when a fully armed German division was sent along the Swedish railway from Norway to Finland. (See section Swedish politics concessions during the Second World War.)
The government called on the Swedish press to be careful in their assessments of events on the world stage, so as not to upset relations. /250/ ties with a powerful neighbor to the south. Most of the media showed understanding of the problem and followed the rules of strict self-censorship. But some newspapers refused to “break ranks” and published openly anti-Nazi articles. The most famous in this sense were the Gothenburgs Handels o Schöfartstidning, published by Torgny Segerstedt, and the weekly Trots Alt, published by the writer and social democrat Thure Nerman. Publications containing articles that could irritate the Germans were destroyed or confiscated. This policy reached its peak in March 1942, when no fewer than 17 newspapers were seized because they contained articles about German torture of members of the Norwegian Resistance. In 1943, when military fortunes turned against the Germans, the confiscation of newspapers stopped. Freedom of speech has been restricted strong criticism. After the war, in 1949, under new legislation on freedom of the press, the provision on freedom of expression was strengthened. However, there were groups of the population who wanted a rapprochement between Sweden and Germany, as they believed that the latter would emerge victorious from the war. The concessions that were made to the Germans did not seem to be some kind of “concessions”, but only a natural adaptation to the future winner. Even if we take into account that the number of Nazis in Sweden was small, during the period of Germany’s victories there was a trend friendly towards this country. The violence committed by the Germans in Denmark and Norway did not allow these sentiments to be advertised or made public.
After Germany attacked Denmark and Norway, Sweden's contacts with the West were disrupted. The Germans laid minefields from the southern coast of Norway to the northern tip of Jutland. Sweden could not conduct free maritime trade. It began to depend on imports from Germany: coal and coke were imported as energy sources, artificial fertilizers for Agriculture and raw materials for industry. In exchange, it supplied Germany a large number of iron ore, bearings and timber. The government managed at the end of 1940 to force the Germans and British to agree to limited shipping links with Western countries through mined zones. It was the so-called guaranteed shipping. Thus, Sweden could import certain goods that were important to it, primarily oil, hides, leather, as well as such “luxury goods” as coffee.
The reduction in foreign trade had Negative consequences for the Swedish economy. To curb inflation, in 1942 /251/ prices were frozen and wage. Despite the difficulties, the country was able to maintain a relatively high standard of living. It is estimated that real wages have fallen by 10–15%. For certain
For groups of the population, such as peasants, the blockade created the opportunity to raise prices for their products. They're up about 40%.
Many men of age suitable for military service, were regularly called up for retraining to receive military education and perform coast guard duty “somewhere in Sweden.” Despite the tedious work, retraining for many it was a distraction from everyday life. The feeling of camaraderie and shared experiences made us remember these events with a nostalgic feeling even after a number of years.
During the war, Sweden began to arm itself intensively. In 1936, many believed that 148 million crowns was too much for defense. In 1941–1942, the defense budget reached 1846 million, that is, it exceeded the original figure by more than ten times. There were heated discussions in the government about how to finance rapidly growing defense spending. Social Democrats believed that this burden should be borne by everyone in accordance with their income, that is, that the rich should pay proportionately more than ordinary workers. The right, in contrast, believed that everyone should pay an equal percentage of defense costs, subject to compensation for the poorest groups. The policies pursued by the coalition government can be seen as a compromise. State control was introduced for the most important food products, such as butter and milk. /252/ subsidies to ensure that rising agricultural prices do not hit the poorest people too hard. Tax oppression also increased during the war. By 1943
This year the estimated value of taxes increased by 35%. Wartime administrative bodies were formed to distribute scarce goods. In fact, a kind of planned economy was introduced, on the basis of which all economic life was regulated. The liberal market economy has largely been abandoned.
In the final period of the war, the Swedish people were primarily interested in events in neighboring northern countries. The Swedes deeply resented the German terrorist regime in Norway and the attempts of the Norwegian Nazi leader Vidkun Quisling to force the Norwegians to submit to Nazism. Sweden also followed developments in Denmark with unflagging interest. Thanks to cooperation between Danish politicians and the Swedish government, virtually the entire Jewish population of Denmark was able to move to Sweden in October 1943. Thus, it avoided deportation to concentration camps and destruction. Since 1943, Danes and Norwegians who moved to Sweden received military education in specially organized camps. It was believed that at the end of the war they should take part in military operations to liberate their countries and restore order there. In February 1945, the Norwegian government, which was located in London, expressed the wish that the Swedish army would be ready to enter Norway to disarm the Germans. The Swedish Defense Headquarters had been developing plans for invasion of both Norway and Denmark since the autumn of 1942. But the government, as before, remained cautious. It was believed that a favorable opportunity was emerging for a peaceful end to the German occupation in Norway and Denmark. Swedish intervention would be unnecessary in this case. And so it happened. Day- /253/ Indeed, German troops surrendered two days before the end of the war in Europe.
IN Last year During the war, refugees from Germany and the Baltic states poured into Sweden. The Soviet Union demanded in June 1945 that Sweden hand over all soldiers who arrived there in German military uniform. We were talking about two thousand soldiers. The overwhelming majority were Germans, but there were about a hundred Balts there. The government resolutely refused to hand over 30 thousand. civilians, fled to Sweden. As for the Balts who arrived in the country in German uniforms, the government considered itself bound by the obligation given to the allies even before the end of the war that this category of persons would be expelled to their places of residence. The government sought to establish a trusting relationship with the Soviet Union after the war and was afraid that refusal would be perceived negatively. The prestige of the Soviet Union during this period was the highest, since the contribution of this state to the victory over Nazi Germany was the most significant. But public opinion in Sweden was against the extradition of the Baltic states. They were afraid that these people would be severely punished in the Soviet Union. However, the government remained firm in its decision. At the end of 1946, scenes occurred that could not but excite: 145 people from the Baltic states were handed over to the Soviet authorities. For many, this fact became a shameful stain on Sweden's reputation as a humane nation.
During the war, Sweden was the organizer of several humanitarian actions: in 1942, grain supplies to Greece, whose population was experiencing hunger. The Netherlands also received similar assistance. Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg made an important contribution to saving Jews from Nazi persecution in Hungary in 1944. Folke Bernadotte, vice-chairman of the Swedish Red Cross, negotiated with Nazi leader G. Himmler at the end of the war for the release of Norwegian and Danish resistance members from German concentration camps. Gradually Himmler agreed to this. Those released were transported to Sweden on so-called “white buses”. Later, other prisoners were transported on these buses, receiving asylum in Sweden.
On May 7, 1945, a message arrived that Germany had capitulated. The war in Europe is over. “It feels like this endless nightmare has finally ended,” the prime minister said in a radio speech. For our northern neighbors, the war turned out to be a difficult ordeal. Sweden, thanks to its cautious policy, was able to very easily /254/ survive this time. Finland lost 80 thousand people. Of those who were 20–25 years old at the beginning of the war, 10% died. At the end of the war, 50 thousand children were left without fathers in Finland. Norway lost 10 thousand people during the war. Most of them were sailors on merchant ships. During the war, many Swedish sailors also died.
The war contributed to a certain leveling of class differences in Sweden. People from various social strata took part in long-term military retraining. During the war, national feelings were more strongly expressed, which contributed to a sense of unity.
The war led to freer forms of communication between the sexes. Conservative circles opposed this. A heated debate arose on the issue of the so-called “harm from dance floors.” They were believed to encourage alcohol abuse and sexual promiscuity.
Political life was generally calm. Sweden held elections three times during the war years: in 1940, 1942 and 1944 (local elections were held in 1942). The 1940 elections were a great success for the Social Democrats, who received about 54% of the vote, the highest ever seen in the history of Swedish Social Democracy. It was said that the people voted for Per Albin Hansson because, in the opinion of many, he saved Sweden from war. A significant reason that Sweden did not participate in the hostilities was that Germany, after occupying Denmark and Norway, had no motive to attack Sweden. This country was of interest to Germany, primarily as a supplier of iron ore.
