General (Sweden)

General
*General*
General; General
	Rank flag
	Rank insignia of the Army, Amphibious Corps & Air force
Country	Sweden
Service branch	Army; Air Force; Amphibious Corps (from 2000); Coastal Artillery (until 2000)
Abbreviation	Gen (Swedish) (English)
Rank group	General officer
Rank	Four-star
NATO rank code	OF-9
Non-NATO rank	O-10
Next higher rank	Field marshal
Next lower rank	Lieutenant general
Equivalent ranks	Admiral

General (Gen; Swedish: General) is a four-star commissioned officer rank in the Swedish Army, Swedish Air Force and Swedish Amphibious Corps. General ranks immediately above lieutenant general and is equivalent to admiral in the Swedish Navy. It is held by the Chief of Defence of the Swedish Armed Forces and the monarch.

History

In Sweden, the rank of general was a three-star rank until 1972 when it became a four-star rank. Historically, during the 20th century, lieutenant generals were promoted one grade upon retirement to full general. According to current practice only royals and the chief of defence, if he were to come from the Swedish Army, Swedish Air Force or the Swedish Amphibious Corps can hold the rank of a full, four-star, general in Sweden.

In the King in Council meeting on 30 April 1954, Bengt Nordenskiöld was appointed the first non-royal general in the Swedish Air Force, two months before his retirement.^[3] On 1 January 2004, Håkan Syrén became the first, and so far only, general in the Swedish Amphibious Corps (formerly the Coastal Artillery).

In 2009, the Swedish Armed Forces reported that General Håkan Syrén would retain his rank during his time as Chairman of the European Union Military Committee (2009–2012), which for the first time gave Sweden three active four-star generals; former Supreme Commander, General Håkan Syrén (2004–2012), then current Supreme Commander, General Sverker Göranson (2009–2015), and King Carl XVI Gustaf (1973–present).^[4] This is correct since the rank of general since 1972 is a four-star rank. However, before 1972, the rank of general was a three-star rank, and between 1940 and 1941 Sweden had five active three-star generals; the Supreme Commander, General Olof Thörnell (1940–1944), General Oscar Nygren (1939–1941^[b]), King Gustaf V (1898–1950), Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf (1932–1973), and Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland (1908–1951).^[6]

Following a proposal from the Swedish Armed Forces, the Government of Sweden decides on employment as a general.^[7]

In everyday speech, generals of all ranks are addressed as generals.^[8]^[9]

Rank insignia

Collar patches

Collar patch m/58 (black m/02) on field uniform M90
(2002–present)
Collar patch m/58 (black m/02) on field uniform M90
(2002–present)
Collar patch m/58 (gold) on uniform m/58-m/59 and field uniform M90
(1983–2002)
Collar patch m/58 (gold) on uniform m/58-m/59 and field uniform M90
(–2002)
Collar patch m/58 (bronze) on uniform m/58-m/59
(1972–1983)
Collar patch m/58 (bronze) on uniform m/58-m/59
(1958–1972)
Collar patch on uniform m/1923
(1923–1939)

Shoulder marks

Shoulder mark on uniform m/87 (Army and Air Force)
(1987–present)
Shoulder mark m/87 on white shirt (Army and Air Force)
(1987–present)
Shoulder mark m/87 on white shirt (Navy)
(1987–present)
Shoulder mark on uniform m/1939
(1939–1958)
Shoulder mark on uniform m/1923
(1923–1939)
Shoulder mark on uniform m/1910
(1910–1923)

Sleeve insignias

Amphibious Corps and Coastal Artillery

Sleeve insignia for a general in the Amphibious Corps
(2003–present)
Sleeve insignia for a general in the Amphibious Corps
(2000–2003)
and
Coastal Artillery (1972–2000)
Sleeve insignia for a general in the Coastal Artillery
(1901–1972)

Air Force

Sleeve insignia for a general (1972–present) (today only on mess dress uniform)
Sleeve insignia for a general (?–1972)
Flight suit sleeve insignia (Ärmmatta m/02) for a general^[10]
(1972–present)
Flight suit sleeve insignia for a general
(?–1972)

Army

Sleeve insignia for a general on uniform m/1906
(1906–1923)

Hats

Hat for general of any rank on uniform m/1865-99
(1865–?)
Peaked cap (dark blue) for air force general (Skärmmössa m/1930)
(1930–)
Peaked cap (white) for air force general (Skärmmössa m/1930)
(1930–)
Peaked cap for army general (Skärmmössa m/1952)
(1952–)

Personal flags

The command flag of a general (and an admiral) is a double swallowtailed Swedish flag. In the first blue field 4 five-pointed white stars placed two over two.^[11]

Admiral/General^[c] command flag (4 stars)^[13]
(1972–present)
Admiral/General^[c] command flag (3 stars)^[12]
(1905–1972)

List of generals

The following have been promoted to the rank of general in the Swedish Armed Forces between 1900 and 2026. This colour indicates that the person was appointed honorary general in the Swedish Army.

Image	Branch	Name	Year promoted	Born	Died	Notes	Ref
	Army	Axel Rappe	1903	1838	1918	Chief of the General Staff (1899–1905)	^[14]
	Army	Hemming Gadd	1905^[d]	1837	1915	Commander of the 4th Army Division (1896–1905) Commandant General in Stockholm (1905–1905) Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1905–1907)	^[14]
	Army	Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn	1906	1850	1942	Honorary General Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (1874–1942)	^[14]
	Army	Frederick II, Grand Duke of Baden	1906	1857	1928	Honorary General Grand Duke of Baden (1907–1918)	^[14]
	Army	Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland	1908	1861	1951	Prince of Sweden (1861–1951)	^[14]
	Army	Wilhelm II, German Emperor	1908	1859	1941	Honorary General German Emperor, King of Prussia (1888–1918)	^[14]
	Army	Edward VII	1908	1841	1910	Honorary General King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, Emperor of India (1901–1910)	^[14]
	Army	Gustaf Uggla	1913^[d]	1846	1924	Commander of the 2nd Army Division (1902–1913) Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1910–1923)
	Army	Knut Gillis Bildt	1919^[d]	1854	1927	Chief of the General Staff (1905–1919)
	Army	Lars Tingsten	1922^[d]	1857	1937	Chief of the General Staff (1919–1922)
Hammarskjöld as lieutenant general (1926–1930)	Army	Carl Gustaf Hammarskjöld	1930^[d]	1865	1940	Chief of the General Staff (1922–1930)
	Army / Air Force	Gustaf VI Adolf	1932	1882	1973	Crown Prince of Sweden (1907–1950) King of Sweden (1950–1973)
Nygren as major general (1929–1937)	Army	Oscar Nygren	1937^[e]	1872	1960	Chief of the General Staff (1933–1937)
	Army	Olof Thörnell	1940	1877	1977	Supreme Commander (1939–1944) Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1944–1950)
	Army	Helge Jung	1944	1886	1978	Supreme Commander (1944–1951)
	Army	Nils Swedlund	1951	1898	1965	Supreme Commander (1951–1961)
	Air Force	Bengt Nordenskiöld	1954^[f]	1891	1983	Chief of the Air Force (1942–1954)
	Army	Carl August Ehrensvärd	1957^[d]	1892	1974	Chief of the Army (1948–1957)
Ljungdahl as lieutenant general (1954–1960)	Air Force	Axel Ljungdahl	1960^[d]	1887	1995	Chief of the Air Force (1954–1960)
	Air Force	Torsten Rapp	1961	1905	1993	Supreme Commander (1961–1970)
Cederschiöld as major general (1937–1963	Army	Hugo Cederschiöld	1963^[g]	1878	1968	Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1950–1963)
Bonde as lieutenant general (1957–1963	Army	Thord Bonde	1963^[d]	1900	1969	Chief of the Army (1957–1963) Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1963–1969)
Bonde as lieutenant general (1961–1968	Air Force	Lage Thunberg	1968^[d]	1905	1997	Chief of the Air Force (1961–1968)
	Army	Curt Göransson	1969^[d]	1909	1996	Chief of the Army (1963–1969)
Prince Bertil is admiral's uniform	Army / Air Force^[h]	Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland	1969	1912	1997	Prince of Sweden (1912–1997)	^[16]
	Army	Stig Synnergren	1970	1915	2004	Supreme Commander (1970–1978) Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1978–1986)
Carl XVI Gustaf in army uniform	Army / Air Force^[i]	Carl XVI Gustaf	1973	1946	—	King of Sweden (1973–present)
Norén as lieutenant general (1966–1973	Air Force	Stig Norén	1973^[d]	1908	1996	Chief of the Air Force (1968–1973)
Almgren as major general (1961–1966)	Army	Carl Eric Almgren	1976^[d]	1913	2001	Chief of the Army (1969–1976)
	Army	Lennart Ljung	1978	1921	1990	Supreme Commander (1978–1986) Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1986–1990)
	Army	Bengt Gustafsson	1986	1933	2019	Supreme Commander (1986–1994)
	Air Force	Owe Wiktorin	1994	1940	—	Supreme Commander (1994–2000)
Hederstedt as senior colonel (1993–1996)	Army	Johan Hederstedt	2000	1943	—	Supreme Commander (2000–2003)
	Navy (Amphibious Corps)	Håkan Syrén	2004	1952	—	Supreme Commander (2004–2009) Chairman of the European Union Military Committee (2009-2012)
	Army	Sverker Göranson	2009	1954	—	Supreme Commander (2009–2015)
	Air Force	Micael Bydén	2015	1964	—	Supreme Commander (2015–2024)
	Army	Michael Claesson	2024	1965	—	Chief of Defence (2024–present)

Footnotes

↑ General was a three-star rank until 1972 in the Swedish Armed Forces rank structure.
↑ Nygren left active service and was promoted to general in the army on 1 October 1937. He was recalled to active service to the post of commander of the 2nd Army Corps, where he served in Upper Norrland from December 1939 to April 1940 and in western Sweden from April to September 1940 and April to August 1941. Nygren was at the appointment in 1939 Sweden's only three-star general outside the royal family.^[5]
1 2 The Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces used admiral's flag since 1942.^[12]
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Upon retirement.
↑ Upon retirement on 1 October 1937. However, Nygren was called back for service as commander of the 2nd Army Corps in Upper Norrland and in Western Sweden from 1939 to 1941.^[5]
↑ Appointed general on 30 April 1954, two months before his retirement on 30 June 1954,^[3] which can then be considered a tombstone promotion. Nordenskiöld was also the first non-royal general in the Swedish Air Force.
↑ Transferred to reserve in 1950, where he remained as lieutenant general until 31 December 1954. After resigning as Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff in 1963, Cederschiöld was promoted to general in the army on 23 May 1963.^[15]
↑ Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland was general in the Swedish Army and in the Swedish Air Force (and admiral in the Swedish Navy).^[16]
↑ King Carl XVI Gustaf is general in the Swedish Army and in the Swedish Air Force (and admiral in the Swedish Navy).^[17]

References

Notes

↑ "Försvarsmaktens föreskrifter om personaltjänst (FFS 2019:6)" (PDF) (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 2 December 2019. p. 3. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
↑ "Försvarsmaktens gemensamma identitet – direktiv för användandet av Försvarsmaktens namn, profil och bild" (PDF). 1.3 (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 16 September 2013. p. 66. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 February 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
1 2 Böhme 1990–1991, p. 292.
↑ Haglund 2009
1 2 Cronenberg 1990–1991, p. 704
↑ Sveriges statskalender för skottåret 1940 (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1940. p. 268.
↑ "Förordning om ändring i förordningen (2000:555) med instruktion för Försvarsmakten" (PDF) (in Swedish). Swedish Code of Statutes. 20 June 2005. p. 2. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
↑ Etikett och god ton: Praktisk handbok i sättet att uppföra sig. 1 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Åhlén & Åkerlund. 1932. p. 128. SELIBR 1353820.
↑ Handbok: parad 6: traditionsvård : H PARAD 6 2016 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Försvarsmakten. 2017. p. 31. SELIBR 22459606.
↑ Reglemente: uniformsbestämmelser 2015 : Unibest FM 2015 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Försvarsmakten. 2015. p. 343. SELIBR 19513428. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 January 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
↑ Braunstein 2004, p. 111
1 2 Lybeck 1945, p. 570
↑ Handbok: parad 4: marinen : R PARAD 4 2017 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Försvarsmakten. 2017. p. 14. SELIBR 21485968.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Sveriges statskalender för år 1909 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: P.A. Nordstedt & Söner. 1909. p. 126.
↑ "Hugo Montgomery Cederschiöld". www.nordvik.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 19 March 2021.
1 2 Spiegelberg 1984, p. 404
↑ "Officiella fotografier" (in Swedish). Royal Court of Sweden. Retrieved 19 March 2021.

Sources

Braunstein, Christian (2004). Svenska försvarsmaktens fälttecken efter millennieskiftet [The flags and standards of the Swedish armed forces after the turn of the millennium] (PDF). Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023; 7 [dvs 8] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Statens försvarshistoriska museer. ISBN 91-971584-7-X. SELIBR 9815350. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 May 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
Böhme, Klaus-Richard (1990–1991). "Bengt G Nordenskiöld". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon (in Swedish). Vol. 27. National Archives of Sweden. p. 292. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
Cronenberg, Arvid (1990–1991). "Oscar E Nygren". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon (in Swedish). Vol. 27. National Archives of Sweden. p. 704. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
Haglund, Sven-Åke (5 November 2009). "Håkan Syrén general i EU" [Håkan Syrén general in the EU] (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
Lybeck, Otto, ed. (1945). Svenska flottans historia: örlogsflottan i ord och bild från dess grundläggning under Gustav Vasa fram till våra dagar (PDF) (in Swedish). Vol. 3 [1815-1945]. Malmö: Allhem. SELIBR 795890.
Spiegelberg, Christina, ed. (1984). Sveriges statskalender. 1984 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Liber. ISBN 91-38-90400-4. SELIBR 3682782.

[3] General was a three-star rank until 1972 in the Swedish Armed Forces rank structure.

[7] Nygren left active service and was promoted to general in the army on 1 October 1937. He was recalled to active service to the post of commander of the 2nd Army Corps, where he served in Upper Norrland from December 1939 to April 1940 and in western Sweden from April to September 1940 and April to August 1941. Nygren was at the appointment in 1939 Sweden's only three-star general outside the royal family.^[5]

[fn1-15] 1 2 The Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces used admiral's flag since 1942.^[12]

[fn2-18] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Upon retirement.

[fn3-19] Upon retirement on 1 October 1937. However, Nygren was called back for service as commander of the 2nd Army Corps in Upper Norrland and in Western Sweden from 1939 to 1941.^[5]

[20] Appointed general on 30 April 1954, two months before his retirement on 30 June 1954,^[3] which can then be considered a tombstone promotion. Nordenskiöld was also the first non-royal general in the Swedish Air Force.

[fn4-22] Transferred to reserve in 1950, where he remained as lieutenant general until 31 December 1954. After resigning as Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff in 1963, Cederschiöld was promoted to general in the army on 23 May 1963.^[15]

[fn6-24] Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland was general in the Swedish Army and in the Swedish Air Force (and admiral in the Swedish Navy).^[16]

[fn5-26] King Carl XVI Gustaf is general in the Swedish Army and in the Swedish Air Force (and admiral in the Swedish Navy).^[17]

[1] "Försvarsmaktens föreskrifter om personaltjänst (FFS 2019:6)" (PDF) (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 2 December 2019. p. 3. Retrieved 17 August 2020.

[2] "Försvarsmaktens gemensamma identitet – direktiv för användandet av Försvarsmaktens namn, profil och bild" (PDF). 1.3 (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 16 September 2013. p. 66. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 February 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2019.

[FOOTNOTEBöhme1990–1991292-4] 1 2 Böhme 1990–1991, p. 292.

[5] Haglund 2009

[Cronenberg_(1990–1991),_p._704-6] 1 2 Cronenberg 1990–1991, p. 704

[8] Sveriges statskalender för skottåret 1940 (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1940. p. 268.

[9] "Förordning om ändring i förordningen (2000:555) med instruktion för Försvarsmakten" (PDF) (in Swedish). Swedish Code of Statutes. 20 June 2005. p. 2. Retrieved 21 August 2020.

[10] Etikett och god ton: Praktisk handbok i sättet att uppföra sig. 1 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Åhlén & Åkerlund. 1932. p. 128. SELIBR 1353820.

[11] Handbok: parad 6: traditionsvård : H PARAD 6 2016 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Försvarsmakten. 2017. p. 31. SELIBR 22459606.

[12] Reglemente: uniformsbestämmelser 2015 : Unibest FM 2015 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Försvarsmakten. 2015. p. 343. SELIBR 19513428. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 January 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2020.

[13] Braunstein 2004, p. 111

[Lybeck_(1945),_p._570-14] 1 2 Lybeck 1945, p. 570

[16] Handbok: parad 4: marinen : R PARAD 4 2017 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Försvarsmakten. 2017. p. 14. SELIBR 21485968.

[Sveriges_statskalender_(1909),_p._126-17] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Sveriges statskalender för år 1909 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: P.A. Nordstedt & Söner. 1909. p. 126.

[21] "Hugo Montgomery Cederschiöld". www.nordvik.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 19 March 2021.

[Spiegelberg_(1984),_p._404-23] 1 2 Spiegelberg 1984, p. 404

[25] "Officiella fotografier" (in Swedish). Royal Court of Sweden. Retrieved 19 March 2021.

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