- May 1
- Crown Princess Margareta dies. [119.97]
- (month unknown)
- The Riksdag passes a new code of marriage laws. [1.428]
- Royal vessel Riksnyckeln is discovered in the Baltic, near Viksten, about 40 miles south of Stockholm. (The ship sunk in 1628.) [301.6]
- The work day is set at eight hours, Monday to Saturday. [267.171]
- October
- A moderately Conservative administration lead by Louis De Geer replaces Branting's ministry. [1.427] [48.482]
1921
- October
- In the general election, Hjalmar Branting returns as prime minister of a social democratic government. [1.427] [48.482]
- (month unknown)
- A League of Nations committee recommends Åland Islands remain part of Finland, but be allowed to retain the Swedish language. Sweden agrees to the terms. [47.237] [267.172]
- The Swedish Mint releases a 2 kronor silver coin to commemorate 400 years of political liberty, portraying King Gustav I Vasa. [22.17]
1922
- January
- Number of workers unemployed in Sweden: 160,000. [1.428] [48.488]
- (month unknown)
- The first Vasalopp ski race takes place, from Sälen to Mora. Ernst Alm is the winner, with a time of 7:32:19. [46.19]
vvv advertisement vvv
^^^ advertisement ^^^
- The League of Nations elects Sweden to a non-permanent seat in the Council. [48.501] (1923 [47.245])
- A mining museum at the Falu Copper Mine opens to the public. [58.12]
- A consultative referendum is held on prohibition of alcohol consumption. A narrow majority votes in favor of prohibition remaining in effect. [47.240] [48.412,495] [236.13] [267.172]
- The military prerequisite for voting eligibility is abolished. [48.478]
- December
- Membership in Co-operative Association: 254,450. [1.429]
1923
- April
- Prime Minister Branting resigns. A Conservative minority government is formed under Ernst Trygger. [1.432] [47.240] [48.482]
- June
- Crown Prince Gustav Adolf becomes engaged to Lady Louise Mountbatten. [119.97]
- (month unknown)
- The Swedish book Social-Demokraten writes: "Encircle Germany with zones ... treat her as the dangerous lunatic of Europe, take every precaution against her, and one day Germany will break out of her cell with the demoniac force of the lunatic.". [48.501]
- The Tenants' Savings and Building Society is founded in Stockholm. They help individuals save money, take part in planning a building, and buy an apartment. [48.491]
- Liseborg opens as an entertainment and congress park, hosting the world's largest roller coaster. [8.19]
- November 3
- Crown Prince Gustav Adolf marries Lady Louise Mountbatten in the Chapel Royal at St. James' Palace in England, hosted by King George V. [119.7]
1924
- January 25
- (to February 4) The 1st Olympic Winter Games are held in Chamonix, France. Sweden wins one gold medal. [252.507]
- May 4
- (to July 27) The 8th Olympic Games are held in Paris, France. Sweden wins 4 gold, 13 silver, and 12 bronze medals. [252.490] [255.19]
- (month unknown)
- Sweden recognizes the Soviet Government. [47.246] [270.512]
- At Deragård, near Öxnevalla, a dented brass button filled with lead is discovered in a load of gravel. It is believed to be the bullet that killed King Karl XII in 1718. [183.867]
- Sweden returns to the gold standard, the first country in Europe to do so after the first world war. [48.488] [267.172]
- Centralgruppens Emissionsaktiebolag finds gold 25 metres underground near Skellefteå. (The 150-km corridor on both sides of the Skellefte River turns into Europe's largest and richest gold mine. In 43 years, it yields 125,263-kg gold, 400,947-kg silver, and 117,445 tons of copper.) [128.22]
- Sweden concludes a trade agreement with the Soviet Union. [47.246]
- October
- Prime Minister Ernst Trygger resigns. Hjalmar Branting returns again leading a social democratic government. [1.433] [47.240] [48.482]
1925
- January
- Prime Minister Branting resigns due to failing health. Minister of Commerce Rickard Sandler becomes the new Prime Minister. [47.240] [48.482,485] [267.173] (February [1.434])
- (month unknown)
- The Swedish America Line constructs the steamship Gripsholm. [52.18]
- Östen Undén replaces Hjalmar Branting as Sweden's representative at the League of Nations. [48.501]
- Electrolux launches the first refrigerator without moving parts, invented by Baltzar von Platen and Carl Munters. [281.19]
- The Postal Giro Service is started in Sweden, based on the system originating in Austria in 1883. It allows for transfers of money between accounts, reducing the need for cash. [13.48]
- Extensive disarmament is decided upon. [1.434]
1926
- June
- Sandler's government is defeated. Carl Ekman and the Folkfrisinnade party form the new government. [1.435] [48.482]
- (month unknown)
- The Swedish government sells about 80 tons of wartime iron coins as junk. [207.10]
- Sweden leaves the Council of the League of Nations. [47.245]
- The state church loses its monopoly on funerals. [48.573]
1927
- April 14
- Volvo produces its first production line car, the Jakob, in Göteborg. The car has a 28-hp 4-cylinder engine, and costs 4800 kronor. About 200 are produced. The company name was chosen because it means "I roll" in Latin. [55.18] [69.18]
- (month unknown)
- An Education Act passes in the riksdag, bringing about school reform. [47.241] [48.486]
- A law takes effect prohibiting the export of cultural objects of special importance, made before 1860. [193.10]
1928
- February 11
- (to February 19) The 2nd Olympic Winter Games are held in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Sweden wins 2 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze medals. [252.508] [255.20]
- May 17
- (to August 12) The 9th Olympic Games are held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Sweden wins 7 gold, 6 silver, and 12 bronze medals. [252.491]
- (month unknown)
- A labor court is established. [48.486]
- The Swedish America Line constructs the motorship Kungsholm. [52.18]
- Examination of mass graves on Gotland commences. About 1200 victims of the 1361 Danish invasion are identified. [120.67]
- The Swedish America Line sells the steamship Stockholm. [52.17]
- October
- Prime Minister Ekman resigns. Conservative Arvid Lindman forms a new government. [1.436] [48.482]
- December
- Helge Ekengren and Paul Johnson found Svenska Pressen (Swedish Press) in British Columbia. [304.5]
1929
-
- A totem pole of the G'psgolox is cut down on the northern coast of British Columbia, Canada, by a native agent, and sold to the Stockholm Museum. (The pole will return in 2006.) [329.12]
- July
- Gammelsvenskby in the Ukraine is abandoned by the former Swedish families who established it in 1781, now returning to Sweden. (Some soon return to the Ukraine, some move to Canada.) [308.26]
1930
- April 4
- Queen Viktoria dies, in Rome. [119.115]
- June
- Prime Minister Vice-Admiral Arvid Lindman resigns. Carl Ekman returns to lead a liberal government. [1.436] [47.232] [48.482]
- (month unknown)
- On an ice covered island beyond Danes Island, Spitzbergen, the remains of three explorers are discovered. The three had launched the hydrogen balloon Eagle in 1897 hoping to reach the North Pole. Their diaries and cameras tell the story of their last 83 days of isolation. [205.63]
- Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxemburg form the Oslo Group, to promote freer trade among themselves. [48.463]
- Population of Sweden: 6.142 million. [48.440]
- Year
- Jewish population in Sweden is about 6000. [4.13]
1931
- May
- In Norrland, in Ådalen, troops fire on and kill five strikers who maltreated a group of strike-breakers. [1.437] [47.242]
- (month unknown)
- Swedish-American artist Haddon Sundblom paints his first Santa Claus for a Coca-Cola advertisement. (He will eventually paint 40 such ads of Santa, and over 150 pieces of advertising art for the Coca-Cola company.) [81.22]
- Swedish poet Erik Karlfeldt is awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. [47.261]
- September
- Sweden goes off the gold standard. [1.437] [48.489] [267.174]
1932
- February 4
- (to February 15) The 3rd Olympic Winter Games are held in Lake Placid, New York, USA. Sweden wins 1 gold and 2 silver medals. [252.509] [255.22]
- March 12
- Ivar Kreuger, Swedish financier, is found shot dead in his Paris apartment, presumably a suicide. He is estimated to have spent US$400 million of investor money in 15 years. [1.437] [48.490] [127.19] [142.12] [267.174] [375.34]
- (month unknown)
- Prime Minister Carl Ekman is forced to resign when it is learned that his party had accepted financial support from Ivar Kreuger's match company, in exchange for credits by the Bank of Sweden. Felix Hamrin, the Minister of Finance, becomes the new prime minister. (1932 [47.242]) [48.482] [1.438]
- The Swedish Mint releases a 2 kronor silver coin to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the death of King Gustav II Adolf. [22.17]
- July 30
- (to August 14) The 10th Olympic Games are held in Los Angeles, California, USA. Sweden wins 9 gold, 5 silver, and 9 bronze medals. [252.493] [255.23]
- October
- Hamrin government resigns. Per Albin Hansson forms a Social Democratic government. [1.438] [47.242] (September [48.482] [267.174])
- October 20
- Prince Gustav Adolf marries Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. [119.117] [150.21]
- December
- Unemployment: over 160,000. [1.437]
1933
- March
- Unemployment: 187,000. [47.243]
- December
- Unemployment: 185,000. [1.438]
1934
-
- Professor Gerhard Hafström excavates one of the six Swedish/Danish frontier stones erected in 1054, the one at Brömsebro. [327.113]
- In Sweden, a special authority is set up for betting on soccer matches. [386.342]
- Sweden hosts the World Championship Competitions on Skis. [17.30]
- Voluntary unemployment insurance is introduced. [1.440]
1935
-
- Volvo introduces the Carioca car. [69.18]
- May 25
- Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark marries Ingrid, daughter of King Gustav VI Adolf of Sweden. [119.117] [163.66]
- (month unknown)
- An Unemployment Insurance bill passes the Riksdag. [47.244]
- Sweden holds the world record for low birth rate, at 13.7 per thousand. Deaths exceed births by 3%. [48.438]
1936
- February 6
- (to February 16) The 4th Olympic Winter Games are held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Sweden wins 2 gold, 2 silver, and 3 bronze medals. [252.510] [255.24]
- June
- The Social Democrat government of P.A. Hansson is defeated. A Farmers' Union government takes over, lead by Axel Pehrsson. [1.439] [47.244] [48.482]
- A farmer at Bocksten in Halland uncovers a body buried in peatland. The body turns out to likely be an army recruiting officer killed in about 1360 by unwilling villagers. (The body and clothes are well preserved in the peat, giving the world the only surviving complete mediaeval costume.) [303.179]
- (month unknown)
- The Furuvik amusement park re-opens near Gävle near the Baltic sea. [8.19]
- August 1
- (to August 16) The 11th Olympic Games are held in Berlin, Germany. Sweden wins 6 gold, 5 silver, and 9 bronze medals. [252.493] [255.25]
- September
- In a general election, Per Albin Hansson forms a Social Democrat ministry government in coalition with the Farmers' Union. This is the first time the Social Democratic Party has an overall majority in the Lower House. [1.439] [47.144] [48.482,496] [267.175]
- (month unknown)
- The Foreign Ministers of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway issue a joint declaration of neutrality. [47.246]
- Sweden begins a re-armament program. [47.246]
1937
- June 1
- Finland issues a postage stamp marking the 300th anniversary of the colonization of Delaware on the coast of North America by Swedes and Finns. [247.1006]
- (month unknown)
- Sweden is again given a seat on the Council of the League of Nations. [47.245]
- Saab is founded as an airplane builder, and produces its first airplane. [55.18] [142.23]
1938
- April
- In Copenhagen, Denmark, representatives of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands meet to discuss how to defend their neutrality. [268.222]
- May 27
- Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway enact a declaration on neutrality. [233.17] [267.176]
- (month unknown)
- The Saltsjöbaden Agreement formalizes labor-management relations, making negotiations covering wages and terms of employment periodically reviewed on a national scale. [48.418] [267.175]
- Holidays with pay is introduced. [1.440]
- The Swedish Mint releases a 2 kronor silver coin to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Swedish settlement in Delaware, North America. [22.17]
- The Prime Minister tells the Riksdag he had decided on an immediate strengthening of defences. The Riksdag approves substantial increase in military appropriations. [1.442] [47.246]
- A national dental service is organized. [1.440]
- Foreign Minister Sandler announces that Sweden reserves the right to remain neutral. [1.442]
1939
-
- There are about 249,000 vehicles in Sweden. [1.429]
- The name of the Skandinaviska Kreditaktiebolaget is changed to Skandinaviska Banken. [48.459]
- April
- Germany offers nonaggression pacts to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Denmark accepts, but the Swedish government refuses. [1.444] [268.223]
- August 31
- A new bridge in Västernorrland, Ångermanland, crossing the Ångerman River linking Lunde and Sandoe collapses as workers complete the structure, killing 32 workers. (The bridge is completed in 1943, with the largest concrete span (264 metres) in the world.) [201.3] (18 workers killed [136.29])
- September 1
- Germany invades Poland. [1.445] [267.176]
- September 2
- Sweden issues a declaration of neutrality. [1.445] [233.17]
- A German Minister at Stockholm gives a declaration that Germany would respect the integrity of Sweden. [233.17]
- September 3
- France and England declare war on Germany. [267.176]
- September 18
- (to September 19) Premiers and Foreign Ministers of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden meet in Copenhagen. [354.10]
- September 19
- The five Scandinavian countries make a joint declaration of firm neutrality, cooperating to safeguard their economic life, and continuing trade with all States. [355.8]
- September 24
- (1030 hours) Swedish freighter Gertrud Bratt is torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine, ten miles off the south Norwegian coast. [356.3]
- September 25
- (0830 hours) Off Stavanger, Norway, a German submarine sinks Swedish freighter Silesia, carrying cargo to England. [357.7]
- September 27
- A German destroyer stops Swedish Johnson Line's motorship Kronprincessen Margareta just outside Swedish territorial waters, ordering the transfer of crew of eleven from the torpedoed British trawler Caldes. [358.6]
- September 28
- (0800 hours) Swedish steamship Nyland is torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea, off Kvitsoey, near Stavanger. [359.2]
- October
- Soviets ask Finland to grant them military bases in return for territorial concessions. [48.503]
- The three kings of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway meet with Marshal Mannerheim of Finland, in Stockholm. Mannerheim seeks the promise of help in the event of an attack. Sweden, Denmark, and Norway issue a joint declaration that a Russian attack on Finland would be considered an attack on the whole north. [47.247] [48.504] [267.177]
- (month unknown)
- A Ministry of Food is established to handle rationing during the war. [1.448]
- November 30
- Soviet forces attack Finland. [1.445] [47.248] [267.178] [269.237]
- December
- Sweden declares itself a non-belligerent, and allows 12,000 volunteers and arms to cross the Gulf of Bothnia to aid the Finns. [47.248]
- The government becomes a coalition, lead by P.A. Hansson. The Foreign Minister resigns, and is succeeded by Christian Günter, a professional diplomat. [1.446] [48.482] [267.178]
- (month unknown)
- A new Department of Economics is set up to watch over industry, trade, and agriculture. [47.249]
- Year
- Gross tonnage of Swedish shipping: about 1,600,000. [1.432]
|