Olof Rydbeck

Olof Rydbeck
Rydbeck in 1955
Born(1913-04-13)13 April 1913
Djursholm, Sweden
Died23 December 1995(1995-12-23) (aged 82)
Stocksund, Sweden
EducationDjursholms samskola
Alma materUppsala University
OccupationDiplomat
Years active1939–1985
Height194 cm (6 ft 4 in)[1]
Spouse
Monica Schnell
​
(m. 1940)​
Children2

Olof Rydbeck (15 April 1913 – 23 December 1995) was a Swedish diplomat. Rydbeck began his diplomatic career at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1939, serving in Berlin, Ankara, and Washington, D.C., and holding roles such as acting second secretary and first secretary of legation. He later became head of division and chief of the Ministry's press bureau in 1952.

From 1955 to 1970, he served as Director-General of Sveriges Radio. He then represented Sweden at the United Nations as Permanent Representative (1970–1976) and on the Security Council (1975–1976), during which he was appointed by the UN Secretary-General to negotiate the future of Western Sahara. Rydbeck subsequently served as Swedish ambassador to London (1977–1979) and as Director-General of UNRWA in Vienna (1979–1985). In 1987, he chaired a national commission reviewing arms export practices.

In addition to his official roles, Rydbeck held numerous leadership positions in cultural, academic, and international organizations, including the Swedish Institute, the Swedish-American News Agency, the Swedish Red Cross, the European Broadcasting Union, the International Institute of Communications, Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå, and the Swedish Institute of International Affairs.

Early life

Rydbeck was born on 15 April 1913 in Djursholm, Sweden, the son of bank manager Oscar Rydbeck and Signe Olson.[2] He graduated from Djursholms samskola in 1931, earned a bachelor's degree in 1934 from Uppsala University, and completed a Candidate of Law degree in 1939.[2] During his student years, he undertook study trips to England (1927 and 1930), Germany (1929 and 1940), France (1933), and Ankara (1941). He served as first curator of the Stockholms nation in Uppsala from 1937 to 1938 and was chairman of the conservative student association Heimdal in Uppsala from 1936 to 1937.[2]

Career

Rydbeck began his diplomatic career as an attaché at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1939. The following year he served as a clerk to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in 1940 he was posted as attaché to the Swedish legation in Berlin. He was transferred to Ankara in 1941, returned to the Ministry in 1942, and became acting second secretary in 1943. That same year he also joined the American Affairs Inquiry (Amerikautredningen).[2] In 1945 he served in Washington, D.C., where he became first secretary of legation in 1946. Subsequent postings included Bonn in 1950, and in 1952 he was appointed head of division and chief of the Ministry's press bureau.[3]

From 1955 to 1970 Rydbeck was Director-General of Sveriges Radio. He then served as Sweden's Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 1970 to 1976, and as Sweden's representative on the United Nations Security Council from 1975 to 1976.[4] During this period he was appointed by the UN Secretary-General to negotiate the future of Western Sahara.[5] He was Swedish ambassador in London from 1977 to 1979 and Director-General of UNRWA in Vienna from 1979 to 1985. In 1987 he chaired the national citizens’ commission reviewing certain arms export practices.[4]

Rydbeck also held a wide range of board and leadership positions in cultural, academic, and international organizations. He was a board member of the Swedish Institute and the Swedish-American News Agency from 1953 to 1955, the Swedish Tourist Traffic Association (Svenska turisttrafikförbundet) (1953–1955), and the Stockholm Concert Association (Stockholms konsertförening) (1955–1962). He served on the national board of the Swedish Red Cross (1955–1970), the council of the Swedish Institute from 1956, and the National Swedish Psychological Defence Planning Committee (Beredskapsnämnden för psykologiskt försvar) (1954–1970), where he was vice chairman from 1962 to 1970. He chaired the FHS Association (1957–1970), was president of the European Broadcasting Union (1961–1964, later honorary chairman), and chairman of the International Institute of Communications (1967–1970). He also served on the boards of the Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå (TT) and the Swedish Institute of International Affairs from 1967.[4] In addition, he was a member of the Sällskapet Idun.[3]

Personal life

In 1940, Rydbeck married Monica Schnell (1918–2004), the daughter of ryttmästare Carl Gustaf Schnell and Hilda (née Hök).[4] They had two children: Thomas (born 1943) and Cecilia (born 1947).[3]

In 1990, Olof Rydbeck published his memoirs, I maktens närhet. Diplomat, radiochef, FN-ämbetsman (In the vicinity of power. Diplomat, radio chief, UN officer).

Rydbeck is said to have been the model for one of the cats, Bill and Bull, in Gösta Knutsson's Pelle Svanslös stories.[1][6]

He later lived in Charbonnières-les-Bains, France.[4]

Deaths

Rydbeck died on 23 December 1995, in Stocksund, Sweden.[7] The funeral was held on 12 January 1996 in St. Eugenia's Church in Stockholm.[8] He was interred on 15 April 1996 at the Rydbeck family grave at Djursholm Cemetery in his hometown of Djursholm.[9]

Awards and decorations

Honours

Bibliography

  • Rydbeck, Olof (1990). I maktens närhet: diplomat, radiochef, FN-ämbetsman (in Swedish). Stockholm: Bonnier. ISBN 9100479519. SELIBR 7147974.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Ribbentoft, Yvonne (1995-12-27). "Radiochef under 15 dynamiska år och därefter ambassadör och generalkommissarie i FN" [Radio director for 15 dynamic years and then ambassador and commissioner general to the UN]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). p. 20. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d Harnesk, Paul, ed. (1945). Vem är vem? [Who's Who?] (in Swedish). Vol. D. 1, Stockholmsdelen. Stockholm: Vem är vem bokförlag. p. 714. SELIBR 8198269.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Harnesk, Paul, ed. (1962). Vem är vem? [Who's Who?] (in Swedish). Vol. 1, Stor–Stockholm (2nd ed.). Stockholm: Vem är vem bokförlag. p. 1117. SELIBR 53509.
  4. ^ a b c d e Uddling, Hans; Paabo, Katrin, eds. (1992). Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1993 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1993] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. p. 951. ISBN 91-1-914072-X. SELIBR 8261513.
  5. ^ Schiff, Benjamin N. (1995). Refugees Unto the Third Generation: UN Aid to Palestinians. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press. p. 293.
  6. ^ "Knutssons Pelle Svanslös fyller 70 år" [Knutsson's Pelle Svanslös turns 70]. Östersunds-Posten (in Swedish). 21 September 2009. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  7. ^ Sveriges dödbok 1901-2009 [Swedish death index 1901-2009] (in Swedish) (Version 5.0 ed.). Solna: Sveriges släktforskarförbund. 2010. ISBN 9789187676598. SELIBR 11931231.
  8. ^ "Döda" [Deaths]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 1995-12-29. p. 19. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  9. ^ "Rydbeck, Olof". www.svenskagravar.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Sök medaljförläningar" [Search medal presentations] (in Swedish). Royal Court of Sweden. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  11. ^ Westtorp, Hans, ed. (1979-08-21). ""För nit och redlighet"" ["For Zealous and Devoted Service"]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). p. 17. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  12. ^ Sveriges statskalender för skottåret 1968 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1968. p. 885.
  13. ^ Sveriges statskalender 1961 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1961. p. 118.
  14. ^ Sveriges statskalender för skottåret 1968 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1968. p. 885.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.