Jump to content

Gösta Ehrensvärd

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the Swedish chemist, see Gösta Ehrensvärd (chemist).
Count

Gösta Ehrensvärd
Nickname(s)Gösta Carl Albert Ehrensvärd
Born(1885-02-10)10 February 1885
Skabersjö, Sweden
Died2 November 1973(1973-11-02) (aged 88)
Hässleholm, Sweden
AllegianceSweden
Service / branchSwedish Navy
Years of service1904–1950
RankVice Admiral
Commands
RelationsCarl August Ehrensvärd (father)
Carl August Ehrensvärd (brother)
Augustin Ehrensvärd (brother)
Albert Ehrensvärd (uncle)
Augustin Ehrensvärd (great-grandfather)
Archibald Douglas (cousin)

Vice Admiral Count Gösta Carl Albert Ehrensvärd (10 February 1885 – 2 November 1973) was a senior Swedish Navy officer. Ehrensvärd hailed from a distinguished naval lineage, being the son of Admiral Count Carl August Ehrensvärd. His family ties included notable figures such as his brother, General Carl August Ehrensvärd, and his great-grandfather, the renowned fortress builder Augustin Ehrensvärd. Following his naval education, Ehrensvärd embarked on a prolific career within the Swedish Navy, rising through the ranks from sub-lieutenant to vice admiral. He held various commanding roles, such as leading the Destroyer Division and serving as Chief of the Naval Staff. Additionally, Ehrensvärd contributed to naval education and literature, notably as a teacher and editor of naval journals. His tenure saw significant contributions to naval strategy and administration, culminating in his promotion to vice admiral before retiring from active service in 1950.

Early life

[edit]

Ehrensvärd was born on 10 February 1885 in Skabersjö [sv], Svedala Municipality, Sweden, the son of Admiral, Count Carl August Ehrensvärd (1858–1944) and his wife baroness Lovisa Ulrika "Ulla" (née Thott). He was the brother of Chief of the Army, General Carl August Ehrensvärd (1892–1974)[1] and Deputy Director of the Ministry of Defence Augustin Ehrensvärd (1887–1968).[2] His great-grandfather was the fortress builder Augustin Ehrensvärd, his uncle was Albert Ehrensvärd and his cousin was Lieutenant General Archibald Douglas who preceded his brother Carl August Ehrensvärd on the Chief of the Army post.

Career

[edit]

Ehrensvärd became a sea cadet in 1898 and was commissioned into the Swedish Navy as an acting sub lieutenant in 1904 after passing the naval officer examination.[3] Ehrensvärd was promoted to sub-lieutenant in 1906. Ehrensvärd passed the higher course at the Royal Swedish Naval Staff College from 1910 to 1911 and was promoted to lieutenant in 1913. He was a teacher at the Royal Swedish Naval Academy from 1916 to 1919 and at the Royal Swedish Naval Staff College from 1918 to 1922 when he was promoted to commander.[1] Seagoing services in the 1910s was partly as captain and division commander of torpedo boats.[4]

Ehrensvärd was commanding officer of the Destroyer Division in 1919 and from 1923 to 1924.[5] Ehrensvärd was editor of the journal Tidskrift i sjöväsendet from 1925 to 1927 and then served as head of the Communications Department in the Naval Staff from 1927 to 1929. He captained the HSwMS Oscar II in 1929 and was head of the Operations Department in the Naval Staff from 1929 to 1932 and served as a member of the 1930 Defence Commission from 1930 to 1932, being promoted to captain in 1933.[5] Ehrensvärd was captain of the HSwMS Drottning Victoria from 1932 to 1933 and flag captain in the staff of the Commander-in-Chief of the Coastal Fleet from 1933 to 1936. He was Chief of the Naval Staff from 1937 to 1939 and was promoted to rear admiral in 1938. Ehrensvärd was Commander-in-Chief of the Coastal Fleet from 1939 to 1942 and commanding admiral of the South Coast Navy District from 1942 to 1950 when he was promoted to vice admiral and retired from active service.[1]

Personal life

[edit]

On 5 January 1909 he married Anna Enell (1886–1972),[6] the daughter of pharmacist Henrik Enell and Emma (née Öst). He was the father of Gösta (1910–1980), Carl August (1913–1982) and Ulla (1918–1983).[1]

Death

[edit]

Ehrensvärd died on 2 November 1973 in Hässleholm.[6] He was interred at Tosterup Cemetery [sv] in Tomelilla Municipality.[7]

Dates of rank

[edit]

Awards and decorations

[edit]
Officers aboard the HSwMS Sverige in 1939: from the left lieutenant A.O.J. Falkman, Commander-in-Chief of the Coastal Fleet, rear admiral Gösta Ehrensvärd, lieutenant B. Bertelsson and captain Helge Strömbäck.

Swedish

[edit]

Foreign

[edit]

Honours

[edit]

References

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gösta Ehrensvärd.
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Davidsson, Åke, ed. (1966). Vem är vem?. 4, Skåne, Halland, Blekinge [Who is Who?. 4, Scania, Halland, Blekinge] (in Swedish) (2nd ed.). Stockholm: Vem är vem. pp. 191–192.
  2. ^ G U (31 December 1972). "Namn att minnas - Gösta Ehrensvärd" [Name to remember - Gösta Ehrensvärd]. Svensk Tidskrift (in Swedish). Stockholm: 266. SELIBR 8258426.
  3. ^ a b Harnesk, Paul, ed. (1948). Vem är vem?. D. 3, Götalandsdelen utom Skåne [Who is Who?. D. 3, Götaland part except Scania] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Vem är vem bokförlag. pp. 240–241.
  4. ^ Blidberg, Einar (1973). "Gösta Ehrensvärd" (PDF). Tidskrift i sjöväsendet (in Swedish) (6). Carlskrona: 427. SELIBR 8258455.
  5. ^ a b Burling, Ingeborg, ed. (1956). Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1957 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1957] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. p. 229.
  6. ^ a b Sveriges dödbok 1901-2009 [Swedish death index 1901-2009] (in Swedish) (Version 5.0 ed.). Solna: Sveriges släktforskarförbund. 2010. ISBN 978-91-87676-59-8. SELIBR 11931231.
  7. ^ "Gösta Ehrensvärd". www.gravar.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  8. ^ Sköldenberg, Bengt, ed. (1969). Sveriges statskalender. 1969 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. p. 94. SELIBR 3682754.
  9. ^ Sveriges statskalender för året 1945 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1945. p. 69.
  10. ^ Sveriges statskalender för året 1945 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1945. p. 10.
  11. ^ Sveriges statskalender för året 1945 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1945. p. 147.
  12. ^ "Tildelinger av ordener og medaljer" [Awards of medals and medals]. www.kongehuset.no (in Norwegian). Royal Court of Norway. Retrieved 2021-12-14.
Military offices
Preceded by Flag captain
1933–1936 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief of the Naval Staff
1937–1939 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief of the Coastal Fleet
1939–1942 		Succeeded by
Preceded by South Coast Navy District
1942–1949 		Succeeded by
Professional and academic associations
Preceded by Chairman of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences
1943–1949 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gösta_Ehrensvärd&oldid=1204296295"