General (Sweden)

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 Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces, 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 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), current Supreme Commander, General Sverker Göranson (2009–2015) and Carl XVI Gustaf (1973–present).{{cite web |url=http://www.mil.se/sv/Nyheter/centralanyheter/Hakan-Syren-general-i-EU/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117115309/https://www.forsvarsmakten.se/sv/aktuellt/2009/11/hakan-syren-general-i-eu/ |publisher=Swedish Armed Forces |title=Håkan Syrén general i EU |first=Sven-Åke |last=Haglund |date=5 November 2009 |accessdate=26 August 2020 |archive-date=17 January 2021 |language=sv}} 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{{efn|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.}}), King Gustaf V (1898–1950), Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf (1932–1973) and Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland (1908–1951).{{cite book |url=https://runeberg.org/statskal/1940/0268.html |title=Sveriges statskalender för skottåret 1940 |year=1940 |publisher=Fritzes offentliga publikationer |location=Uppsala |language=sv |page=268}}

Following a proposal from the Swedish Armed Forces, the Government of Sweden decides on employment as a general.{{cite web |url=http://rkrattsdb.gov.se/SFSdoc/05/050509.PDF |publisher=Swedish Code of Statutes |title=Förordning om ändring i förordningen (2000:555) med instruktion för Försvarsmakten |page=2 |date=20 June 2005 |access-date=21 August 2020 |language=sv}}

In everyday speech, generals of all ranks are addressed as generals.{{cite book |url=https://runeberg.org/etikettgod/1/0129.html |title=Etikett och god ton: Praktisk handbok i sättet att uppföra sig. 1 |year=1932 |publisher=Åhlén & Åkerlund |location=Stockholm |language=sv |id={{SELIBR|1353820}} |page=128}}{{cite book |url=http://www.forsvarsmakten.se/siteassets/4-om-myndigheten/dokumentfiler/handbocker/h-parad-6-2017.pdf |title=Handbok: parad 6: traditionsvård : H PARAD 6 2016 |year=2017 |publisher=Försvarsmakten |location=Stockholm |language=sv |id={{SELIBR|22459606}} |page=31}}

File:OF-9_General.jpg|Collar patch m/58 (black m/02) on field uniform M90
(2002–present)

File:Kragspegel general svart.jpg|Collar patch m/58 (black m/02) on field uniform M90
(2002–present)

File:OF-9_General_G.jpg|Collar patch m/58 (gold) on uniform m/58-m/59 and field uniform M90
(1983–2002)

File:Kragspegel general guld.jpg|Collar patch m/58 (gold) on uniform m/58-m/59 and field uniform M90
(–2002)

File:General_kragspegel_m58_stjärna_m39_efter_1972.jpg|Collar patch m/58 (bronze) on uniform m/58-m/59
(1972–1983)

File:General_kragspegel_m58_stjärna_m39.jpg|Collar patch m/58 (bronze) on uniform m/58-m/59
(1958–1972)

File:15_General_krage_1923.jpg|Collar patch on uniform m/1923
(1923–1939)

File:OF-9_General_M87.png|Shoulder mark on uniform m/87 (Army and Air Force)
(1987–present)

File:OF-9 General FV hylsa.jpg|Shoulder mark m/87 on white shirt (Army and Air Force)
(1987–present)

File:OF-9_Amiral_FL_hylsa.jpg|Shoulder mark m/87 on white shirt (Navy)
(1987–present)

File:16_General_1939.jpg|Shoulder mark on uniform m/1939
(1939–1958)

File:15_General_axelklaff_m1923.jpg|Shoulder mark on uniform m/1923
(1923–1939)

File:OF-9_General_1910.png|Shoulder mark on uniform m/1910
(1910–1923)

File:OF-9_General_AMF_arm.jpg|Sleeve insignia for a general in the Amphibious Corps
(2003–present)

File:OF-9_General_AMF_ärm_pre-2003.jpg|Sleeve insignia for a general in the Amphibious Corps
(2000–2003)
and
Coastal Artillery (1972–2000)

File:OF-9 General KA ärm pre-1972.jpg|Sleeve insignia for a general in the Coastal Artillery
(1901–1972)

File:OF-9 General FV mäss.jpg|Sleeve insignia for a general (1972–present) (today only on mess dress uniform)

File:OF-8_Generallöjtnant_FV_mäss.jpg|Sleeve insignia for a general (?–1972)

File:OF-9 General FV2.jpg|Flight suit sleeve insignia (Ärmmatta m/02) for a general{{cite book|url=http://chefen.be/onewebmedia/dokument/unibest2015.pdf|title=Reglemente: uniformsbestämmelser 2015 : Unibest FM 2015|year=2015|publisher=Försvarsmakten|location=Stockholm|language=sv|id={{SELIBR|19513428}}|page=343}}
(1972–present)

File:OF-8 Generallöjtnant FV2.jpg|Flight suit sleeve insignia for a general
(?–1972)

File:1_General_armén_ärm_1906.jpg|Sleeve insignia for a general on {{no wrap|uniform m/1906}}
(1906–1923)

File:OF-9 General lägermössa 1865-99.png|Hat for general of any rank on {{no wrap|uniform m/1865-99}}
(1865–?)

File:Skärmmössa , mörkblå m30 FVM.123122.jpg|Peaked cap (dark blue) for air force general ({{no wrap|Skärmmössa m/1930}})
(1930–)

File:Skärmmössa , vit m30 FVM.138067.jpg|Peaked cap (white) for air force general ({{no wrap|Skärmmössa m/1930}})
(1930–)

File:Skärmmössa m1952.jpg|Peaked cap for army general ({{no wrap|Skärmmössa m/1952}})
(1952–)

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.{{harvnb|Braunstein|2004|p=111}}

File:Naval Rank Flag of Sweden - Amiralsflagga.svg|Admiral/General{{efn|name=fn1|The Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces used admiral's flag since 1942.}} {{no wrap|command flag (4 stars){{cite book |url=https://www.forsvarsmakten.se/siteassets/4-om-myndigheten/dokumentfiler/handbocker/h-parad-4-2017.pdf |title=Handbok: parad 4: marinen : R PARAD 4 2017 |year=2017 |publisher=Försvarsmakten |location=Stockholm |language=sv |id={{SELIBR|21485968}} |page=14}}}}
(1972–present)

File:Naval_Rank_Flag_of_Sweden_-_Viceamiralsflagga.svg|Admiral/General{{efn|name=fn1}} {{no wrap|command flag (3 stars){{harvnb|Lybeck|1945|p=570}}}}
(1905–1972)

The following have been promoted to the rank of general in the Swedish Armed Forces between 1900 and {{CURRENTISOYEAR}}. {{legend2|#d0e5f5|This colour indicates that the person was appointed honorary general in the Swedish Army.|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book |url=https://www.sfhm.se/contentassets/84a6e4f1b2ce4e2b96c4ba578a41c503/sfhm-skriftserie_svenska-armens-falttecken-efter-millennieskiftet_av_christian-braunstein.pdf |last=Braunstein |first=Christian |title=Svenska försvarsmaktens fälttecken efter millennieskiftet |trans-title=The flags and standards of the Swedish armed forces after the turn of the millennium |series=Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 7 [dvs 8] |year=2004 |publisher=Statens försvarshistoriska museer |location=Stockholm |language=sv |isbn=91-971584-7-X |id={{SELIBR|9815350}} |access-date=2020-11-03 |archive-date=2018-05-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522042235/http://www.sfhm.se/contentassets/84a6e4f1b2ce4e2b96c4ba578a41c503/sfhm-skriftserie_svenska-armens-falttecken-efter-millennieskiftet_av_christian-braunstein.pdf |url-status=dead }}
• {{cite book |url=http://www.marinehist.dk/orlogsbib/z/SFH-III.pdf |editor-last=Lybeck |editor-first=Otto |editor1-link=Otto Lybeck |title=Svenska flottans historia: örlogsflottan i ord och bild från dess grundläggning under Gustav Vasa fram till våra dagar. Bd 3 [1815-1945] |year=1945 |publisher=Allhem |location=Malmö |language=sv |id={{SELIBR|795890}}}}
• {{cite book |url=https://runeberg.org/statskal/1984/0399.html |editor1-last=Spiegelberg |editor1-first=Christina |title=Sveriges statskalender. 1984 |year=1984 |publisher=Liber |location=Stockholm |isbn=91-38-90400-4 |language=sv |id={{SELIBR|3682782}}}}

Category:Military ranks of the Swedish Army

Category:Military ranks of the Swedish Air Force