Erik Tennander
Erik Tennander | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sten Erik Tennander 22 September 1919 Gothenburg, Sweden |
| Died | 19 April 2007 (aged 87) Denmark |
| Education | Djursholms samskola |
| Alma mater | Stockholm University College |
| Occupation | Diplomat |
| Years active | 1942–1985 |
| Spouse(s) |
Barbara Kirk
(m. 1945; died 1962)Britt Oldenburg (m. 1966) |
| Children | 2 |
Sten Erik Tennander (22 September 1919 – 19 April 2007) was a Swedish diplomat. He joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1942 and served early postings in Chicago, San Francisco, Lima, and Caracas. After assignments in Buenos Aires and senior roles within the ministry, he became embassy counsellor in The Hague and later served as chargé d'affaires ad interim in Quito.
He was appointed embassy counselor to Buenos Aires in 1970 and to Copenhagen in 1975, receiving the rank of minister in 1980. That same year he became ambassador-at-large for the Caribbean region, based in Stockholm, and from 1980 to 1985 represented Sweden in several Caribbean and Central American capitals.
Early life
Tennander was born on 22 September 1919 in Gothenburg, Sweden, the son of Chief Engineer Sten Tennander (1894–1965) and Karin, née Wigström (1893–1940).[1][2] His father was chief engineer at the Stockholm Electricity Authority.[3] He was the half-brother of the composer and lyricist Lasse Tennander (born 1945).[1]
Erik Tennander passed studentexamen at Djursholms samskola on 11 May 1938 and earned a degree in political science and law at Stockholm University College on 24 April 1941.[4]
In January 1939, Tennander was one of the winners among 800 Swedish students in an English essay competition announced the previous year by the British Council in London.[5]
Career
Tennander joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs as an attaché in 1942 and served in Chicago, San Francisco, Lima, and Caracas between 1942 and 1948. He was appointed second secretary at the ministry from 1948 to 1951, after which he served as legation secretary in Buenos Aires in 1951 and was promoted to first legation secretary there in 1952. In 1956 he became first secretary at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.[1]
He was appointed embassy counsellor in The Hague in 1962, director at the ministry in 1963, and head of department in 1964. From 1967 to 1970 he served as embassy counsellor and chargé d'affaires ad interim in Quito.[1][6] He was subsequently appointed embassy counselor to Buenos Aires in 1970 and to Copenhagen in 1975, and in 1980 he was granted the rank of minister.[1]
In August 1980, Tennander was appointed ambassador-at-large for the countries in and around the Caribbean Sea, while remaining based at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Stockholm. He assumed responsibility from the Swedish ambassador in Caracas, who had previously been concurrently accredited to several of those countries.[7] From 1980 to 1985 he served as ambassador to Santo Domingo, Georgetown, Paramaribo, Port-au-Prince, and St. George's. He was also ambassador to Belmopan from 1982 to 1985 and to Castries from 1983 to 1985.[1]
Personal life
On 17 June 1945, at St. Clement's Church in Berkeley, California, Tennander married Barbara Kirk (1918–1962) of Berkeley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B. N. Kirk of Visalia, California.[8][1] They had two sons: Rolf (born 1948)[9][10] and Sten Northrop (1956–2016).[11]
In 1966, he married Britt Oldenburg (born 1938), the daughter of the Director-General of Naval Construction (marinöverdirektör) Ivar Oldenburg and Margareta (née Lindberg).[1]
In the final years of his life, Tennander was resident in Skodsborg, Denmark.[1]
Death
Tennander died on 19 April 2007 in Denmark.[12]
Awards and decorations
- Officer of the Order of the Liberator General San Martín[13]
- Officer of the Order of the Crown[13]
- 4th Class of the Order of the Sacred Treasure[13]
- Officer of the Order of the Sun of Peru[13]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Jönsson, Lena, ed. (2000). Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 2001 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 2001] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. p. 1123. ISBN 9172850426. SELIBR 8261515.
- ^ "Tennander, Sten Artur Valdemar". svenskagravar.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ^ Harnesk, Paul, ed. (1945). Vem är vem? [Who's Who?] (in Swedish). Vol. D. 1, Stockholmsdelen. Stockholm: Vem är vem bokförlag. p. 861. SELIBR 8198269.
- ^ "Juridiska examina vårterminen 1941" [Law degrees spring semester 1941]. Svensk Juristtidning (in Swedish). Stockholm: Svensk juristtidning. 1941. p. 888. SELIBR 8258422. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
- ^ "En av pristagarna" [One of the award winners]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 18 January 1939. p. A13. Retrieved 15 October 2025.
- ^ "Ny ambassadör i Rio" [New ambassador in Rio]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 6 June 1970. p. 11. Retrieved 15 October 2025.
T. F. Chargé d'affaires i Quito ambassadrådet Erik Tennander...
[Chargé d'affaires ad interim in Quito the embassy counselor Erik Tennander...] - ^ Lagercrantz, Agneta (8 November 1980). "Vår man i Karibiska havet huttrar på Brunebergstorg" [Our man in the Caribbean Sea shivers at Brunebergstorg]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). p. 13. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ "Wedding Planned June 17". Oakland Post-Enquirer. Oakland, California. 29 May 1945. p. 14. Retrieved 16 February 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "familjenytt" [family news]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 5 July 1976. p. 23. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ^ "Födde" [Newborns]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 2 January 1949. p. 2A. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ^ "Döda" [Deaths]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 23 July 2016. p. 35. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ^ Sveriges dödbok 1901-2013 [Swedish death index 1901-2013] (in Swedish) (Version 6.0 ed.). Solna: Sveriges släktforskarförbund. 2014. ISBN 9789187676642. SELIBR 17007456.
- ^ a b c d Davidsson, Åke, ed. (1968). Vem är vem? [Who's Who?] (in Swedish). Vol. 5, Norrland : supplement, register (2nd ed.). Stockholm: Vem är vem bokförlag. p. 952. SELIBR 53513.