Consulate General of Sweden, Minneapolis | |
---|---|
Location | Minneapolis |
Address | American Swedish Institute 2600 Park Avenue, Minneapolis MN 55407, USA [lower-alpha 1] |
Coordinates | 44°57′17″N93°15′57″W / 44.95460624453824°N 93.26577155327055°W |
Opening | 1963 [lower-alpha 2] |
Closed | 1989 |
The Consulate General of Sweden, Minneapolis was the diplomatic mission of Sweden in Minneapolis between 1963 and 1989. The consulate originated from the honorary vice consulate opened in 1908, which was converted into a consulate in 1934 and into a consulate general in 1963. Along with those in New York City, San Francisco, Montreal, Chicago, and Houston, the consulate belonged to the so-called "heritage consulates" due to the large number of inheritance cases it handled.
The consulate's jurisdiction included not only the city of Minneapolis but also the states of Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, and later also the states of Colorado, Wyoming, and New Mexico. The consulate closed in 1989, and from the same year, a Swedish honorary consulate general operates in Minneapolis with an unpaid honorary consul general as its head. Since 2003, the honorary consul general has also served as the CEO and president of the American Swedish Institute.
The Consulate General in Minneapolis originated from the honorary vice consulate established on August 28, 1908, with a district covering the states of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming, and the New Mexico Territory. By decision on December 1, 1911, the consul received an office allocation of SEK 4,000. [1] In 1934, the vice consulate was converted into a consulate, and in 1963, into a consulate general. [2] The consulate chancery was located in several places in Minneapolis during its existence but for the longest period, over 20 years, in a villa in Lowry Hill where the chief residence was also located. In 1966, the chancery moved to an office building in Central Minneapolis. Throughout the years, inheritance matters primarily occupied the consulate's activities among Swedish Americans active in the Midwest, especially in states like Minnesota, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Inheritance matters decreased every year after Swedish emigration to the United States ceased.
In early January 1989, the Carlsson I cabinet warned that five Swedish foreign missions - consulates or consulate generals - would be closed down and converted into unpaid honorary consulates during the year. Among those affected was the consulate general in Minneapolis. [3] On January 20, 1989, Director-General Ulf Larsson presented an investigation into Swedish foreign missions, proposing that the consulate general in Minneapolis be shut down and converted into an unpaid honorary consulate. [4]
The consulate general was closed down according to a decision by the Riksdag on March 15, 1989. Primarily, the Liberal People's Party, including figures like Karl-Göran Biörsmark and Ingemar Eliasson, along with the Centre Party, including individuals like Karin Söder, Pär Granstedt, and Håkan Hansson , argued in vain for the retention of the consulate in Minneapolis, which was now to be replaced by an honorary consulate. [5] [6] [7]
In the motions, it was emphasized that Minnesota, especially Minneapolis, was an important state for Swedish marketing in the United States. The motioners believed that the Swedish government should reconsider the decision to close the Swedish consulate general in Minneapolis for this reason. The Committee on Foreign Affairs understood the motioners' arguments but emphasized that the closure was made for economic reasons and after weighing it against other prioritized tasks for the foreign service. The committee believed that future Swedish representation in Minneapolis, led by an honorary consul general, could continue to support Swedish activities in the United States. Therefore, the motions were rejected. [8]
A Swedish honorary consulate has been established in Minneapolis since 1989. The first Swedish honorary consul was the former governor of Minnesota, Wendell R. Anderson. The honorary consulate represents the Swedish government in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska, in coordination with the Swedish Embassy in Washington. The consulate's office is situated at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis. [9]
In an article published in the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten in 2007, the head of the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce, Michael Davis, stated that when Sweden closed its consulate general in Minneapolis in 1989, Sweden as a whole suffered. With each passing year, Sweden gradually lost its connection to important institutions and companies. Most notably, they shifted their attention to Norway, leaving Sweden virtually erased from the map in comparison to Norway. [10]
The consulate, along with those in New York City, San Francisco, Montreal, Chicago, and Houston, belonged to the so-called heritage consulates due to the large number of inheritance cases the consulate handled. In 1934, the vice-consulate was converted into a consulate, and in 1963 into a consulate general. [2] During the 1950s, between two and three million kronor were sent home to Sweden from Minnesota every year. This was inheritance from Swedish emigrants that was distributed to Swedish relatives remaining at home, and the amount spoke to the success that Swedish emigrants achieved despite initial difficulties. Inheritance cases were the main task for the Swedish consulate general. [11] In the 1950s, it was reported that the number of inheritance cases decreased each year, although the amounts then remained steady. In the 1920s, the consulate handled 200 inheritance cases per year, and by the 1950s, it was down to 70–80. The reason for this was that emigration had ceased and the generation that might have eligible relatives for inheritance in Sweden began to pass away. [11]
An honorary consulate was opened in 1989 which today provides the following services in Minneapolis: passport delivery, provisional passports for emergency travel, applications for coordination numbers or to retain Swedish citizenship, life certificates, facilitation for Swedish voters, and more. [9]
The district of the consulate general, at least from 1970, included, in addition to the city of Minneapolis, the states of Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. [12] In 1976, the district was expanded to include the states of Colorado and Wyoming. [13] In 1983, the state of New Mexico was added from the Consulate General of Sweden, Houston, which had been closed the year before. [14] The district remained until the closure of the consulate general in 1989. [15] The states of Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming were taken over by the Consulate General of Sweden, Los Angeles, in 1990. [16]
The Honorary Consulate General of Sweden in Minneapolis, operating since 1989, represents the Swedish government in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska. [9]
From 1925 to 1927, the Swedish consulate was located at the address 906–907 Andrus Building. [17] [18] From 1928 to 1929, the address was 122 South 6th Street in Central Minneapolis. [19] [20] From 1930 to 1931, the consulate was situated at 2216 Irving Avenue South in the East Isles neighborhood. [21] [22]
In 1932, the address was the Posten Building, 502 South 7th Street in the Elliot Park neighborhood. [23] From 1933 to 1934, the address was 1000 West 22nd Street in the Lowry Hill East neighborhood. [24] [25] From 1935 to 1936, the address was 234 West Franklin Avenue in the Stevens Square neighborhood. [26] [27] From 1937 to 1944, the address was 1777 Colfax Avenue South in the Lowry Hill neighborhood. [28] [29]
In a government proposition in 1943, the purchase of a property to house the consulate and the consul's residence was proposed. The proposition highlighted that the consulate's need for adequate premises had significantly increased and that the acquisition of the properties was considered economically advantageous for the Swedish state. The proposal also emphasized the strategic importance of owning properties to strengthen Sweden's representation in the United States. [30]
From 1945 to 1965, the address was 912 Mount Curve Avenue in the Lowry Hill neighborhood. [31] [32] From 1966 to 1971, the address was 1616 Cargill Building, Marquette Avenue and 7th Street in the Downtown West neighborhood. [33] [34] From 1971, the consulate general was located in the 730 Building, Suite 615 at the address 730 2nd Avenue South in the Downtown West neighborhood. [35] Due to a change of name of the 730 Building, the address of the Consulate General from April 1, 1973, was 615 Peavey Building, 730 2nd Avenue South. [36] This was the location of the consulate general until at least 1979. [37]
From 1980 until the consulate general closed in 1989, only a postal address was provided: P.O. Box 2186, Minneapolis, Minn. 55402. [38] [15] Since 1989, there has been a Swedish honorary consulate in Minneapolis located at the American Swedish Institute at 2600 Park Avenue in the Phillips West neighborhood of Minneapolis. [9]
During the time the consulate chancery was located at 1777 Colfax Avenue South in the Lowry Hill neighborhood between 1937 and 1944, it also served as the home of the consul and his wife. [39] The same applied after the consulate moved to 912 Mount Curve Avenue in Lowry Hill in 1945. The residence remained in the same building at least until 1968. [40]
Name | Period | Title | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
Honorary vice consulate (1908–1919) | ||||
Charles Axel Smith | August 28, 1908 – January 24, 1914 | Honorary consul | [1] | |
Carl Edvard Wallerstedt | January 24, 1914 – 1919 | Honorary consul | [1] [41] | |
Vice consulate (1919–1934) | ||||
Theophilus Wessén | 1919–1924 | Acting vice consul | [42] | |
Nils Jaenson | 1924–1931 | Vice consul | Consul's exequatur | [22] |
Magnus Hallenborg | 1931–1934 | Vice consul | [25] | |
Consulate (1934–1963) | ||||
Carl Fredrik Hellström | 1934–1935 | Acting vice consul | [26] | |
Carl Fredrik Hellström | 1935–1940 | Vice consul | Consul's exequatur | [27] [43] |
Carl Fredrik Hellström | 1940–1943 | First vice consul | Consul's exequatur | [44] |
Carl Fredrik Hellström | 1943–1944 | Acting consul | Consul General's exequatur | [29] |
Carl Fredrik Hellström | 1944–1956 | Consul | Consul General's exequatur | [45] |
Gösta af Petersens | June 1, 1956(59)–1963 | Consul/Acting consul general | . [46] [47] | |
Consulate general (1963–1989) | ||||
Olof Landenius | 1963–1967 | Consul general | [48] | |
Bengt Odevall | 1968–1970 | Consul general | [12] | |
Knut Granstedt | October 29, 1970 – 1973 | Consul general | [49] [50] | |
Per Olof Forshell | 1973–1977 | Consul general | [51] | |
Tage Pousette | 1977–1982 | Consul general | [52] | |
Karl-Erik Andersson | 1982–1989 | Consul general | [15] | |
Honorary consulate general (1989–present) | ||||
Wendell R. Anderson | 1989–2002 | Honorary consul general | [53] | |
Bruce Karstadt | 2003–2023 | Honorary consul general | [54] [55] | |
Molly Wright Steenson | 2023–present | Honorary consul general |
The Ministry for Rural Affairs, known between 1900 and 2010 as the Ministry of Agriculture, was a ministry within the government of Sweden. The ministry was responsible for matters relating to rural areas, food and land- and water-based industries, regional development, transport and infrastructure, housing, and community planning. The ministry was headed by the minister for rural affairs (2011–2014) and the minister of agriculture (1900–2010). The ministry was disbanded on 31 December 2014, and from 1 January 2015, the matters was handled by the Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation.
Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok is Sweden's diplomatic mission in Thailand. The ambassador is also accredited to Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Sweden also has four honorary consulates in Thailand: in Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Hua Hin.
The Embassy of Sweden in Mexico City is Sweden's diplomatic mission in Mexico. The mission of the embassy is to represent Swedish interests in Mexico, as well as to strengthen bilateral relations within the governmental, commercial, business, academic, cultural and civil society spheres, with a particular emphasis on cooperation for sustainable development.
The Embassy of Sweden in New Delhi is Sweden's diplomatic mission in India. The embassy is headed by the ambassador of Sweden to India. The embassy is situated in Chanakyapuri, the diplomatic enclave of New Delhi, where most of the embassies in India are located. The Swedish embassy is responsible for the honorary consulates in India, located in Kolkata and Chennai, and the Swedish consulate general in Mumbai. The ambassador of New Delhi is also accredited to Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives.
The Consulate General of Sweden is the diplomatic mission of Sweden in New York City. It is located at One Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza in Turtle Bay, Manhattan, near the headquarters of the United Nations.
Lieutenant General Erik Mathias Hjalmar Gustafsson Testrup was a Swedish Army officer. His senior commands include commanding officer of the Eastern Army Division of the IV Army Division, Commandant General of Stockholm Garrison and as military commander of the IV Military District.
Lieutenant General Gustav Ivar Backlund was a senior Swedish Army officer. Backlund began his military career in 1912, rising to the rank of captain by 1924. He held various roles, including adjutant to the Ministry of Defence and teacher at the Artillery and Engineering College. Promoted to colonel in 1939, he became the regimental commander of the Dalarna Regiment. In 1944, Backlund served as Commandant in Boden Fortress and held a key role in the IV Military District from 1944 to 1946. He achieved the rank of major general in 1946 and served as Chief of the Army Staff until 1948. Later, he became the military commander of the VII Military District until 1955 and headed the Swedish National Defence College until 1956, retiring as a lieutenant general in 1957.
Lieutenant General Achates Ernst Wilhelm af Klercker was a senior Swedish Army officer. His senior commands include postings as chief of the Military Office of the Land Defence and Acting Chief of the Army Staff. He commanded the 1st Army Division and the I Military District during World War II.
The Embassy of Sweden in Ottawa is Sweden's diplomatic mission in Canada. The Swedish embassy in Canada represents the Swedish government in Canada and The Bahamas. The embassy is located in ByWard Market in the downtown core of the capital of Ottawa. Ambassador since 2019 is Urban Ahlin. Sweden also has nine honorary consulates in Canada.
Nils Ivar (Nils-Ivar) Carlborg was a Swedish Army officer. He started the paratrooper training in Sweden and founded the Swedish Army Paratroop School of which he was its first commander (1952–1953). He later served as head of the Military Academy Karlberg (1964–1969) and as commander of Stockholm Defence District (1969–1973) and as the Commandant of Stockholm (1969–1973).
The Embassy of Sweden in Buenos Aires is Sweden's diplomatic mission in Argentina. The ambassador since 2019 is Anders Carlsson. The embassy is located in Puerto Madero and its staff consists of three people from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and six local employees. In addition to Argentina, the embassy's area of activity also includes Paraguay and Uruguay. The embassy's activities include trade promotion, culture and Sweden promotion, migration and consular affairs, as well as reporting on politics, human rights and the economy.
The Embassy of Sweden in Tokyo is Sweden's diplomatic mission in Japan. The mission was opened in 1906. It's located in the Roppongi district in Minato, Tokyo since 1959. The current embassy building was inaugurated in 1991. The ambassador since 2019 is Pereric Högberg. The ambassador has a dual accreditation to Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau.
The Embassy of Sweden in Pretoria is Sweden's diplomatic mission in South Africa. The Swedish embassy in South Africa represents the Swedish government in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Lesotho. The embassy is located in the suburb of Hatfield in the capital of Pretoria. The ambassador since 2020 is Håkan Juholt.
The Embassy of Sweden in Dublin is Sweden's diplomatic mission in Ireland. When Ireland became independent, Sweden was one of the countries that early established diplomatic relations with Ireland. The embassy has its origins in the legation that was opened in 1946, which in turn has its origins in the Swedish consulate that was opened in 1926. The embassy closed in 2010 and reopened in 2023.
The Embassy of Sweden in Beijing is Sweden's diplomatic mission in China. The embassy's task is to represent Sweden, the Swedish government in China and to promote Swedish interests. Trade promotion and development cooperation are other tasks for the embassy, as well as press and culture issues and migration and consular services. The embassy's sphere of responsibility includes Mongolia. The ambassador has a dual accreditation to Ulaanbaatar.
The Consulate General of Sweden, Los Angeles was the diplomatic mission of Sweden in Los Angeles between 1980 and 1995, as well as between 1998 and 2009. The consulate general had its origins in the honorary vice consulate opened in 1910, which was transformed into an honorary consulate in 1955 and an honorary consulate general in 1969. The main tasks of the consulate general were to disseminate information about Sweden and Swedish collaboration opportunities, promote business activities through various events, and handle consular matters and assistance to Swedish citizens in the western United States.
The Consulate General of Sweden, San Francisco is the diplomatic mission of Sweden in San Francisco, California. It is located at 595 Market Street in the Financial District.
The Consulate General of Sweden, Chicago was the diplomatic mission of Sweden in Chicago between 1943 and 1993. The consulate general originated from the honorary vice consulate opened in 1852, which was converted into an honorary consulate in 1908, and into a consulate in 1913 and finally into a consulate general in 1943. The consulate general tasks was to advance the interests of Sweden, and to serve and protect Swedes in Chicago and different states in the Midwestern United States. Along with those in Minneapolis, New York City, San Francisco, Montreal, and Houston, the consulate general belonged to the so-called "heritage consulates" due to the large number of inheritance cases it handled.
The Consulate General of Sweden, Houston was the diplomatic mission of Sweden in Houston between 1963 and 1981. The consulate general originated from the consulate opened in 1950, which was converted into a consulate general in 1963. The consulate general tasks was to advance the interests of Sweden, and to serve and protect Swedes in Houston and different states in the Southern United States. Along with those in Chicago, Minneapolis, New York City, San Francisco, and Montreal, the consulate general belonged to the so-called "heritage consulates" due to the large number of inheritance cases it handled.
The Consulate General of Sweden, Montreal was the diplomatic mission of Sweden in Montreal between 1916 and 1993. The consulate general originated from the consulate opened in 1906, which was converted into a consulate general in 1916. The consulate general tasks was to advance the interests of Sweden, and to serve and protect Swedes in Montreal and in different provinces and territories of Canada. Along with those in Chicago, Houston, Minneapolis, New York City, and San Francisco, the consulate general belonged to the so-called "heritage consulates" due to the large number of inheritance cases it handled.