Carl Lidbom

Carl Gunnar Lidbom (2 March 1926 – 26 July 2004) was a Swedish jurist. He served as minister of commerce and industry from 1975 and 1976 and as Ambassador of Sweden to France from 1982 to 1992. During his time in the Government Offices, he worked, among other things, on drafting a new Swedish constitution, which transformed the Riksdag from a bicameral legislature into a unicameral one.

Early life Lidbom was born on 2 March 1926 in Stockholm, Sweden, the son of Gunnar Lidbom, a judge of appeal, and his wife Sally (née Lutteman). He passed studentexamen in 1944 and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1947 and a Candidate of Law degree in Stockholm in 1950.

Career Lidbom did his clerkship in Sollentuna and Färentuna territorial jurisdiction from 1950 to 1953 and worked as an extra legal clerk (fiskal) in the Svea Court of Appeal in 1954, He worked as an expert in the Ministry of the Interior in 1959 and in the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs in 1960. Lidbom was assessor in the Svea Court of Appeal in 1961, director (byråchef) in the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs in 1963, deputy director-general (departementsråd) in the Ministry of Justice in 1965 and director there in 1966 and acting director-general for legal affairs (rättschef) there in 1967.

Lidbom was assistant teacher in law at Stockholm University from 1959 to 1965 The committee's vice chairman Anders Björck questioned the Paris ambassador and Säpo investigator Carl Lidbom. Lidbom accused Björck of coming up with insinuating questions. In interviews, Lidbom had stated that the letter of recommendation (from Leijon to Carlsson) and the secret Säpo documents that Carlsson had acquired were a "trivial matter" and a "minor offense on par with a parking violation." Björck asked if Lidbom had his wife read secret documents. Lidbom snorted at the question:

Lidbom: That question is just nonsense. You won't get an answer because it's nonsense. Björck: You have allowed your wife to read classified documents. Lidbom: You won't get an answer because what you're doing is nonsense. Björck: I don't think it's up to Carl Lidbom to make such statements here. You should know your place when you're here! Period!

Personal life In 1950, Lidbom married Lena Hesselgren (1927–1992), the daughter of district judge (häradshövding) Ove Hesselgren and Malin (née Lundblad). They had two children: Helen (born 1951) and Mona (born 1954).

Death Lidbom died on 26 July 2004 and was buried at Kungsbrolunden next to Turinge Church in Turinge-Taxinge Parish (Turinge-Taxinge församling).

Selected bibliography