Erik Tennander

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 (1894–1965) and Karin, née Wigström (1893–1940). His father was chief engineer at the . He was the half-brother of the composer and lyricist (born 1945).

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.

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. 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. 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. and Sten Northrop (1956–2016).

In 1966, he married Britt Oldenburg (born 1938), the daughter of the Director-General of Naval Construction (marinöverdirektör) and Margareta (née Lindberg).

Awards and decorations