Fritz Stackelberg

Count Fritz "Fred" Carl Louis Stackelberg (31 May 1899 – 18 November 1988) was a Swedish diplomat whose career spanned over four decades. He began at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1926, serving in posts across Europe including Copenhagen, Bern, London, Vienna, Budapest, and Belgrade, and worked as private secretary to the minister for Foreign affairs. He held key positions during and after World War II, acting as government representative in negotiations with Italy, Finland, Bulgaria, and Denmark. From 1948 to 1953, he was Swedish Envoy in Caracas, with accreditation to Havana, Ciudad Trujillo, and Port‑au‑Prince. He later served as Chief of Protocol (1953–1956) and as Ambassador to Greece (Athens, 1956–1962) and Switzerland (Bern, 1962–1965). After his ambassadorial career, he was a member of the Central Board of the International Committee of the Red Cross from 1966 to 1979.

Early life Born into the noble Stackelberg family on 31 May 1899 in Stockholm, Sweden, he was the son of Ryttmästare Count Adolf Stackelberg (1850–1906) and Countess Charlotte Lewenhaupt (1861–1951). He passed the studentexamen in Linköping on 18 May 1917. He received a Candidate of Law degree from Stockholm University College on 7 November 1925.

Career

Military career Stackelberg became an officer cadet at the Svea Artillery Regiment on 26 October 1917. He was appointed constable (konstapel) there on 21 June 1918 and promoted to furir on 30 August 1918. On 21 October 1918 he entered the Military Academy Karlberg. He was promoted to styckjunkare on 30 August 1919 and passed his officers' examination on 18 December 1918. On 13 February 1920 he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the same regiment.

Between 1941 and 1945 he served as government representative in negotiations with Italy and Finland. In 1944 he acted as chairman of the Swedish delegation in negotiations with Bulgaria. In 1944 he was appointed legation counsellor in Paris. From 1947 he served in Copenhagen, and between 1947 and 1948 he was government representative in negotiations with Denmark. The funeral took place on 30 November 1988 in Gustaf Adolf Church in Stockholm.

Awards and decorations

Swedish

Knight of the Order of Saint John in Sweden

Commander of the Order of the Golden Star of China

Officer of the Austrian Badge of Honor (1930) First Class of the Greek Red Cross of Badge of Honor with laurel wreath