Gustaf Bonde

Count Gustaf Bonde af Björnö (8 October 1911 – 21 September 1977) was a Swedish diplomat and member of the House of Bonde. Bonde began his diplomatic career in 1937 as an attaché at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, serving in key posts including Paris, Budapest, Washington, D.C., Cairo, and Athens over nearly two decades. From 1956 to 1962, he was the Ministry’s chief of protocol and, starting in 1960, also acted as deputy introducer for foreign envoys. He then served as ambassador to several countries: Chile (1962–1965), Brazil (1966–1970), Iran (1970–1973, with additional accreditation in Afghanistan), and finally Hungary (1973–1977), where he remained until his passing.

Early life Bonde was born on 8 October 1911 at Trolleholm Castle in Svalöv Municipality, Sweden, the son of Count Gustaf Trolle-Bonde (1868–1951) and Countess Henriette Falkenberg (1883–1932). He had three older siblings, two sisters and a brother.

He became a second lieutenant in the Scanian Cavalry Regiment's (K 2) reserve in 1932 and graduated with an administrative degree (kansliexamen) in 1935. Bonde graduated from the Stockholm School of Economics in 1937. From 1956 to 1962, he was chief of protocol at the Foreign Ministry, and from 1960, he also served as deputy introducer for foreign envoys. ) from 1970 to 1973, and then in Budapest from 1973 until his death in 1977.

Personal life In 1935 he married Countess Jacqueline Barck (1914–2009), daughter of Count Nils Barck and Juliette (née Eberlin). He married a second time in 1961 with Elisabeth Ljunglöf (1922–2006), daughter of Captain Oscar Dyrssen and Maria (née Hallin).

Awards and decorations

Swedish

Foreign