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Torsten Stålnacke

1933 – 2012

Swedish military personnel

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About Torsten Stålnacke

Lived 1933 – 2012 (aged 78). Torsten Stålnacke was a Swedish soldier and military personnel.

Torsten Emanuel Stålnacke (31 December 1933 – 4 August 2012) was a Swedish United Nations soldier and Swedish Army överfurir, mostly known for his actions during the Congo Crisis in 1961.

Early life Stålnacke was born in Svappavaara, Sweden

UN service He served with the rank of furir In the Congo, he belonged to Battalion XIIK in 1961. his chin to hang down. To stop himself from suffocating, he cleared bone fragments from his throat with his fingers and pulled his tongue up. While retreating under fire, Stålnacke held his chin up with one hand and held the recoilless rifle with the other. Using hand gestures and physical nudges to direct them, he managed to guide his two incapacitated comrades off the battlefield.

By the spring of 1963, Stålnacke had undergone 18 surgical operations. Although he never fully recovered, he served in the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus from 1965 to 1968.

In total, he underwent 33 operations for his injuries at the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm.

Death Stålnacke died at his home on 4 August 2012 and was buried on 24 August in the Svappavaara cemetery.

Awards and decorations

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Awards
Vasa Medal; Swedish Armed Forces Medal for Wounded in Battle

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Torsten Stålnacke's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Torsten Stålnacke?

Swedish military personnel (1933-2012)

When was Torsten Stålnacke born?

Torsten Stålnacke was born on 31 December 1933 in Svappavaara.

When did Torsten Stålnacke die?

Torsten Stålnacke died on 4 August 2012 in Sälen.

What was Torsten Stålnacke's occupation?

Torsten Stålnacke was a soldier and military personnel.

What nationality was Torsten Stålnacke?

Torsten Stålnacke was Swedish.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Torsten Stålnacke

· Wikidata: Q6194461

· DBpedia: Torsten Stålnacke

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Torsten Stålnacke. https://biography.guide/torsten-stalnacke/

MLA: "Torsten Stålnacke." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/torsten-stalnacke/.

Chicago: "Torsten Stålnacke." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/torsten-stalnacke/.

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