Axel Edelstam

Axel Edelstam
File:Axel Edelstam.jpg Edelstam c. 1994
Born	Ernst Axel Edelstam (1924-07-21)21 July 1924 Stockholm, Sweden
Died	17 August 2012(2012-08-17) (aged 88) Stora Tuna, Sweden
Alma mater	Stockholm University College
Occupation	Diplomat
Years active	1949–1994
Spouse(s)	Gloria Horstmann ​ ​ (m. 1947, divorced)​ Ingrid Salén ​ ​ (m. 1954, divorced)​ Mary Ann ​ (m. 1989)​
Children	3
Relatives	Harald Edelstam (brother)

Ernst Axel Edelstam (21 July 1924 – 17 August 2012) was a Swedish diplomat. He served in the foreign service for almost 40 years, including as ambassador to many different countries.

Early life

Edelstam was born on 21 July 1924 in Stockholm, Sweden, the son of the permanent undersecretary and chamberlain Fabian Edelstam and Hilma (née Dickinson). He was the brother of diplomat Harald Edelstam. He passed studentexamen in 1944 and received a Candidate of Law degree in 1949 before becoming an attaché at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs the same year.

Career

Edelstam served in New York City in 1950, Washington, D.C. in 1951, and at the Foreign Ministry in 1953. He was acting as second secretary in 1957 (temporarily in 1955) and as first legation secretary at the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC) delegation in Paris from 1959 to 1961. Edelstam was the first secretary of the Foreign Ministry in 1961.

He was acting head of the disarmament delegation in Geneva in 1967 and held the position of ambassador from 1970. Edelstam was a foreign affairs councillor (Utrikdesråd) and acting head of the political department at the Foreign Ministry from 1972 to 1975 and was a member of the negotiating group from 1975 to 1976. He was ambassador in Cairo from 1976 to 1981 with concurrent accreditation to Nicosia (1976–1981), Khartoum (1976–1981), and Mogadishu (1980–1981). He was then ambassador in Bangkok, Vientiane, and Singapore from 1981 to 1983, and then in New Delhi from 1983 to 1987 with concurrent accreditation to Colombo, Kathmandu, and Thimphu (1985–1987). Edelstam's final post as ambassador was in Oslo from 1987 to 1989.

Edelstam was head of the Swedish Road Administration's international secretariat from 1989 to 1994. As retired, Edelstam was active as local, politician in Borlänge for the Liberal People's Party and was for a period chairman of the Swedish Pensioners' Association in Borlänge.

Personal life

In 1947, Edelstam married Gloria Horstmann. They divorced, and in 1954, he married Ingrid Salén (born 1927), the daughter of law speaker Torsten Salén and Hilda Elfström. He was the father of Ellinor (born 1948), Torsten (born 1954), and Anne (born 1957). He later married the American Mary Ann. Edelstam was a frequent skier and had a great interest in cultural issues, foreign policy, history, and literature.

Death

Edelstam died on 17 August 2012 in Stora Tuna, Borlänge Municipality, Sweden. He was interred on 3 September 2012 in the family grave at Brännkyrka Cemetery in Brännkyrka in southern Stockholm.

Awards and decorations

• File:For Zealous and Devoted Service of the Realm ribbon.png For Zealous and Devoted Service of the Realm (22 August 1979)
• File:St Olavs Orden storkors stripe.svg Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav (1989)

References

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Lars von Celsing	Ambassador of Sweden to Egypt 1976–1981	Succeeded by Olov Ternström
Preceded by Lars von Celsing	Ambassador of Sweden to Sudan 1976–1981	Succeeded by Olov Ternström
Preceded by Åke Jonsson	Ambassador of Sweden to Cyprus 1976–1981	Succeeded by Torsten Örn
Preceded by Lennart Eckerberg	Ambassador of Sweden to Somalia 1980–1981	Succeeded by Arne Fältheim
Preceded by Jean-Christophe Öberg	Ambassador of Sweden to Thailand 1981–1983	Succeeded by Nils-Olov Hasslev
Preceded by Jean-Christophe Öberg	Ambassador of Sweden to Laos 1981–1983	Succeeded by Nils-Olov Hasslev
Preceded by Jean-Christophe Öberg	Ambassador of Sweden to Singapore 1981–1983	Succeeded by Håkan Berggren
Preceded by Lennart Finnmark	Ambassador of Sweden to India 1983–1987	Succeeded by Örjan Berner
Preceded by Lennart Finnmark	Ambassador of Sweden to Sri Lanka 1983–1987	Succeeded by Örjan Berner
Preceded by Lennart Finnmark	Ambassador of Sweden to Nepal 1983–1987	Succeeded by Örjan Berner
Preceded by None	Ambassador of Sweden to Bhutan 1985–1987	Succeeded by Örjan Berner
Preceded by Love Kellberg	Ambassador of Sweden to Norway 1987–1989	Succeeded by Lennart Bodström