Wilhelm Winther

Wilhelm Winther
Born	Otto Wilhelm Winther (1891-11-29)29 November 1891 Helsingborg, Sweden
Died	5 April 1983(1983-04-05) (aged 91) Stockholm, Sweden
Alma mater	Lund University
Occupation	Diplomat
Years active	1913–1967
Spouse(s)	Cornelia Kuylenstierna ​ ​ (m. 1922;  1980)​
Children	5

Otto Wilhelm Winther (29 November 1891 – 5 April 1983) was a Swedish diplomat whose career spanned over four decades, beginning at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1916 and including postings in London, Kristiania (Oslo), Paris, Ankara, Sofia, Athens, Moscow, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Asunción, Prague, and Madrid. He represented Sweden at major international conferences, headed key departments at the Foreign Ministry, led trade negotiations with Czechoslovakia and Spain, and served as ambassador to Spain from 1956 to 1958. In retirement, he chaired the Friends of the Post Museum Association until 1967, when he was made an honorary member.

Early life

Winther was born on 29 November 1891 in Helsingborg, Sweden, the son of Otto Jönsson, a merchant, and his wife Christina (née Winther). He passed studentexamen in 1909 and received a Candidate of Law degree from Lund University in 1913.

Career

Winther worked as a law clerk at Luggude Judicial District from 1913 to 1914. He was appointed attaché at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1916, acting second secretary in 1917, and posted to the legation in London in 1918. He served as second legation secretary in London from 1919 to 1920, and as secretary to the minister for foreign affairs in 1920. In 1922 he became first legation secretary at the Foreign Ministry, and in 1923 was posted to Kristiania (Oslo). In 1924 he was appointed Head of the Political and Commercial Policy Department at the Foreign Ministry, and in 1925 served as delegate to the International Aviation Conference. He was counsellor at the legation in Paris in 1928, delegate to the Conference for the Abolition of Export and Import Restrictions in Paris in 1929, and to the Conference on the Marketing of Agricultural Products in Paris in 1931.

From 1931 to 1934 he was Sweden’s representative to the Bureau International des Expositions in Paris, and in 1933 a member of the International Council for German Refugees in Lausanne. In 1934 he became envoy to Ankara (Istanbul), Sofia, and Athens; in 1938 to Moscow; in 1940 to Buenos Aires, Montevideo, and Asunción; and in 1947 to Prague, where he also chaired the Swedish delegation in trade agreement negotiations with Czechoslovakia that year.

He was appointed envoy to Madrid in 1951, Sweden’s representative in trade negotiations with Spain from 1952 to 1956, and ambassador there from 1956 to 1958.

Winther had a keen interest in philately and in 1958 succeeded former Minister for Foreign Affairs Christian Günther as chairman of the Friends of the Post Museum Association (Föreningen Postmusei Vänner), a position he held until 1967, when he was made an honorary member.

Personal life

In 1922, Winther married Cornelia Kuylenstierna (1897–1980), daughter of Major Osvald Kuylenstierna and Elisabeth (née Hammarberg). He was the father of Otto (1923–2012), Jan (1925–2014), Wiveka (1928–2007), Henry (1936–2002), and Christian (born 1940).

Mr. and Mrs. Winther owned Villa Fridhem in Särö, Kungsbacka Municipality, between 1939 and 1983.

Death

Winther died on 5 April 1983 in Stockholm. He was interred on 27 May 1983 at Norra begravningsplatsen in Stockholm.

Awards and decorations

• File:Royal Order of the Polar Star (1748-1975) - Commander Grand Cross.svg Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star (15 November 1948)
• File:Bg1ocm.png Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit
• File:GRE Order of the Phoenix - Grand Cross BAR.png Grand Cross of the Order of the Phoenix
• File:ESP Isabella Catholic Order GC.svg Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
• File:HUN Order of Merit of the Hungarian Rep (civil) 1class BAR.svg Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary
• File:FIN Order of the White Rose Commander BAR.svg Commander of the Order of the White Rose of Finland
• File:Ordre de l'Etoile Noire Commandeur ribbon.svg Commander of the Order of the Black Star
• File:St Olavs Orden kommandør stripe.svg Commander of the Order of St. Olav
• File:Legion Honneur Officier ribbon.svg Officer of the Legion of Honour
• File:Order of Orange-Nassau ribbon - Officer.svg Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau

External links

• History of the Winther's in Särö (in Swedish)