Klas Böök
Klas Erik Böök (10 March 1909 – 5 January 1980) was a Swedish diplomat and public servant who served as Governor of the Swedish National Bank from 1948 to 1951 and was Swedish ambassador in various countries between 1951 and 1972.
Career
Böök was born in Lund, Sweden and was the son of professor Fredrik Böök and Tora (née Olsson). He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lund University in 1934 and studied at London School of Economics in 1935 and reveived a Licentiate of Philosophy degree from Lund University in 1936.[1] Böök became lieutenant at Wendish Artillery Regiment's (A 3) reserve in 1935 and was hired by the Swedish National Bank in 1936 where he became secretary in 1937.[1] He was acting bank advisor and head of the Statistics Department in 1940. Böök was deputy director of the Foreign Exchange Control Office (Valutakontoret) in 1940, was a director there in 1947 and chairman from 1948 to 1951. He was a member of the National Export Credits Guarantee Board in 1943 and deputy chairman from 1947 to 1951. Böök was bank director and head of the II section (central bank issues) within the Swedish National Bank in 1943 and was governor of the bank from 1948 to 1951 (vice governor in 1944).[1]
His diplomatic career began when he was appointed head of the Commercial Department of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and envoy from 1947 to 1948.[1] He was minister in Ottawa from 1951 to 1956, ambassador in Beijing from 1956 to 1961, also accredited as envoy to Bangkok from 1956 to 1959. Böök was ambassador in New Delhi, also accredited to Colombo and Kathmandu from 1961 to 1965 and in Bern from 1965 to 1972. He had special assignments for the Foreign Ministry from 1972 to 1975.[1]
Böök was a member of the Trade Commission from 1944 to 1947 and was the deputy chairman from 1945 to 1947. He was a member of the National Reconstruction Board (Statens återuppbyggnadsnämnd) from 1944 to 1946 and the Foreign Capital Control Office Board (Flyktkapitalbyråns styrelse) from 1945 to 1951.[1] Böök was also member of the board of an international bank in Basel from 1949 to 1951, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development from 1951 to 1952, the International Monetary Fund in 1951 and the Postal Savings Bank Council (Postsparbanksfullmäktige) from 1949 to 1951. Böök was participant in the negotiations on trade and payment agreements.[1]
Personal life
In 1933 Böök married Aina Hakon-Pettersson (1911-1997), daughter of engineer Erik Hakon-Pettersson and Julia (née Ekelund).[1] He was the father Annika (married Eriksson), Ole, Kim, Susanne (married Francke) and Peter.
Böök died in 1980 and was buried at Östra Karup Cemetery in Östra Karup.[2]
Awards
- Commander First Class of the Order of the Polar Star[3]
- Commander of the Order of the White Rose of Finland[3]
- Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog[3]
- Commander of the Order of St. Olav[3]
Bibliography
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References
External links
Government offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by | Governor of the Swedish National Bank 1948–1951 |
Succeeded by Mats Lemne |
Diplomatic posts | ||
Preceded by | Minister of Sweden to Canada 1951–1956 |
Succeeded by Oscar Thorsing |
Preceded by | Ambassador of Sweden to China 1956–1961 |
Succeeded by Kjell Öberg |
Preceded by | Envoy of Sweden to Thailand 1956–1959 |
Succeeded by Tord Hagen |
Preceded by | Ambassador of Sweden to India 1961–1965 |
Succeeded by Gunnar Heckscher |
Preceded by | Ambassador of Sweden to Sri Lanka 1961–1965 |
Succeeded by Gunnar Heckscher |
Preceded by | Ambassador of Sweden to Nepal 1961–1965 |
Succeeded by Gunnar Heckscher |
Preceded by | Ambassador of Sweden to Switzerland 1965–1972 |
Succeeded by Sven-Eric Nilsson |
- 1909 births
- 1980 deaths
- Ambassadors of Sweden to Canada
- Ambassadors of Sweden to China
- Ambassadors of Sweden to Thailand
- Ambassadors of Sweden to India
- Ambassadors of Sweden to Sri Lanka
- Ambassadors of Sweden to Nepal
- Ambassadors of Sweden to Switzerland
- Lund University alumni
- People from Lund
- Commanders First Class of the Order of the Polar Star
- Commanders of the Order of the Dannebrog