Dag Hammarskjöld

Swedish Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1961

Dag Hammarskjöld was Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1953 until 1961 when he died in a plane accident while on a peace mission in the Congo.

 He became known for his skills concerning diplomatic issues. In the 50´s he participated in the diplomatic activities in the Middle East, supporting the Armistice Agreements between Israel and the Arab States and assisted in the peaceful solution of the Suez Canal dispute. 

Hammarskjöld also travelled to many countries of Africa, Asia, Europe, America and the Middle East, either on specific assignments or to discuss various problems with officials of member governments. 

He made four trips to the Congo in connection with the United Nations operations there. The fourth trip to the Congo ended with the fatal plane accident.

After studies in laws and economics in Uppsala, and a few years of teaching political economics in Stockholm, he joined the Swedish civil service as Permanent Under-Secretary in the Ministry of Finance. After the Second World War he served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and from 1951 as Deputy Foreign Minister and Cabinet member in the Social Democratic government.

Dag Hammarskjöld was elected member of the Royal Swedish Academy in1954.

2005 marks the 100th anniversary of Dag Hammarskjöld's birth, which will be celebrated through a number of activities in Sweden and other parts of the world.