Carl-Ehrenfried Carlberg (24 February 1889 – 22 January 1962) was a Swedish gymnast who competed in the

1912 Summer Olympics The 1912 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad () and commonly known as Stockholm 1912, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 6 July and 22 July 1912. The opening ceremony was he ...

. He was also a supporter and financier of

Nazi Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...

organisations.

Early life and Olympics

Carlberg was born in

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

and served in the Göta Life Guards of the

Swedish Army The Swedish Army () is the army, land force of the Swedish Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Sweden. Beginning with its service in 1521, the Swedish Army has been active for more than 500 years. History Svea Life Guards dates back to the year 1 ...

while also training to be an engineer. A keen sportsman during his army service, he was part of the Swedish team, which won the gold medal in the gymnastics men's team, Swedish system event. Following this triumph, he founded a gymnastics institute at Lillsved while also building a successful career in construction.

Politics

In his post-gymnastic career, Carlberg formed his own ''Gymniska Förbundet'' in 1928. Publishing the magazine ''Gymn'', the society underlined what it saw as the decadence of Western society, drawing heavily from Elof Eriksson. This group fizzled out by 1932, although Carlberg was a founder and the main financial supporter of the

anti-Semitic Antisemitism or Jew-hatred is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Whether antisemitism is considered a form of racism depends on the school of thought. Antisemi ...

Manhem Association, a study group which he helped set up in 1934. The group's membership was cross-party, involving members of the Nationalsocialistiska Arbetarpartiet,

Per Engdahl Per Claes Sven Edvard Engdahl (25 February 1909 – 4 May 1994) was a leading Swedish far-right politician. He was a leader of '' Sveriges Fascistiska Kamporganisation'' (SFKO or Sweden's Fascist Combat Organization), during the 1930s. He led a ...

's ''Riksförbundet Det nya Sverige'' and the ''Riksförbundet Sverige-Tyskland'', amongst others. A strong supporter of

Nazism Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During Hitler's rise to power, it was fre ...

, Carlberg recruited men for both military and civilian service for the

Third Reich Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictat ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. By this time, he had become a very rich man due to his business interests and used his money to disseminate

Nazi propaganda Propaganda was a tool of the Nazi Party in Germany from its earliest days to the end of the regime in May 1945 at the end of World War II. As the party gained power, the scope and efficacy of its propaganda grew and permeated an increasing amou ...

and to fund the ''Svensk Opposition'' of

. Following the war, his ''Hjälpkommittén för Tysklands barn'' worked as a relief organisation for German officers, whilst his ''Svea Rike'' publishing house, originally set up in the 1930s, was turned over to

Neo-Nazism Neo-Nazism comprises the post–World War II militant, social, and political movements that seek to revive and reinstate Nazism, Nazi ideology. Neo-Nazis employ their ideology to promote hatred and Supremacism#Racial, racial supremacy (ofte ...

. He also became the largest shareholder in '' Nation Europa'' and set up a Carlberg Foundation aimed at youth. In 1958, Carlberg was fined 15,000 Krona for spreading antisemitic propaganda by Carl-Gustaf Herlitz. After his death in Stockholm, he left his apartment to the Foundation, and in 1965, it was raided by police due to a tip-off that the groups using it had stashed weapons there.

Bibliography

* Philip Rees, '' Biographical Dictionary of the Extreme Right Since 1890'', p. 54

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Carlberg, Carl-Ehrenfried 1889 births 1962 deaths Gymnasts from Stockholm Swedish male artistic gymnasts Gymnasts at the 1912 Summer Olympics Olympic gymnasts for Sweden Olympic gold medalists for Sweden Swedish Nazis Swedish Nazi propagandists Swedish criminals Swedish neo-Nazis Olympic medalists in gymnastics Medalists at the 1912 Summer Olympics People convicted of racial hatred offences