Count Carl Johan

Wachtmeister (Wm; German for 'master-sentinel' or 'watch-master') is a military rank of non-commissioned officers (NCO) in Austria and Switzerland. It is also used in civil authorities in German-speaking countries (police, judiciary, customs service, bord ...

(1 February 1903 – 22 May 1993) was a

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 ...

officer and fencer. He served as commanding officer of

Norrland Dragoon Regiment The Norrland Dragoon Regiment (), also K 4, is a Swedish Army unit specialized in arctic warfare and special operations. Located in the province of Lapland, Sweden, Lappland, it was historically a cavalry unit that traces its origins back to the ...

(1952–1957) and the

Stockholm Defence District Stockholm Defence District (, Fo 44), was a Swedish defence district which operated from 1939 to 2000. Fo 44 was responsible for the defence of Stockholm and its key task was to protect the national Swedish administration, that is, the head of st ...

(1957–1963).

Early life

Wachtmeister was born on 1 February 1903 in

Skövde Skövde () is a Urban areas in Sweden, locality and urban centre in Skövde Municipality and Västra Götaland County, in the Västergötland, Västergötland (Western Gothland region) in central southern Sweden. Skövde is situated around 150 k ...

, Sweden, the son of lieutenant colonel, count Fredrik Wachtmeister and his wife Greta Lindström.

Career

Wachtmeister was commissioned as an officer after graduating from the Royal Military Academy in 1925 with the rank of second lieutenant. He attended the

Royal Central Gymnastics Institute The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences (, GIH) in Stockholm is a Swedish institution offering higher education in the fields of teaching profession in Physical Education, Sports coaching and Preventive health. The school offers both prog ...

from 1928 to 1930 and the

Royal Swedish Army Staff College The Royal Swedish Army Staff College (, KHS) was a Swedish Army training establishment between 1866 and 1961, providing courses for army officers. It was the home of the Swedish Army's staff college, which provided advanced training for officers ...

from 1937 to 1939. Wachtmeister was promoted to ''

ryttmästare ''Ryttmästare'' (from the German word ''Rittmeister'') was a military rank in the Swedish cavalry in the Swedish Army. The rank corresponded to the rank of captain in other service branches. The rank was abolished in 1972. History The military ...

'' in the

Life Regiment Hussars The Life Regiment Hussars (; designated K 3) is one of the world's oldest regiments still active. The regiment descends directly from units set up by King Gustav I of Sweden (Gustav Vasa) in 1536, when Sweden set up a draft of horses and ...

(K 3) in 1940 and to captain of the

General Staff Corps General Staff Corps (, Gst) was an administrative corps within the Swedish Armed Forces between 1937 and 1990 and consisted of Swedish Army officers chosen for duty in the Defence Staff and Army Staff. It replaced the earlier General Staff. Histo ...

in 1942. He then served as '' Aide-de-camp'' to His Majesty the King

Gustaf V Gustaf V (Oscar Gustaf Adolf; 16 June 1858 – 29 October 1950) was King of Sweden from 8 December 1907 until his death in 1950. He was the eldest son of King Oscar II of Sweden and Sophia of Nassau, a half-sister of Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxe ...

from 1942 to 1950. Wachtmeister was promoted to major in 1944 and he became major of the General Staff Corps in 1946. He served as chief of staff of the IV Military District from 1946 to 1949 and became lieutenant colonel of General Staff Corps in 1948 and of

Hälsinge Regiment The Hälsinge Regiment (), designations I 14, I 14/Fo 49 and I 14/Fo 21, was a Swedish Army infantry regiment that traced its origins back to the 16th century. It was disbanded in 1997. The regiment's soldiers were originally recruited from the p ...

(I 14) in 1949. Wachtmeister was promoted to colonel in the cavalry and appointed regimental commander of

(K 4) in 1952. Five years later, Wachtmeister was appointed Commendant of Stockholm and Defence District Commander for

(Fo 44). He attended the Swedish National Defence College in 1958 and served as Defence District Commander until 1963 when he retired from the Swedish Armed Forces. Wachtmeister then worked as an expert i

preparedness Preparedness is a set of actions that are taken as precautionary measures in the face of potential disasters. Being prepared helps in achieving goals and in avoiding and mitigating negative outcomes. There are different types of preparedness, su ...

issues from 1963 to 1981. He was chairman of the Swedish Fencing Association (''Svenska Fäktförbundet'') from 1948 to 1952. He competed in the team

sabre A sabre or saber ( ) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the Early Modern warfare, early modern and Napoleonic period, Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such a ...

event at the

1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XI Olympiad () and officially branded as Berlin 1936, were an international multi-sport event held from 1 to 16 August 1936 in Berlin, then capital of Nazi Germany. Berlin won the bid to ...

Personal life

In 1929, he married Birgit Thuresson (1906–1986), the daughter of the major in the

Road and Waterway Construction Service Corps The Road and Waterway Construction Service Corps (, VVK) was during the years 1851–2010 a military administrative corps of reserve personnel in the Swedish Army, who was responsible for in the case of war provide the Swedish Armed Forces with sp ...

, Elis Thuresson and Carin Santesson. They had two children: Carl-Fredrik (born 1936) and Caroline (born 1939).

Death

Wachtmeister died on 22 May 1993 in

Oscar Parish Oscar Parish () is a parish in Östermalm's church district (''kontrakt'') in the Diocese of Stockholm, Sweden. The parish is located in Stockholm Municipality in Stockholm County. The parish forms its own pastorship. History Oscar Parish was fo ...

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 ...

. He was buried on 7 July 1993 in

Galärvarvskyrkogården Galärvarvskyrkogården (literally Galley Shipyard Cemetery) is a cemetery on the island of Djurgården in Stockholm, Sweden. It has about 1,300 burial sites and an area of approximately 0.9 hectares. History Galärvarvskyrkogården in Djurgår ...

in Stockholm.

Dates of rank

*1925 – Second lieutenant *1939 – ''

Ryttmästare ''Ryttmästare'' (from the German word ''Rittmeister'') was a military rank in the Swedish cavalry in the Swedish Army. The rank corresponded to the rank of captain in other service branches. The rank was abolished in 1972. History The military ...

'' *1942 –

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

*1944 –

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

*1948 – Lieutenant Colonel *1952 –

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Awards and decorations

Swedish

King Gustaf V's Jubilee Commemorative Medal (1948) * King Gustaf V's Commemorative Medal (1951) * Royal_Order_of_the_Sword_-_Commander_1st_Class_BAR

Commander 1st Class of the

Order of the Sword The Royal Order of the Sword (officially: ''Royal Order of the Sword''; Swedish: ''Kungliga Svärdsorden'') is a Swedish order of chivalry and military decoration created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Or ...

(4 June 1960) * Knight of the

Order of the Polar Star The Royal Order of the Polar Star (Swedish language, Swedish: ''Kungliga Nordstjärneorden''), sometimes translated as the Royal Order of the North Star, is a Swedish order of chivalry created by Frederick I of Sweden, King Frederick I on 23 F ...

SWE_Order_of_Vasa_-_Knight_2nd_Class_BAR

Knight of the

Order of Vasa The Royal Order of Vasa () is a Swedish order of chivalry founded on 29 May 1772 by Gustav III, King Gustav III. It is awarded to Swedish citizens for service to state and society especially in the fields of agriculture, mining and commerce. His ...

* Swedish Fencing Federation Honorary Shield (''Svenska fäktförbundets hederssköld'') (1952)

Foreign

* Commander of the

Order of St. Olav The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav (; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II, known to posterity as St. Olav. Just be ...

with Star * Commander 1st Class of the

Order of the Crown of Thailand The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand (; ) is a Thai order, established in 1869 by King Rama V of The Kingdom of Siam (now Thailand) for Thais, the royal family, governmental employees, and foreign dignitaries for their outstanding serv ...

Knight of the

Order of the Dannebrog The Order of the Dannebrog () is a Denmark, Danish order of chivalry instituted in 1671 by Christian V of Denmark, Christian V. Until 1808, membership in the Order was limited to fifty members of noble or royal rank, who formed a single cla ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wachtmeister, Carl Johan 1903 births 1993 deaths Swedish male sabre fencers Olympic fencers for Sweden Fencers at the 1936 Summer Olympics People from Skövde Commanders First Class of the Order of the Sword Knights of the Order of the Polar Star Knights of the Order of Vasa Swedish counts Burials at Galärvarvskyrkogården Sportspeople from Västra Götaland County

Carl_Johan Charles XIV John (; 26 January 1763 – 8 March 1844) was King of Sweden and Norway from 1818 until his death in 1844 and the first monarch of the Bernadotte dynasty. In Norway, he is known as Charles III John () and before he became royalty in ...