Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

Erik Mathias Hjalmar Gustafsson Testrup (14 September 1878 – 18 December 1972) 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. His senior commands include commanding officer of the Eastern Army Division of the IV Army Division, Commandant General of Stockholm Garrison and as military commander of the IV Military District.

Early life

Testrup was born on 14 September 1878 in

Landskrona Landskrona is a town in Scania, Sweden. Located on the shores of the Öresund, it occupies a natural port, which has lent the town at first military and subsequent commercial significance. Ferries operate from Landskrona to the island of Ven, an ...

, Sweden, the son of lieutenant colonel Gustav Testrup and his wife Mathilda Gerlin.

Career

Military career

He was commissioned as an officer in

Kronoberg Regiment The Kronoberg Regiment (), designations I 11 and I 11/Fo 16, 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 Kronoberg County, ...

in 1898 with the rank of ''

underlöjtnant ''Underlöjtnant'' (from the German word '' Unterleutnant'') was the lowest officer rank in the Swedish Army from 1835 to 1937 instead of the previous ranks of ''fänrik'' and cornet. was reintroduced in 1914 with the same position as , from 19 ...

''. Testrup was promoted to lieutenant in 1902 and attended 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 1904 to 1906. He then served in the

General Staff A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, Enlisted rank, enlisted, and civilian staff who serve the commanding officer, commander of a ...

in 1910 and he was promoted to captain in 1912. Testrup served as a teacher at the Royal Swedish Army Staff College from 1914 to 1915 and at the

Royal Swedish Naval Staff College The Royal Swedish Naval Staff College (, KSHS) was a Swedish Navy training establishment between 1898 and 1961, providing courses for naval officers. It was the home of the Swedish Navy's staff college, which provided advanced training for office ...

from 1915 to 1919. In 1917, he made a study trip to the German Western Front and served in the Göta Life Guards from 1917 to 1919, when he was promoted to major and served in the General Staff. In 1922, Testrup was promoted to lieutenant colonel and appointed head of the Royal Swedish Army Staff College. In 1925, he made a study trip to the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

and to

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

(and to

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

in 1930) and the year after he was promoted to colonel and was appointed regimental commander of the

North Scanian Infantry Regiment North Scanian Infantry Regiment (), designation I 6, was a Swedish Army infantry regiment that operated from 1812 to 1963. The unit was based in the Kristianstad Garrison in Kristianstad. In 1963 the regiment was transferred to the Swedish Armoure ...

. Testrup was then commanding officer of the Military Office of the Land Defence from 1929 to 1932 and brigade commander in the Western Army Division from 1932 to 1936. He was promoted to major general in the army in 1934 and in 1936 he was appointed commanding officer of the Eastern Army Division and Commandant General of Stockholm Garrison. In 1937, Testrup was appointed commanding officer of the IV Army Division. During this time he continued serving as Commandant General of Stockholm Garrison. In 1939, he visited the field service exercises on the

Karelian Isthmus The Karelian Isthmus (; ; ) is the approximately stretch of land situated between the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga in northwestern Russia, to the north of the River Neva. Its northwestern boundary is a line from the Bay of Vyborg to the we ...

. He was appointed military commander of the IV Military District in 1942 and in 1943 Testrup retired from active service and was at the same time promoted to lieutenant general.

Other work

Testrup was an expert on the army's providing with technical equipment from 1917 to 1918, on the training of certain technical officers from 1918 to 1921, secretary for the army in the ''Försvarsrevisionen'' from 1919 to 1923 and secretary of the General Commission (''Generalkommissionen'') in 1923. He was at the disposal of the

Ministry of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see American and British English spelling differences#-ce.2C -se, spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and Mi ...

for drafting a new army regulation from 1923 to 1924, secretary of the Land Defense (''Lantförsvaret'') in the

Riksdag The Riksdag ( , ; also or , ) is the parliament and the parliamentary sovereignty, supreme decision-making body of the Kingdom of Sweden. Since 1971, the Riksdag has been a unicameral parliament with 349 members (), elected proportional rep ...

's Special Committee in 1924, and was an expert on the infantry exercise regulations and field service regulations from 1926 to 1927. In 1929, Testrup became a Riksdag's

Upper House An upper house is one of two Legislative chamber, chambers of a bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house. The house formally designated as the upper house is usually smaller and often has more restricted p ...

for

The Right Right-wing politics is the range of Ideology#Political ideologies, political ideologies that view certain social orders and Social stratification, hierarchies as inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable, typically supporting this position b ...

in 1929. Testrup was chairman of the military association KHS from 1924 to 1926, of the ''Norra skånska landstormsförbundet'' ("North Scanian Landstorm Association") from 1927 to 1930, of the ''Föreningen för befrämjandet av skolungdomens vapenövningar'' ("Association for the Promotion of Weapon Exercises for Students") from 1937 to 1947, of the Stockholm district of ''Militär Idrott'' from 1937 to 1943, of the Stockholm district of the

Swedish Red Cross The Swedish Red Cross ( Swedish: ''Svenska Röda Korset'') is a Swedish humanitarian organisation and a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Founded in 1865, its purpose is to prevent and alleviate human suffering wher ...

from 1943 to 1954 and of the General Commission for Voluntary Health Care in War from 1944. He was also vice chairman of Bönnelyche & Thuröe AB from 1947 to 1959 and a member of the Executive Board of the ''H.M. Konungens Militärhospitals- och Medaljfonder'' from 1947 to 1964.

Personal life

In 1904, he married Ebba Thuröe (1883–1963), the daughter of Lauritz Thuröe and Christine Bönnelyche.

Death

Testrup died on 18 December 1972. He was buried on 26 January 1973 in the Old Cemetery in

Strängnäs Strängnäs is a Urban areas in Sweden, locality and the seat of Strängnäs Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 15,363 inhabitants in 2020. It is located by Lake Mälaren and is the episcopal see of the Diocese of Strängnäs, one of t ...

in the same grave as his parents and his wife.

Dates of rank

*1898 – ''

Underlöjtnant ''Underlöjtnant'' (from the German word '' Unterleutnant'') was the lowest officer rank in the Swedish Army from 1835 to 1937 instead of the previous ranks of ''fänrik'' and cornet. was reintroduced in 1914 with the same position as , from 19 ...

'' *1902 –

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

*1912 –

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 ...

*1919 –

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 ...

*1922 – Lieutenant colonel *1926 –

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 ...

*1934 – Major general *1943 –

Lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

Awards and decorations

Swedish

King Gustaf V's Jubilee Commemorative Medal (1948) * Royal Order of the Sword - Commander Grand Cross BAR

Commander Grand Cross 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 ...

(6 June 1941) * Royal Order of the Sword - Commander 1st Class BAR

Commander 1st Class of the

(22 November 1932) * Royal Order of the Sword - Commander BAR

Commander 2nd Class of the

(6 June 1930) * Royal Order of the Sword - Knight 1st Class BAR

Knight 1st Class of the

(1919) *

SWE Order of Vasa - Knight 2nd Class BAR

Commander 1st Class 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 ...

(16 June 1933) * SWE Order of Vasa - Knight 2nd Class BAR

Knight 1st Class of the

(1916) * 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 ...

(1923) * Federation of Landstorm Associations Medal of Merit in gold * ''Lingiadens jubileumsmedalj'' ("Ligiad Commemorative Medal") * ''Landstormsofficerarnas riksförbunds hederstecken i guld'' ("Federation of Landstorm Associations Badge of Honor in Gold") *

' Silver Medal * SthlmsIfbGM * Central Board of the National Swedish Rifle Association's Silver Medal (''Sveriges skytteförbunds överstyrelses silvermedalj'') * ''Föreningen för befrämjande av skolungdomens vapenövningars guldmedalj'' ("Association for the Promotion of Weapon Exercises for Students' Gold Medal")

Foreign

EST Order of the Cross of the Eagle 2nd Class BAR

2nd Class of the

Order of the Cross of the Eagle The Order of the Cross of the Eagle (; ) was instituted in 1928 by the Estonian Defence League to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Estonian independence. It was adopted as a state order in 1936. The Order of the Cross of the Eagle is bestowe ...

(between 1931 and 1935) * FIN Order of the White Rose Commander 1st Class BAR

Commander 1st Class of the

Order of the White Rose of Finland The Order of the White Rose of Finland (; ) is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, and the Order of the Lion of Finland. The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The ...

(between 1931 and 1935) * FIN Order of the White Rose Commander BAR

Commander 2nd Class of the

(between 1925 and 1928) * FIN Order of the White Rose Knight 1st Class BAR

Knight 1st Class of the

(between 1918 and 1921) * DEU Deutsche Adlerorden 1 BAR

Order of the German Eagle The Order of Merit of the German Eagle () was an award of the German Nazi regime, predominantly to foreign diplomats. The Order was instituted on 1 May 1937 by Adolf Hitler. It ceased to be awarded following the collapse of Nazi Germany at the e ...

with Star (1942) * DNK Order of Danebrog Commander BAR

Commander 2nd Class 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 ...

(between 1931 and 1935) * Order of Orange-Nassau ribbon - Commander

Commander of the

Order of Orange-Nassau The Order of Orange-Nassau () is a civil and military Dutch order of chivalry founded on 4 April 1892 by the queen regent, Emma of the Netherlands. The order is a chivalric order open to "everyone who has performed acts of special merits for ...

with Swords (between 1925 and 1928) * 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 ...

(between 1925 and 1928) * POL Polonia Restituta Komandorski BAR

Commander 2nd Class of the

Order of Polonia Restituta The Order of Polonia Restituta (, ) is a Polish state decoration, state Order (decoration), order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on alien (law), foreigners for outstanding achievements in ...

(between 1931 and 1935) * Legion Honneur Officier ribbon

Officer of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

(between 1931 and 1935) * Cavaliere SSML BAR

Knight of the

Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus () (abbreviated OSSML) is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood bestowed by the royal House of Savoy. It is the second-oldest order of knighthood in the world, tracing its lineage to AD 1098, a ...

(between 1909 and 1915) * White Guard's Cross of Merit *

Finnish Red Cross The Finnish Red Cross (FRC, , ) is an independent member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which is one of the biggest and best-known international organisations in the world and in the field of humanitari ...

' Cross of Honor * Finnish commemorative medal for humanitarian activities *

French Red Cross The French Red Cross (), or the CRF, is the national Red Cross Society in France founded in 1864 and originally known as the ''Société française de secours aux blessés militaires'' (SSBM). Recognized as a public utility since 1945, the Frenc ...

's Gold Medal *

German Red Cross The German Red Cross (GRC) ( ; DRK) is the national Red Cross Society in Germany. During the Nazi era, the German Red Cross was under the control of the Nazi Party and played a role in supporting the regime's policies, including the exclusion ...

' Badge of Honor

Honours

*Member of the

Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences The Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences () is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden and was founded on 12 November 1796 by Gustaf Wilhelm af Tibell. The academy is an independent organization and a forum for military (army and air force) and de ...

(1924), its president 1943–1945 *Member of the

Royal Patriotic Society The Royal Patriotic Society () is a Sweden, Swedish royal family, royal society founded in 1772 in Stockholm, Sweden, by royal charter of King Gustav III of Sweden. The original aim was to improve agriculture, mining and the textile industry. The ...

*Member of the

Royal Swedish Pro Patria Society The Swedish Royal Society Pro Patria () is a Swedish society and a charitable organisation founded in 1766, and a royal society under royal protection since 1775 (King Gustav III Gustav III (29 March 1792), also called ''Gustavus III'', wa ...

*Member of the Idun Society (''Sällskapet Idun'') *Member of the ''Arla Coldinu Orden'', its president 1939–1956

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Testrup, Erik 1878 births 1972 deaths Swedish Army lieutenant generals People from Landskrona Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences Commanders Grand Cross of the Order of the Sword Commanders First Class of the Order of the Polar Star Knights of the Order of Vasa Members of the Första kammaren