32 Notable Peacemakers in Scandinavia

1596-1650 - René Descartes - Philosopher, mathematician & writer. Dubbed the "Father of modern philosophy."

1833-1896 - Alfred Nobel - Industrialist. Posthumously instituted the Nobel Prizes. Click here for monuments related to the Nobel Peace Prize.

1837-1922 - Fredrik Bajer - A founder & 1st president of International Peace Bureau. 1908 with Klas Pontus Arnoldson

1844-1916 - Klas Pontus Arnoldson - Author, politician & pacifist. First head of Swedish Peace & Arbitration Society in 1883. P 1908 w/Fredric Bajer

1849-1914 - Jacob Riis - Reporter, photographer & reformer. Exposed substandard housing in NYC slums. Wrote "How the Other Half Lives" in 1890.

1850

1860-1925 - Hjalmar Branting - Prime minister 3 times (1920, 1921-1923 & 1924-1925)See Branting Monument in Stockholm (Sweden). 1921 with Christian Lange

1861-1930 - Fridtjof Nansen - Athelete, explorer, zoologist, diplomat & humanitarian. League of Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 1921. Nobel Peace Prize. 1922

1862-1953 - Hjalmar Hammarskjöld - Politician, scholar, cabinet minister & PM of Sweden 1914-1917. On Intl Court of Arbitratrion. Father of Dag Hammarskjöld.

1865-1931 - Othilie Tonning - Social activist. Oslo town councillor. Her work in slums led to 70 institutions managed by the Salvation Army.

1866-1931 - Nathan Soderblom - Archbishop of Uppsala. Hosted Universal Christian Conference on Life & Work in 1925. 1930

1869-1938 - Christian Lange - Historian & political scientist. Foremost exponent of internationalism. 1921 with Hjalmar Branting

1875

1875-1955 - Carl Milles - Sculptor. Mentor of Marshall Fredericks (qv). His home Millesgården is a museum in Stockholm.
1875-1956 - Anton J. Carlson - Physiologist & Humanist. Went to USA at age 16. 1953

1879-1915 - Joe Hill - Labor activist (Industrial Workers of the World) & songwriter. Wrote "There'll be Pie in the Sky By-and-By." Executed after mysterious trial.

1884-1956 - Zeth Höglund - Communist politician, anti-militarist, author, journalist & mayor of Stockholm 1940–1950. Wrote "Down with Weapons!"

1890-1935 - Kurt Tucholsky - Important journalist of Weimar Republic. Satirist. Warned against National Socialism. His books burned by Nazis. P

1895-1948 - Folke Bernadotte - Middle East peace mediator. Assassinated by militant Zionist group Lehi.

1896-1968 - Trygve Lie - Labor leader. Foreign minister in London 1940-1945. 1st Secretary General of the United Nations 1946-1952.

1900

1902-1986 - Alva Myrdal - Supported disarmament. Wife of Gunner Myrdal. 1982 with Alfonso Garcia Robles 1988 Posthumous
1902-1988 - Edita Toll Morris - Peace activist. Wrote "The Flowers of Hiroshima" in 1959.

1905-1961 - Dag Hammarskjöld - UN Sec Gen 1953-1961. Born as his father helped negotiate dissolution of union between Sweden & Norway. Shot down? 1961

1907-2002 - Astrid Lindgren - Author & screenwriter. World's 18th most translated author.

1912-1947 - Raoul Wallenberg - Architect & diplomat. Rescued Jews from the Holocaust in Budapest in 1944. Executed in USSR? Many monuments.

1923-2012 - Jozef Goldblat - Diplomat. Preeminent authority on law of arms control & disarmament. On staff of Stockholm Intl Peace Research Inst (SIPRI).

1925

1927-1986 - Olof Palme - Two-term prime minister. UN mediator in Iran–Iraq War. Steadfast in non-alignment & against apartheid in South Africa. Assassinated.

1928-Alive - Hans Blix - Diplomat & Liberal People's Party politician. Head of UN Weapons Monitoring, Verification & Inspection Commission 2000-2003.

1930-Alive - Johan Galtung - Called "Father of Peace Studies." Helped found the Intl Peace Research Inst (PRIO) in 1959. Click here for 2012 report. 1986

1934-Alive - Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd - Sculptor of "Non-Violence" (aka Knotted Gun) at UN Headquarts & many other places.

1937-Alive - Martti Ahtisaari - President of Finland. Helped solve conflicts in Namibia, Indonesia, Kosovo, Iraq, etc. 2008

1939-Alive - Gro Harlem Brundtland - Physician & diplomat. PM 1986-96. Intl leader in sustainable development & public health.

1944-Alive - Jakob von Uexkull - Lecturer, activist & politician. Established Right Livelihood Award (aka "Alternative Nobel Prize") 1980 & World Future Council 2006.

1947-Alive - Terje Rød-Larsen - Diplomat, politician & sociologist. Directed Fato Inst during Oslo Accords. UN Special Coordinator in Occupied Territories.

1948-Alive - Hans Rosling - Medical doctor, academic & statistician. Acclaimed TED lecturer. Founded Gapminder Foundation.