General (Sweden)

In Sweden, the rank of general was a three-star rank until 1972 when it became a four-star rank. Historically, during the 20th century, lieutenant generals were promoted one grade upon retirement to full general. According to current practice only royals and the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces, if he were to come from the Swedish Army, Swedish Air Force or the Swedish Amphibious Corps can hold the rank of a full, four-star, general in Sweden.

In 2009, the Swedish Armed Forces reported that General Håkan Syrén would retain his rank during his time as Chairman of the European Union Military Committee (2009–2012), which for the first time gave Sweden three active four-star generals; former Supreme Commander, General Håkan Syrén (2004–2012), current Supreme Commander, General Sverker Göranson (2009–2015) and Carl XVI Gustaf (1973–present).^[3] This is correct since the rank of general since 1972 is a four-star rank. However, before 1972, the rank of general was a three-star rank, and between 1940 and 1941 Sweden had five active three-star generals; the Supreme Commander, General Olof Thörnell (1940–1944), General Oscar Nygren (1939–1941^[b]), King Gustaf V (1898–1950), Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf (1932–1973) and Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland (1908–1951).^[5]

Following a proposal from the Swedish Armed Forces, the Government of Sweden decides on employment as a general.^[6]

In everyday speech, generals of all ranks are addressed as generals.^[7][8]

• 
  Collar patch m/58 (black m/02) on field uniform M90
  (2002–present)
• 
  Collar patch m/58 (black m/02) on field uniform M90
  (2002–present)
• 
  Collar patch m/58 (gold) on uniform m/58-m/59 and field uniform M90
  (1983–2002)
• 
  Collar patch m/58 (gold) on uniform m/58-m/59 and field uniform M90
  (–2002)
• 
  Collar patch m/58 (bronze) on uniform m/58-m/59
  (1972–1983)
• 
  Collar patch m/58 (bronze) on uniform m/58-m/59
  (1958–1972)
• 
  Collar patch on uniform m/1923
  (1923–1939)

• 
  Shoulder mark on uniform m/87 (Army and Air Force)
  (1987–present)
• 
  Shoulder mark m/87 on white shirt (Army and Air Force)
  (1987–present)
• 
  Shoulder mark m/87 on white shirt (Navy)
  (1987–present)
• 
  Shoulder mark on uniform m/1939
  (1939–1958)
• 
  Shoulder mark on uniform m/1923
  (1923–1939)
• 
  Shoulder mark on uniform m/1910
  (1910–1923)

• 
  Sleeve insignia for a general in the Amphibious Corps
  (2003–present)
• 
  Sleeve insignia for a general in the Amphibious Corps
  (2000–2003)
  and
  Coastal Artillery (1972–2000)
• 
  Sleeve insignia for a general in the Coastal Artillery
  (1901–1972)

• 
  Sleeve insignia for a general (1972–present) (today only on mess dress uniform)
• 
  Sleeve insignia for a general (?–1972)
• 
  Flight suit sleeve insignia (Ärmmatta m/02) for a general^[9]
  (1972–present)
• 
  Flight suit sleeve insignia for a general
  (?–1972)

• 
  Sleeve insignia for a general on uniform m/1906
  (1906–1923)

• 
  Hat for general of any rank on uniform m/1865-99
  (1865–?)
• 
  Peaked cap (dark blue) for air force general (Skärmmössa m/1930)
  (1930–)
• 
  Peaked cap (white) for air force general (Skärmmössa m/1930)
  (1930–)
• 
  Peaked cap for army general (Skärmmössa m/1952)
  (1952–)

The command flag of a general (and an admiral) is a double swallowtailed Swedish flag. In the first blue field 4 five-pointed white stars placed two over two.^[10]

• 
  Admiral/General^[c] command flag (4 stars)^[12]
  (1972–present)
• 
  Admiral/General^[c] command flag (3 stars)^[11]
  (1905–1972)

The following have been promoted to the rank of general in the Swedish Armed Forces between 1900 and 2024.   This colour indicates that the person was appointed honorary general in the Swedish Army.

Image	Country	Branch	Name	Year promoted	Born	Died	Notes	Ref
		Army	Axel Rappe	1903	1838	1918	Chief of the General Staff (1899–1905)	[13]
		Army	Hemming Gadd	1905[d]	1837	1915	Commander of the 4th Army Division (1896–1905) Commandant General in Stockholm (1905–1905) Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1905–1907)	[13]
		Army	Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn	1906	1850	1942	Honorary General Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (1874–1942)	[13]
		Army	Frederick II, Grand Duke of Baden	1906	1857	1928	Honorary General Grand Duke of Baden (1907–1918)	[13]
		Army	Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland	1908	1861	1951	Prince of Sweden (1861–1951)	[13]
		Army	Wilhelm II, German Emperor	1908	1859	1941	Honorary General German Emperor, King of Prussia (1888–1918)	[13]
		Army	Edward VII	1908	1841	1910	Honorary General King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, Emperor of India (1901–1910)	[13]
		Army	Gustaf Uggla	1913[d]	1846	1924	Commander of the 2nd Army Division (1902–1913) Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1910–1923)
		Army	Knut Gillis Bildt	1919[d]	1854	1927	Chief of the General Staff (1905–1919)
		Army	Lars Tingsten	1922[d]	1857	1937	Chief of the General Staff (1919–1922)
		Army	Carl Gustaf Hammarskjöld	1930[d]	1865	1940	Chief of the General Staff (1922–1930)
		Army / Air Force	Gustaf VI Adolf	1932	1882	1973	Crown Prince of Sweden (1907–1950) King of Sweden (1950–1973)
		Army	Oscar Nygren	1937[e]	1872	1960	Chief of the General Staff (1933–1937)
		Army	Olof Thörnell	1940	1877	1977	Supreme Commander (1939–1944) Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1944–1950)
		Army	Helge Jung	1944	1886	1978	Supreme Commander (1944–1951)
		Army	Nils Swedlund	1951	1898	1965	Supreme Commander (1951–1961)
		Air Force	Bengt Nordenskiöld	1954[d]	1891	1983	Chief of the Air Force (1942–1954)
		Army	Carl August Ehrensvärd	1957[d]	1892	1974	Chief of the Army (1948–1957)
		Air Force	Axel Ljungdahl	1960[d]	1887	1995	Chief of the Air Force (1954–1960)
		Air Force	Torsten Rapp	1961	1905	1993	Supreme Commander (1961–1970)
		Army	Hugo Cederschiöld	1963[f]	1878	1968	Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1950–1963)
		Army	Thord Bonde	1963[d]	1900	1969	Chief of the Army (1957–1963) Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1963–1969)
		Air Force	Lage Thunberg	1968[d]	1905	1997	Chief of the Air Force (1961–1968)
		Army	Curt Göransson	1969[d]	1909	1996	Chief of the Army (1963–1969)
		Army / Air Force[g]	Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland	1969	1912	1997	Prince of Sweden (1912–1997)	[15]
		Army	Stig Synnergren	1970	1915	2004	Supreme Commander (1970–1978) Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1978–1986)
		Army / Air Force[h]	Carl XVI Gustaf	1973	1946	—	King of Sweden (1973–present)
		Air Force	Stig Norén	1973[d]	1908	1996	Chief of the Air Force (1968–1973)
		Army	Carl Eric Almgren	1976[d]	1913	2001	Chief of the Army (1969–1976)
		Army	Lennart Ljung	1978	1921	1990	Supreme Commander (1978–1986) Chief of His Majesty's Military Staff (1986–1990)
		Army	Bengt Gustafsson	1986	1933	2019	Supreme Commander (1986–1994)
		Air Force	Owe Wiktorin	1994	1940	—	Supreme Commander (1994–2000)
		Army	Johan Hederstedt	2000	1943	—	Supreme Commander (2000–2003)
		Navy (Amphibious Corps)	Håkan Syrén	2004	1952	—	Supreme Commander (2004–2009) Chairman of the European Union Military Committee (2009-2012)
		Army	Sverker Göranson	2009	1954	—	Supreme Commander (2009–2015)
		Air Force	Micael Bydén	2015	1964	—	Supreme Commander (2015–present)

• Braunstein, Christian (2004). Svenska försvarsmaktens fälttecken efter millennieskiftet [The flags and standards of the Swedish armed forces after the turn of the millennium] (PDF). Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 7 [dvs 8] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Statens försvarshistoriska museer. ISBN 91-971584-7-X. SELIBR 9815350. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-05-22. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
• Lybeck, Otto, ed. (1945). Svenska flottans historia: örlogsflottan i ord och bild från dess grundläggning under Gustav Vasa fram till våra dagar. Bd 3 [1815-1945] (PDF) (in Swedish). Malmö: Allhem. SELIBR 795890.
• Spiegelberg, Christina, ed. (1984). Sveriges statskalender. 1984 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Liber. ISBN 91-38-90400-4. SELIBR 3682782.