Stig Synnergren


Stig Gustaf Eugén Synnergren was a Swedish Army officer who was the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces from 1970 to 1978. Synnergren was a strong advocate for the conscription system and during his time as Supreme Commander the combat aircraft Saab 37 Viggen was introduced. Synnergren was famous for advancing from the rank of captain to becoming the "youngest general in the modern times" in just five years.

Early life

Synnergren was born in Boden, Sweden, the son of Gösta Synnergren, an engine driver, and his wife Sara. His father was also a Social Democratic city councilman in Boden and his mother was a Social Democratic member of the child welfare committee. Synnergren's school years were marked by sports, physical education and outdoor recreation. He passed studentexamen in Luleå in 1936 with the grades A in physics and a in mathematics and chemistry. He was then admitted to the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. He had at this time no thought of becoming an officer.
The turning point of his life happened during a fall day in 1936 during the Berlin Olympics in which Synnergren participated as a member of the Swedish gymnastics squad. The experience of Adolf Hitler, surrounded by the Third Reich throughout threatening paramilitary splendor changed Synnergren's choice of career. Like so many of his peers, he had a strong feeling that a new world war was imminent. He withdrew his application to the Royal Institute of Technology and decided to become an officer. In 1939, as World War II broke out, he finish first in his class at the Swedish Infantry Officer Candidate School at the Royal Military Academy.

Military career

Synnergren was commissioned as an officer with the rank of fänrik in 1939 and served in the Ski Battalion in Kiruna during World War II and guarded the Norwegian border when Germany occupied Narvik. After the German attack on Norway on 9 April 1940, he as an intelligence officer in the regimental staff, on several occasions, alone and on skis, got into the war zone in Northern Norway to make contact with the Norwegian forces and gather intelligence within the German dominated area. Because of his fell experience and skills, he became, after a brief interlude as a cadet officer at Karlberg in 1944, the head of evacuation in Jokkmokk and was as such responsible for management of the Norwegian refugees. After the war, he was appointed captain in 1946 and did in a short time a rapid military career.
Synnergren graduated from the Royal Swedish Army Staff College in 1948 and became a cadet of the General Staff and then captain of the General Staff. He conducted studies in the Norwegian Army in 1950 and 1953, the British Army in 1951 and 1953 and the United States Army in 1951 and 1959. He was a teacher at the Royal Swedish Army Staff College from 1953 to 1956 and again from 1957 to 1958. Synnergren was promoted to major in 1957 and was head of the Tactics Department at the Army Staff from 1958 to 1960. He studied at the Swedish National Defence College in 1960 and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the Svea Life Guards in 1961.
Between 1962-63 he was commanding officer of Västernorrland Regiment. In 1963 he was promoted to major general and appointed Chief of the Army Staff and of the General Staff Corps. Between 1966-67 he was the military commander of Bergslagen Military District. In 1967 he was promoted to lieutenant general and appointed Chief of the Defence Staff and was three years later promoted to general and appointed Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces. During Synnergren's time as the Supreme Commander, a series of long-term decisions were made that meant big changes for the defense. The policy of neutrality was concluded and thus the idea of a strong defense of universal conscription. It was decided that the aircraft Viggen would be developed while reorganizing and cut-backs were made in the Army and Navy.
Synnergren was in the media most closely associated with military intelligence as the secret intelligence agency IB was exposed during his time as Supreme Commander.

Later life

Synnergren had during and after his military career a series of positions of trust. He was chief of His Majesty's Military Staff from 1978 to 1986, chairman of the Swedish Tourist Association from 1976 to 1987 and chairman of the Swedish Ski Association from 1973 to 1975. He was also chairman of Stora AB from 1980 to 1986, Bergvik och Ala AB from 1981 and board member of Saab-Scania from 1981 to 1990, LKAB from 1982 to 1986, Saab Combitech from 1982 to 1990 and the International Ski Federation from 1976 to 1988. Synnergren was also a board member of the East Economic Office, an agency which occupied a special position among the agencies engaged in the Swedish military intelligence.

Personal life

In 1941, Synnergren married junior school teacher Margit Lindgren, the daughter of the first office clerk at SJ, Anton Lindgren and his wife Anna Richardsson. He was the father of Britta, Kristina and Elisabeth. Synnergren died in 2004 and was buried at Galärvarvskyrkogården in Stockholm.

Dates of rank