Harald Torsten Leonard Nilsson (1 April 1905 – 14 December 1997) was a Swedish Social Democratic politician.[1][2] He served as Minister of Defence from 1951 to 1957, and as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1962 to 1971. Nilsson also served as Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Communications (Transport).
Torsten Nilsson
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Torsten Nilsson, circa 1966.
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| Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 19 September 1962 – 30 June 1971 | |
| Prime Minister | Tage Erlander Olof Palme |
| Preceded by | Östen Undén |
| Succeeded by | Krister Wickman |
| Minister for Social Affairs | |
| In office 22 March 1957 – 19 September 1962 | |
| Prime Minister | Tage Erlander |
| Preceded by | John Ericsson |
| Succeeded by | Sven Aspling |
| Minister of Defence | |
| In office 1 October 1951 – 22 March 1957 | |
| Prime Minister | Tage Erlander |
| Preceded by | Allan Vougt |
| Succeeded by | Sven Andersson |
| Minister of Communications (Transport) | |
| In office 31 July 1945 – 1 October 1951 | |
| Prime Minister | Per Albin Hansson Tage Erlander |
| Preceded by | Fritiof Domö |
| Succeeded by | Sven Andersson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Harald Torsten Leonard Nilsson (1905-04-01)1 April 1905 Nevishög, Sweden |
| Died | 14 December 1997(1997-12-14) (aged 92) Stockholm, Sweden |
| Political party | Swedish Social Democratic Party |
| Spouse | Vera Edit Ingeborg Månsson |
| Children | 2 |
| Profession | Politician |
| Awards | Illis quorum 1984 |
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Nilsson was the son of bricklayer Lars Nilsson and his wife Hilda née Persson.[2] He graduated with a realskolexamen, went to occupational school and then a Volkshochschule in Germany. He worked as a bricklayer 1922–1929, was secretary of the Scania district of the Swedish Social Democratic Youth League (SSU) 1927–1930, then chairman of the same district 1930–1934. He was the national chairman of SSU 1934–1940. Nilsson was the party secretary of the Swedish Social Democratic Party 1940–1945 and the chairman of the Stockholm Labour Commune 1945–1975.[2]
Nilsson was a member of the Parliament of Sweden from 1941 to 1976 (of the Second Chamber to 1970). He was a government minister continuously from 1945 to 1971. He was Minister of Communications (Transport) 1945–1951 in the Hansson IV and Erlander I cabinets. He was then Minister of Defence 1951–1957 in the Erlander II Cabinet and Minister for Social Affairs 1957–1962 in the Erlander II and Erlander III cabinets. His final ministerial post was as Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Erlander III and Palme I cabinets.[2]
In 1935 he married Vera Månsson (born 1906).[2]
Nilsson was elected as an honorary member of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences in 1956.[2] He was awarded the Illis quorum by the Swedish government in 1984.[3]
| Government offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs 1962–1971 |
Succeeded by |