Per Ahlmark
Encyclopedia
Per Axel Ahlmark is a Swedish
writer
and former politician
. He was the leader of the Liberal People's Party
from 1975 to 1978, and Minister for Employment and Deputy Prime Minister
in the Swedish government
from 1976 to 1978. He also served as a member of the Swedish parliament
from 1967 to 1978.
, Sweden
, as the son of the professor in medicine Axel Ahlmark and the dentist Gunvor Berglund. He completed upper secondary education
at Södra Latin in Stockholm and earned a B.A.
in political science
from Stockholm University
in 1964.
from 1960 to 1978. He was elected a member of the upper house of the Swedish parliament
from 1967 to 1969 (representing the constituency of Örebro County
) and as a member of the lower house from 1969 to 1970 (representing the constituency of Stockholm Municipality
). Following the unicameral
reform in Sweden in 1970/1971, Ahlmark served as a member of the unicameral parliament until 1978. He also served as a member of the Council of Europe
from 1971 to 1976, and as deputy chairman of the Martin Luther King Fund from 1968 to 1973.
On 7 November 1975, Ahlmark succeeded Gunnar Helén
as leader of the Liberal People's Party. from 1975 to 1978. From 1976 to 1978, in the first non-socialist government in Sweden in forty years, Ahlmark served as Minister for Employment and Deputy Prime Minister
. On 7 March 1978, Ahlmark retired from party politics due to personal reasons. From 1978 to 1981 he served as chairman of the board of the Swedish Film Institute
.
, then the largest daily newspaper in Scandinavia
, from 1961 to 1995. Since 1997 he is a columnist for Dagens Nyheter
, the largest Swedish morning paper, and a contributor to Göteborgs-Posten
. In his writings he accuses the political left in Sweden of being uncritical towards the totalitarian communist regimes especially after 1968.
He is a strong supporter of the state of Israel
. From 1970 to 1997 he served as deputy chairman of the Sweden–Israel Friendship Association. He co-founded the Swedish Committee Against Antisemitism
in 1983 and served as its deputy chairman until 1995. In 1997 he founded the Sweden–Taiwan Friendship Association.
Ahlmark also serves as an advisor to the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity since 1987, and is a member of board of the Geneva
-based NGO UN Watch
since 1993.
In 1994, Ahlmark published the widely debated book Vänstern och tyranniet ("Tyranny and the Left"), which is the major work on Swedish fellow traveller
s and political pilgrims during the last thirty years. His next work, Det öppna såret ("The Open Sore"), makes a summary of new research regarding democracy
and dictatorship
respectively in terms of war
, genocide
/mass murder
, and famine
. In 1997 this book triggered one of the most heated discussions in recent decades in Sweden about freedom and its enemies. His latest book in the same field is Det är demokratin, dumbom! ("It's the Democracy, Stupid!"), published in 2004.
Ahlmark supported the U.S.-led 2003 invasion of Iraq
, and has been extremely critical of Hans Blix
(who is also a prominent member of the Swedish Liberal People's Party and served as Ahlmark's deputy chairman in the Liberal Youth of Sweden). In an article in The Washington Times
, Ahlmark described Blix as politically "weak and easily fooled" and a "wimp". Ahlmark is also one of the strongest Swedish lobbyists for Israel and accuses in his recent book "Gör inga dumheter medan jag är död!" (2011) the Swedish foreign minister Carl Bild for being indifferent to genocide.
, the history of ideas
and Jewish history
, as well as in economics
, all with particular focus on issues concerning democracy
and human rights
". The foundation is chaired by the Swedish businessman Robert Weil
and honorary chairman is the rabbi Michael Melchior
.
. He is currently married to a new wife.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and former politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was the leader of the Liberal People's Party
Liberal People's Party (Sweden)
The Liberal People's Party is a political party in Sweden. The party advocates social liberalism and is part of the governing centre-right coalition The Alliance, which achieved a majority in the general election of 17 September 2006...
from 1975 to 1978, and Minister for Employment and Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden
The Swedish constitution allows the Prime Minister to appoint one of the Ministers in the cabinet as Deputy Prime Minister , in case the Prime Minister for some reason is prevented from performing his or her duties...
in the Swedish government
Government of Sweden
The Government of the Kingdom of Sweden is the supreme executive authority of Sweden. It consists of the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers appointed by the Prime Minister. The Government is responsible for their actions to the Riksdag, which is the legislative assembly...
from 1976 to 1978. He also served as a member of the Swedish parliament
Parliament of Sweden
The Riksdag is the national legislative assembly of Sweden. The riksdag is a unicameral assembly with 349 members , who are elected on a proportional basis to serve fixed terms of four years...
from 1967 to 1978.
Early life and education
Per Ahlmark was born in StockholmStockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, as the son of the professor in medicine Axel Ahlmark and the dentist Gunvor Berglund. He completed upper secondary education
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
at Södra Latin in Stockholm and earned a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from Stockholm University
Stockholm University
Stockholm University is a state university in Stockholm, Sweden. It has over 28,000 students at four faculties, making it one of the largest universities in Scandinavia. The institution is also frequently regarded as one of the top 100 universities in the world...
in 1964.
Political career
Ahlmark joined the Liberal Youth of Sweden in 1960 and was elected chairman of the organization the same year. He served as chairman of the Liberal Youth until 1962 and as a member of the board of the Liberal People's PartyLiberal People's Party (Sweden)
The Liberal People's Party is a political party in Sweden. The party advocates social liberalism and is part of the governing centre-right coalition The Alliance, which achieved a majority in the general election of 17 September 2006...
from 1960 to 1978. He was elected a member of the upper house of the Swedish parliament
Parliament of Sweden
The Riksdag is the national legislative assembly of Sweden. The riksdag is a unicameral assembly with 349 members , who are elected on a proportional basis to serve fixed terms of four years...
from 1967 to 1969 (representing the constituency of Örebro County
Örebro County
Örebro County is a county or län in central Sweden. It borders the counties of Västra Götaland, Värmland, Dalarna, Västmanland, Södermanland and Östergötland.- Province :...
) and as a member of the lower house from 1969 to 1970 (representing the constituency of Stockholm Municipality
Stockholm Municipality
Stockholm Municipality or the City of Stockholm is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. It is the largest of the 290 municipalities of the country in terms of population, but one of the smaller in terms of area, making it the most densely populated...
). Following the unicameral
Unicameralism
In government, unicameralism is the practice of having one legislative or parliamentary chamber. Thus, a unicameral parliament or unicameral legislature is a legislature which consists of one chamber or house...
reform in Sweden in 1970/1971, Ahlmark served as a member of the unicameral parliament until 1978. He also served as a member of the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
from 1971 to 1976, and as deputy chairman of the Martin Luther King Fund from 1968 to 1973.
On 7 November 1975, Ahlmark succeeded Gunnar Helén
Gunnar Helén
Gunnar Helén, was a Swedish liberal politician. He was party leader of Liberal People's Party 1969-1975, Governor of Kronoberg County 1965-1970 and of Stockholm County 1977-1984....
as leader of the Liberal People's Party. from 1975 to 1978. From 1976 to 1978, in the first non-socialist government in Sweden in forty years, Ahlmark served as Minister for Employment and Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden
The Swedish constitution allows the Prime Minister to appoint one of the Ministers in the cabinet as Deputy Prime Minister , in case the Prime Minister for some reason is prevented from performing his or her duties...
. On 7 March 1978, Ahlmark retired from party politics due to personal reasons. From 1978 to 1981 he served as chairman of the board of the Swedish Film Institute
Swedish Film Institute
The Swedish Film Institute was founded in 1963 to support and develop the Swedish film industry. The institute is housed in the Filmhuset building located in Gärdet, Östermalm in Stockholm...
.
Writings and political views
Ahlmark has published several political books and many hundreds of articles about politics, literature and international conflicts. During the 1980s he published three books of poetry, one novel and two books of essays. He was a columnist for ExpressenExpressen
Expressen is one of two nationwide evening tabloid newspapers in Sweden, the other being Aftonbladet. Expressen was founded in 1944; its symbol is a wasp and slogans "it stings" or "Expressen to your rescue", always on the reader's side....
, then the largest daily newspaper in Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
, from 1961 to 1995. Since 1997 he is a columnist for Dagens Nyheter
Dagens Nyheter
is a daily newspaper in Sweden. It has the largest circulation of Swedish morning newspapers, followed by Göteborgs-Posten and Svenska Dagbladet, and is the only morning newspaper that is distributed to subscribers across the whole country. In 2009 DN had a circulation of 316,000, reaching 881...
, the largest Swedish morning paper, and a contributor to Göteborgs-Posten
Göteborgs-Posten
Göteborgs-Posten is a major daily newspaper in Sweden. It is published in Gothenburg, with containing coverage of local, regional, national and international issues. It is chiefly distributed in western Götaland. It has the second largest national circulation, after Dagens Nyheter and before...
. In his writings he accuses the political left in Sweden of being uncritical towards the totalitarian communist regimes especially after 1968.
He is a strong supporter of the state of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. From 1970 to 1997 he served as deputy chairman of the Sweden–Israel Friendship Association. He co-founded the Swedish Committee Against Antisemitism
Swedish Committee Against Antisemitism
The Swedish Committee Against Antisemitism is a Sweden-based non-profit organization, founded in 1983, that works to counteract and spread knowledge about antisemitism. The organization claims political and religious independence.-History:...
in 1983 and served as its deputy chairman until 1995. In 1997 he founded the Sweden–Taiwan Friendship Association.
Ahlmark also serves as an advisor to the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity since 1987, and is a member of board of the Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
-based NGO UN Watch
UN Watch
UN Watch is a Geneva-based NGO whose stated mission is "to monitor the performance of the United Nations by the yardstick of its own Charter". It is an accredited NGO in Special Consultative Status to the UN Economic and Social Council and an Associate NGO to the UN Department of Public Information...
since 1993.
In 1994, Ahlmark published the widely debated book Vänstern och tyranniet ("Tyranny and the Left"), which is the major work on Swedish fellow traveller
Fellow traveller
Fellow traveler or fellow traveller is a term referring to a person who sympathizes with the beliefs of an organization or cooperates in its activities without maintaining formal membership in that particular group...
s and political pilgrims during the last thirty years. His next work, Det öppna såret ("The Open Sore"), makes a summary of new research regarding democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
and dictatorship
Dictatorship
A dictatorship is defined as an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by an individual, the dictator. It has three possible meanings:...
respectively in terms of war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
, genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
/mass murder
Mass murder
Mass murder is the act of murdering a large number of people , typically at the same time or over a relatively short period of time. According to the FBI, mass murder is defined as four or more murders occurring during a particular event with no cooling-off period between the murders...
, and famine
Famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
. In 1997 this book triggered one of the most heated discussions in recent decades in Sweden about freedom and its enemies. His latest book in the same field is Det är demokratin, dumbom! ("It's the Democracy, Stupid!"), published in 2004.
Ahlmark supported the U.S.-led 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
, and has been extremely critical of Hans Blix
Hans Blix
is a Swedish diplomat and politician for the Liberal People's Party. He was Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs . Blix was also the head of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission from March 2000 to June 2003, when he was succeeded by Dimitris Perrikos...
(who is also a prominent member of the Swedish Liberal People's Party and served as Ahlmark's deputy chairman in the Liberal Youth of Sweden). In an article in The Washington Times
The Washington Times
The Washington Times is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. It was founded in 1982 by Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon, and until 2010 was owned by News World Communications, an international media conglomerate associated with the...
, Ahlmark described Blix as politically "weak and easily fooled" and a "wimp". Ahlmark is also one of the strongest Swedish lobbyists for Israel and accuses in his recent book "Gör inga dumheter medan jag är död!" (2011) the Swedish foreign minister Carl Bild for being indifferent to genocide.
The Per Ahlmark Foundation
On account of Ahlmark's 70th birthday in 2009, a new foundation called The Per Ahlmark Foundation was established in October 2008 by the Jewish assembly in Stockholm. The stated purpose of the foundation is to "promote scientific research and education in political sciencePolitical science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
, the history of ideas
History of ideas
The history of ideas is a field of research in history that deals with the expression, preservation, and change of human ideas over time. The history of ideas is a sister-discipline to, or a particular approach within, intellectual history...
and Jewish history
Jewish history
Jewish history is the history of the Jews, their religion and culture, as it developed and interacted with other peoples, religions and cultures. Since Jewish history is over 4000 years long and includes hundreds of different populations, any treatment can only be provided in broad strokes...
, as well as in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, all with particular focus on issues concerning democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
". The foundation is chaired by the Swedish businessman Robert Weil
Robert Weil
Robert Sam Weil is a Swedish businessman and philanthropist.He is the chairman of the investment company Proventus, which he founded in 1980. He is also chairman of Magasin 3 Stockholm Konsthall, and the Jewish Theatre in Stockholm, and a member of the international advisory board for the Batsheva...
and honorary chairman is the rabbi Michael Melchior
Michael Melchior
A renowned Jewish leader, thinker and activist, Rabbi Michael Melchior is a leading advocate for social justice in Israel, quality education for all, Jewish-Arab reconciliation and co-existence, protection of the environment, Israel-Diaspora relations and the strengthening of Civic Society as a...
.
Personal life
Ahlmark was first married to the journalist Lillemor Melsted in 1965. From 1978 to 1981 he was married to the actress Bibi AnderssonBibi Andersson
Bibi Andersson is a Swedish actress.-Early life:Bibi Andersson was born as Berit Elisabeth Andersson in Kungsholmen, Stockholm, the daughter of Karin , a social worker, and Josef Andersson, a businessman...
. He is currently married to a new wife.
Awards and honors
- 1986: Defender of Jerusalem Award, World Jewish CongressWorld Jewish CongressThe World Jewish Congress was founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in August 1936 as an international federation of Jewish communities and organizations...
- 1992: Honorary FellowHonorary title (academic)Honorary titles in academia may be conferred on persons in recognition of contributions by a non-employee or by an employee beyond regular duties...
, Hebrew University of JerusalemHebrew University of JerusalemThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J... - 1999: Torgny SegerstedtTorgny SegerstedtTorgny Karl Segerstedt was a Swedish scholar of comparative religion, later publicist and editor-in-chief of the newspaper Göteborgs Handels- och Sjöfartstidning from 1917 to 1945...
Award, Sweden–Israel Friendship Association - 2000: Honorary doctorateHonorary degreeAn honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
, Hebrew University, Boston - 2002: Honorary doctorate, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
- 2003: Bertil OhlinBertil OhlinBertil Gotthard Ohlin was a Swedish economist and politician. He was a professor of economics at the Stockholm School of Economics from 1929 to 1965. He was also leader of the People's Party, a social-liberal party which at the time was the largest party in opposition to the governing Social...
Medal, Liberal Youth of Sweden - 2003: Jan KarskiJan KarskiJan Karski was a Polish World War II resistance movement fighter and later scholar at Georgetown University. In 1942 and 1943 Karski reported to the Polish government in exile and the Western Allies on the situation in German-occupied Poland, especially the destruction of the Warsaw Ghetto, and...
Award, American Jewish CommitteeAmerican Jewish CommitteeThe American Jewish Committee was "founded in 1906 with the aim of rallying all sections of American Jewry to defend the rights of Jews all over the world...