Sveinn Björnsson
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| Sveinn Björnsson | |
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| In office July 17, 1944 – January 25, 1952 |
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| Succeeded by | Ásgeir Ásgeirsson |
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| Born | February 27, 1881 |
| Died | January 25, 1952 |
Sveinn Björnsson (IPA: [ˈsveitn̪ ˈpjɶsːɔn]) (27 February 1881 – 25 January 1952) was the first president of the Republic of Iceland.
He became a member of Reykjavík town council in 1912 and was its president in 1918-1920.
Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, he was a member of the Althing in 1914-1916 and 1920, and following Iceland's independence from Denmark in 1918 he acted as minister to Denmark in 1920-1924 and 1926 - 1940.
The occupation of Denmark by Nazi Germany in 1940 resulted in Iceland's autonomy (Denmark had been responsible for Iceland's foreign affairs), and Sveinn was elected Regent of Iceland three times in 1941 to 1943, assuming the prerogatives previously held by Christian X of Denmark.
When Iceland became a republic in 1944 he was chosen to be the first president of Iceland by the Althing. His first term was only one year, since the people of Iceland were to elect their president directly for the first time in 1945. However, Sveinn was re-elected unopposed in 1945 and 1949. He died in Reykjavík in 1952, more than one year before his third term of office was due to expire.
Sveinn was one of the founders of Eimskipafélag Íslands, the leading shipping company in Iceland, in 1914 and its chairman 1914-1920 and 1924-1926. He was the founder of the insurance company Brunabótafélag Íslands and its director from its foundation in 1916 until 1920. He was also one of the founders of the insurance company Sjóvátryggingarfélag Íslands in 1918 and its chairman in 1918-1920 and 1924-1926. Sveinn was one of the founders of the Icelandic Red Cross on 10 December 1924 and its first chairman, serving until 1926.
His son Björn Sv. Björnsson served in the German military as a part of the Schutzstaffel in WWII.[1]
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Kristján X (last king) |
President of Iceland 1944–1952 |
Succeeded by Ásgeir Ásgeirsson |
| Presidents of Iceland |  |
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| Sveinn Björnsson • Ásgeir Ásgeirsson • Kristján Eldjárn • Vigdís Finnbogadóttir • Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson |
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