Sveinn Björnsson

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Sveinn Björnsson
1st President of Iceland
In office July 17, 1944 – January 25, 1952
Succeeded by	Ásgeir Ásgeirsson
Born	February 27, 1881(1881-02-27) Copenhagen, Denmark
Died	January 25, 1952 (aged 70) Reykjavík, Iceland
Nationality	Icelandic
Spouse	Georgia Björnsson
Alma mater	University of Copenhagen
Profession	Lawyer

Sveinn Björnsson (IPA: [ˈsveitn̪ ˈpjœsːɔn]) (27 February 1881–25 January 1952), son of Björn Jónsson (editor and later minister) and Elísabet Sveinsdóttir, 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.

Although Iceland has been independent since 1918, its foreign affairs had been conducted by Denmark until the beginning of World War II. The German occupation of Denmark after May 1940, however, resulted in Iceland's autonomy, and Björnsson was elected Regent of Iceland three times in 1941–43, assuming all the prerogatives in Icelandic affairs previously held by the Danish king. In July 1941, U.S. troops entered Iceland on the invitation of Björnsson's government and remained, in reduced numbers, after the war; their continued presence provoked the leading controversy in the nation's postwar foreign policy.

He was elected president by the Althing on the inauguration of the Republic of Iceland in 1944. 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 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 and is the only president to die in office.

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 Sjóvátryggingafélag 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
Preceded by Kristján X King of Iceland	President of Iceland 1944–1952	Succeeded by Ásgeir Ásgeirsson

v • d • e Presidents of Iceland Sveinn Björnsson • Ásgeir Ásgeirsson • Kristján Eldjárn • Vigdís Finnbogadóttir • Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson