Nickname(s) "The Eagle" Spouse Ulla Greta (m. ?–2006) | Rank Colonel Service/branch Swedish Air Force | |
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Birth name Stig Erik Constans Wennerström Born 22 August 1906
Stockholm, Sweden ( 1906-08-22 ) Allegiance Sweden, Soviet Union (Spy) Years of service 1929–1963
1948–1963 (Spy) Other work ADC to Duke of Västerbotten (1938–47) Died 21 March 2006, Danderyd Municipality, Sweden | ||
Stig Erik Constans Wennerström (22 August 1906 – 21 March 2006) was a Swedish Air Force colonel who was convicted of treason in 1964.
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Career
Wennerström was born in Stockholm, Sweden, the son of major Gustaf Wennerström and his wife Ester Berggren. He became fänrik in the Swedish Navy in 1929 and conducted flight training from 1931 to 1932. Wennerström was promoted to löjtnant in the Swedish Air Force in 1936 and completed the Royal Swedish Naval Staff College's staff school from 1936 to 1937. He was promoted to captain in 1939 and served as air attaché in Moscow from 1940 to 1941. Wennerström was promoted to major in 1944 and to lieutenant colonel in 1946. He was a teacher at the Royal Swedish Air Force Staff College from 1946 to 1948 and was again air attaché in Moscow from 1949 to 1952. Wennerström was promoted to colonel in 1951 and served as air attaché in Washington, D.C. from 1952 to 1957. He became section chief at the Military Office of the Minister of Defence (Försvarets kommandoexpedition) in 1957.
During the 1950s, he leaked the Swedish air defence plans and the entire Saab Draken fighter jet project to the Soviet Union. When working as an air attaché in Washington, D.C., he was very useful to the Russian military intelligence agency, the GRU. As early as 1943, Swedish Security Service (Säpo), suspected that Wennerström was working for Germany and in 1947 there were indications that he had connections with the Soviet Union, but the suspicions couldn't be proved. The counterintelligence operation centred on him was intensified towards the end of the 1950s and his household maid was recruited by Säpo. In June 1963 the maid reported that she had found some film rolls hidden in the attic. The films contained pictures of secret documents and Wennerström was arrested a few weeks later.
Wennerström was initially sentenced to life in prison, but in 1972 the Swedish government changed the sentence to 20 years, despite the Supreme Commander, General Stig Synnergren, still considering him to be a high security risk. He was paroled in 1974 after serving a total of 10 years; the norm in Sweden at the time was to release prisoners after they had served half their sentences.
Personal life
In 1939 he married Ulla-Greta Carlsson (born 1919), the daughter of consul Eric Carlsson and Helga Andersson. Wennerström died on 21 March 2006 at the retirement home Tallgården in Enebyberg, north of Stockholm. The funeral took place on 28 March 2006 at Altorp's Cemetery Chapel in Djursholm and he was buried on 3 May 2006 at Djursholm's Cemetery.
Awards and decorations
Wennerström's awards: