Bengt Friedman

Bengt Friedman (June 15, 1923 - November 24, 2008 ) was a Swedish ambassador and diplomat. Throughout his diplomatic career, Friedman served as the Ambassador of Sweden to Argentina, the Holy See, Uruguay, Malta, Switzerland, Liberia, the Ivory Coast, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Madagascar, and Mauritius. He also held the position of Consul General in New York City from 1978-1983, where he lived at Sweden’s Park Avenue residence.

Early life and education
Friedman was born to director Sam Friedman and Märtha Wanger on June 15, 1923 in Stockholm, Sweden. He graduated from the Stockholm School of Economics in 1944 before becoming an attaché at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in 1948.

Diplomatic career
Friedman served in Warsaw in 1950, Caracas in 1951, and was acting chargé d'affaires in Bogotá in 1952. He was the second secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in 1954, first secretary in 1959, first embassy secretary of the OEEC delegation in Paris in 1960, and the EFTA delegation in Geneva in 1960. He additionally served as ambassador in Geneva at the permanent Swedish delegation in Switzerland in 1963. Friedman was bureau chief at the Foreign Ministry in 1964, chancellor at the Foreign Ministry in 1965, and trade councilor in Bonn in 1968. As an Ambassador of Sweden, Friedman served in Monrovia, Abidjan, Conakry, and Freetown in 1973. He additionally served as ambassador in Bissau and Praia in 1974, and in Addis Ababa, Tananarive, and Port Louis in 1976. Friedman was appointed to Consul General at the Consulate General of Sweden, New York City from 1978-1983, where he lived and hosted in their Park Avenue residence. After his appointment in New York City, Friedman was Ambassador of Sweden in Buenos Aires and Montevideo from 1983-1986, Ambassador to the Holy See from 1986-1988, and to Malta from 1987-1988.

Personal life
Friedman married Märta Trulsson in 1951. After his retirement, Friedman and his wife settled in Viken, Sweden. Friedman was active in Cabinet Skåne, an association for retired Foreign Ministry officials living in Skåne.