Ernst af Klercker

Lieutenant General Achates Ernst Wilhelm af Klercker (28 December 1881 – 18 May 1955) was a senior Swedish Army officer. His senior commands include postings as chief of the Military Office of the Land Defence and Acting Chief of the Army Staff. He commanded the 1st Army Division and the I Military District during World War II.

Early life
af Klercker was born on 28 December 1881 in Kristianstads Heliga Trefaldighet Parish, Kristianstad County, Sweden, as the youngest of seven brothers (including Georg af Klercker), of Major Fredrik af Klercker and Baroness Lotten Bennet.

Career
af Klercker was commissioned as an officer in 1902 and assigned to the 2nd Life Grenadier Regiment as underlöjtnant. He passed the Royal Swedish Army Staff College from 1909 to 1911, and was appointed, after officer candidate service, Captain of the General Staff in 1916. af Klercker was a teacher of tactics at the Royal Swedish Army Staff College from 1917 to 1918, and he was promoted to Major in 1923.

af Klercker was again serving as a teacher of tactics at the Royal Swedish Army Staff College from 1923 to 1926, and as Chief of Staff at the Inspector of the Military Academy (Inspektören för Militärläroverken) from 1923 to 1926. As head of the General Staff's International Department from 1926 to 1930, he studied certain military conditions abroad. af Klercker was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1928 and served as head of the Military Academy Karlberg from 1930 to 1933 and was promoted to Colonel in 1932.

af Klercker was regimental commander of Hälsinge Regiment from 1933 to 1934 and chief of the Military Office of the Land Defence from 1934 to 1936 as well as Acting Chief of the Army Staff from 1936 to 1937 when he was promoted to Major General. He was then commanding officer of the 1st Army Division (I. arméfördelningen) from 1937 to 1942 and of the I Military District from 1942 to 1947. af Klercker was promoted to Lieutenant General in the reserve of the General Staff on 1 March 1947 and left active service on 1 April 1947.

Personal life
On 12 October 1907 in Hakarp, Jönköping he married Anna Ingegerd Maria Tham (10 April 1887 in Hakarp – 16 November 1963 in Helsingborg), the daughter of Gustaf Wilhelm Sebastian Tham and Julia Elisabet Louise Reuterskiöld.

Dates of rank
af Klercker's dates of rank:


 * 12 December 1902 – Underlöjtnant
 * 2 February 1906 – Lieutenant
 * 3 November 1911 – Lieutenant 1st class
 * 14 June 1916 – Captain
 * 11 May 1923 – Major
 * 3 June 1927 – Lieutenant colonel
 * 11 November 1932 – Colonel
 * 19 March 1937 – Major general
 * 1 March 1947 – Lieutenant general

Swedish

 * Royal Order of the Sword - Commander Grand Cross BAR.svg 🇸🇪 Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Sword (15 November 1944)
 * Royal Order of the Sword - Commander 1st Class BAR.svg 🇸🇪 Commander First Class of the Order of the Sword (5 June 1937)
 * Order of the Sword - Ribbon bar.svg 🇸🇪 Knight First Class of the Order of the Sword (1923)
 * Order of the Polar Star - Ribbon bar, pre 1975.svg 🇸🇪 Knight of the Order of the Polar Star (1933)
 * Order of the Vasa - Ribbon bar.svg 🇸🇪 Knight First Class of the Order of Vasa (1927)

Foreign

 * DNK Order of Danebrog Grand Cross BAR.png 🇩🇰 Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog (between 1947 and 1950)
 * DNK Order of Danebrog Knight 1st Degree BAR.png 🇩🇰 Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog (between 1925 and 1928)
 * DEU Deutsche Adlerorden 1 BAR.svg Innehavare av Order of the German Eagle (with a degree that in Swedish is stated as Grand Officer) (between 1940 and 1942)
 * BEL Kroonorde Commandeur BAR.svg 🇧🇪 Commander of the Order of the Crown (between 1935 and 1940)
 * FIN Order of the White Rose Commander BAR.png 🇫🇮 Commander Second Class of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (between 1925 and 1928)
 * Legion Honneur Commandeur ribbon.svg 🇫🇷 Commander of the Legion of Honour (between 1935 and 1940)
 * Commendatore OCI Kingdom BAR.svg 🇮🇹 Commander of the Order of the Crown of Italy (between 1928 and 1931)
 * Order of Orange-Nassau ribbon - Commander.svg 🇳🇱 Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau with Swords (between 1928 and 1931)
 * POL Polonia Restituta Komandorski BAR.svg 🇵🇱 Commander Second Class of the Order of Polonia Restituta (between 1935 and 1940)
 * ESP Cruz Merito Militar (Distintivo Blanco) pasador.svg 🇪🇸 Commander Second Class with White Decoration of the Order of Military Merit (between 1928 and 1931)
 * AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - Bronze Medal BAR.png 🇦🇹 Commander of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria (between 1935 and 1940)
 * St Olavs Orden ridder 1 klasse stripe.svg 🇳🇴 Knight First Class of the Order of St. Olav (between 1928 and 1931)

Honours

 * Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences (1927)