Herman Eriksson

Herman Eriksson reached diplomacy after a career in economic administration and government. He became state secretary in the finance ministry in 1932 and head of the National Board of Trade in 1936. He joined Per Albin Hansson's government in 1938, took charge of the new wartime ministry responsible for supplies and the national economy in 1939, and served as trade minister from 1941 to 1944. ¹

In Washington he also represented Sweden in the formation of postwar international institutions. On 5 April 1947 he signed Sweden's declaration accepting the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice. The declaration applied on a reciprocal basis to other states accepting the same obligation and was made for ten years, covering disputes arising from later situations or facts. ²