# Gustaf Weidel

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**Nils Gustaf Weidel**, né **Johnsson** (7 March 1890 – 11 December 1959) was a Swedish gymnast who competed in the [1908 Summer Olympics](/source/1908_Summer_Olympics) and was later a diplomat.[1]

## Early life

Gustaf Weidel was born as Gustaf Johnsson[2] on 7 March 1890 in [Malmö](/source/Malm%C3%B6), Sweden as the son of police sergeant (*polisöverkonstapel*) Nils Johnsson and his wife Kersti Jönsson. Weidel passed [*mogenhetsexamen*](/source/Studentexamen) in Malmö in 1909 after passing in school in both Sweden and England.[3] As a youngster Weidel was a gymnast and was part of the Swedish team at the [1908 Summer Olympics](/source/1908_Summer_Olympics) in London, which was able to win the gold medal in the gymnastics men's team event.[4] He was enrolled as a student at [Lund University](/source/Lund_University) in 1909, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1910 and a [Candidate of Law](/source/Candidate_of_Law) degree in 1914.[3] It was during his time at the university that he changed his last name to Weidel.[4] After this, he studied political economy in Germany and engaged in commercial activities, including working as the CEO of Continental Trading Company. During this time, he conducted an in-depth study of Sweden's trade relations with the United States, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, as well as certain European countries such as France, England, and Spain, which he traveled through.[3]

## Career

In 1921, Weidel became employed by the Swedish [Ministry for Foreign Affairs](/source/Ministry_for_Foreign_Affairs_(Sweden)) as an acting vice consul. He was a commercial attaché and commercial counsellor in Washington, D.C. from 1922 to 1933. He was then [consul general in New York City](/source/Consulate_General_of_Sweden,_New_York_City) from 1933 to 1935 and Sweden's [envoy](/source/Envoy_(title)) in Rio de Janeiro from 1936 to 1943 and in Lisbon from 1943 to 1951. Weidel was envoy in Cairo, also accredited to [Beirut](/source/Beirut) and [Damascus](/source/Damascus), from 1951 to 1955.[5]

## Personal life

In 1921, Weidel married Louise Pape (1892–1979), who was born in [Marietta, Ohio](/source/Marietta,_Ohio), United States.[5][6]

## Death

He died on 11 December 1959 in [Haverford, Pennsylvania](/source/Haverford,_Pennsylvania), United States. He had been ill for an extended period under the care of Dr. F. L. Bartlett, who was the son of Mrs. Weidel from her previous marriage.[7]

## Awards and decorations

- Commander Grand Cross of the [Order of the Polar Star](/source/Order_of_the_Polar_Star) (6 June 1955)[8]
- Knight of the [Order of Vasa](/source/Order_of_Vasa)[9]
- Grand Cross of the [Order of the Southern Cross](/source/Order_of_the_Southern_Cross)[9]
- Grand Cross of the [Military Order of Christ](/source/Military_Order_of_Christ) (27 May 1948)[10]
- Grand Cross of the [Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary](/source/Order_of_Merit_of_the_Republic_of_Hungary)[9]

## References

1. ["Gustaf Weidel"](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/31096). *Olympedia*. Retrieved 1 March 2021.

1. *Malmö nation vid universitetet i Lund 1905-1913: porträtt och biografiska uppgifter* (in Swedish). Malmö. 1913. p. 60.

1. Dahl, Torsten & Bohman, Nils (eds.) (1955). [*Svenska män och kvinnor: biografisk uppslagsbok. 8 Toffteen-Ö*](https://runeberg.org/smok/8/0271.html) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Bonnier. p. 241.

1. ["Gustaf Johnsson"](https://sok.se/idrottare/idrottare/g/gustaf-johnsson.html) (in Swedish). [Swedish Olympic Committee](/source/Swedish_Olympic_Committee). Retrieved 18 November 2016.

1. Burling, Ingeborg (ed.) (1956). [*Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1957*](https://runeberg.org/vemardet/1957/1044.html) [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1957] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. p. 1020.

1. ["dödsfall: Louise Weidel"](https://www.svd.se/arkiv/1979-03-02/SVNY/16) [deaths: Louise Weidel] (in Swedish). *[Svenska Dagbladet](/source/Svenska_Dagbladet)*. 1979-03-02. p. 16. Retrieved 21 August 2024.

1. ["Gustaf Weidel †"](https://www.svd.se/arkiv/1959-12-12/SVNY/17) (in Swedish). *[Svenska Dagbladet](/source/Svenska_Dagbladet)*. 1959-12-12. p. A17. Retrieved 29 October 2024.

1. ["Matriklar (D 1)"](https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/E0000847_00068#?c=&m=&s=&cv=67&xywh=-235%2C-84%2C3431%2C1881) [Directory (D 1)] (in Swedish). *Kungl. Maj:ts Ordens arkiv*. Vol. 12. [Royal Court of Sweden](/source/Royal_Court_of_Sweden). 1950–1959. p. 118. Retrieved 18 December 2024. – via [National Archives of Sweden](/source/National_Archives_of_Sweden)

1. [*Sveriges statskalender för året 1955*](https://runeberg.org/statskal/1955/0308.html) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1955. p. 308.

1. ["ENTIDADES ESTRANGEIRAS AGRACIADAS COM ORDENS PORTUGUESAS"](https://www.ordens.presidencia.pt/?idc=154&list=1) [FOREIGN ENTITIES AWARDED WITH PORTUGUESE ORDERS] (in Portuguese). Grand Master of Portuguese Honorary Orders. Retrieved 14 April 2025.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gustaf Weidel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustaf_Weidel) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustaf_Weidel?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.