How to Research Conscripts/Draftees, Sweden - Introduction

Sweden established a conscription system in the beginning of the 1800s called Beväringen. The conscription system was a complement to the professional army. This early conscription system was replaced by a new conscription system in 1901 called Allmän värnplikt.

Conscription - 1800's (Beväringen)

By the early 1800s it became clear to military officials that the Allotment System was by itself not sufficient to meet the insatiable demand for soldiers. During the 1808 -1809 war between Sweden and Russia it became clear that something had to be done to the Allotment System to meet the great demand of soldiers. It was especially a problem to produce enough replacement soldiers (reserve soldiers). The Allotment System was a system of organizing and financing the Swedish armed forces until 1901.

Lantvärnet 1808 - 1811 (Local defense units)

In 1808 a first attempt was made to introduce a universal conscript system. The system was called Lantvärnet. However, due to inadequate training and equipment the system was brought into disrepute. The Lantvärn was only in use for a short period of time, in fact only during the war with Russia 1808 - 1809, and was phased out in 1811.

Förstärkningsmanskapet 1810 - 181? (Reinforcement troops)

In 1810 a military conscript system called Reinforcement troops ("Förstärkningsmanskapet") was instituted. A force of about 50,000 men was to be conscripted. The main purpose of these troops was to reinforce the regular regiments without putting an extra burden on the "rote" farmers. A reinforcement soldier was also called "förstärkningskarl".The involuntary enrollment of these draftees caused protests in the entire nation and in some places even riots. The system with Reinforcement troops was discarded after only few years.

Beväringsinrättningen 1812 - 1901 (Conscription 1800s)

Due to the discontentment with the Reinforcement troops ("Förstärkningsmanskapet") the Swedish Government passed an act in Parliament in 1812 for the establishment of a universal conscription system called Beväringen or Beväringsinrättningen. The act was passed on October 12, 1812. The new conscription service was to be universal which meant that all able-bodied men fit for military service had to undergo a minimum military training in the armed forces. In 1820 the service time for the draftees was set to 12 days which had to be effected during the first year. For some reason, the hiring of substitutes was allowed, i.e. to pay someone to do the service in his place. This right to avoid conscription made it very unpopular since only wealthy had the possibility of doing so. In 1860 the possibility of hiring substitutes was replaced with a right to redeem conscription. Instead of hiring someone the eligible men paid a commutation fee directly to the Army. This right was abolished in 1872 and from then everyone called up had to fulfil military service. The conscripts only had to do 12 days of service per year. However, the service time for conscripts was increased to 30 days (divided into two years) after the Crimean War (1853 - 1856) in the parliament meetings 1856-1858. Many conscript soldiers in Beväringen were mobilized during the Crimean War. In 1885 the age classes for conscription were increased from 5 to 12 years of which the last age classes (ages 27 – 32) were assigned to the newly established Landstormen (Veteran Reserve). The military service age was in other words extended from 21 - 25 to 21 - 40 years of age. The service time was at the same time extended to 42 days divided into two years. In 1892 a new Army Act was adopted in the Parliament. The liability to conscript service was now increased to 12 years in the Beväringen and 8 years in the Landstormen (in total 20 age classes) and the service time was increased to 90 days. In a way Beväringen was a forerunner to the Universal Conscription System (Allmän Värnplikt) introduced in 1901. The first conscripts were called-up for military training in Beväringen in the spring of 1813. The conscripts were entered in special muster rolls for conscripts, the so-called beväringsmönsterrullorna. From 1886 these rolls were called inskrivningslängder (enrollment rolls). However, in the very beginning of Beväringen (starting in 1812) the conscripts were kept in the same muster rolls as the allotted soldiers, i.e. in the muster rolls of the regiments in the area where a conscript was enrolled. The conscripts were trained in a regiment in the region where they were enrolled. In the beginning only allotted regiments trained conscripts but from 1849 also enlisted regiments trained conscripts. In areas where there were no garrisoned regiments the conscripts were trained at special Beväring battalions (beväringsbataljoner). Examples of those freestanding beväring units are Livbeväringsbataljonen in Stockholm, Västernorrlands beväringsbataljon, Gotlands nationalbeväring, Hallands bataljon and Blekinge bataljon. The Livbeväringsbataljonen was established in 1821. Between 1812 and 1861 the conscripts were registered in the beväringsmönsterrullor when they were enrolled. These rolls do not contain much personal data but you will find information such as name, age, place of birth, height and marital status. Further, there is also a column labelled Anteckningar (Remarks) which can contain more information, for example if the conscript hired a substitute or was exempted from military service of medical reasons. The rolls are ordered parish by parish. In other words, you need to know the parish where the conscript lived at the time of his enrollment to find him in the rolls. In 1861 a new ordinance was passed regarding the mustering of conscripts and their training. At the same time also preprinted enrollment forms was introduced with information such as name, place of residence, date of birth, occupation, marital status, possible exemption from military service (”kasserad”), branch of the army (infantry, cavalry, artillery, etc) and possible non-attendance at the mustering (with or without a due cause). A new conscription act was passed in Parliament in 1885 which contained some important changes. Sweden was divided into 31 National Service Enrollment Areas (Inskrivningsområden). These enrollment areas between 1886 and 1901 were closely linked to the allotted infantry regiments' "catchment areas" and the enrollments areas carried the same name as these regiments, for example Hälsinge Regiment Enrollment Area. Each of these enrollment areas were in turn divided into a number of Company Areas [districts] (Kompaniområden). These company areas correspond to what in the US is called draft boards. The enrollment of conscripts (draft registration) was done in respective company areas which means that the rolls were kept per company area. Enrollments were carried out annually. The conscripts (draftees) were registered in the so-called inskrivningslängderna (enrollment rolls) and each conscript was assigned a unique enrollment number (inskrivningsnummer). The former Beväringsmönsterrullor (conscript rolls) were now succeeded by the inskrivningslängd (enrollment rolls). Each company area (Draft Board) were responsible for the roll keeping of all conscripts.

Enrollment numbers

After 1885, each conscript was assigned a unique enrollment number (inskrivningsnummer). The enrollment number was a three-part draftee identification number noted in the form SSS CCC/YY where SSS is the conscript’s personal serial number in the roll, CCC is the company area (kompaniområde) of the enrollment area and YY the year of enrollment of the conscript. To the right is an image from a household examination roll (husförhörslängd) showing a conscript enrollment number (2 115/95) in the column "värnpligt".

Enrollment books

From 1885 an enrollment book was assigned to each draftee when they were enrolled. This enrollment book was the draftee’s personal belonging and had to be presented every time the draftee reported for duty.

Training period

It was during the period May - July the conscripts in the Beväringen were doing their military service. The enrollment rolls have information about assigned branch of the Army or Navy, however not necessarily the name of the unit. You then have to look into which regiment(s) that was garrisoned in the enrollment area. Most likely a conscript did his military service in a local regiment. More information about the draftee can be found in the roll stamrullor. Examples on how to research: • Conscripts in Beväringen 1812 - 1901

Conscription - 1900's (Allmän Värnplikt)

The decision to discard the Allotment System and the Beväringen was passed in the Parliament on June 14, 1901, in favor of a new military system entirely based on a Universal Conscription System called Allmän Värnplikt. The new universal conscription system had its roots in the former Beväringen. The Army and Navy kept a lesser core of regular officers and NCOs from the Allotment System as the professionally employed "backbone" of the new system. The core of officers was increased with a great number of reserve officers and conscript officers/NCOs. In each regiment and naval base were also a smaller number of regular soldiers and seamen known as volunteers. The number varied from unit to unit. In the Livregementets husarer, K3, (Life Regiment Hussars) were in 1910 no less than 292 regular soldiers. The term "Allmän Värnplikt" literally means "Universal duty to defend (your country)". [Allmän = universal. Värnplikt is a compound word consisting of "värn" and "plikt". "Värn" is derived from "värna" which means defend and "plikt" means duty.]. The first draftees received their calling up notice for the new Universal Conscription Service in the spring of 1902. The first enrolled men were assigned to the Army. In 1902 about 28,600 conscripts were assigned to the Army but only 1,900 to the Navy. A shorter period of training was used during the first years, 1902 - 1907, than the stipulated 240 days. During this period only 172 days of training was used of which the basic training period was 112 days. Not until 1908 the training period was extended to the stipulated 240 days. Each year, a fixed number of new recruits were drafted for military training. When one set of recruits finished their training period a new set of recruits was drafted. Every able-bodied Swede between the ages of 18 (first 21, then 20, later 18 years old) and 30 were liable to do military service. The draftees were according to the National Service Act to undergo a military training for 150 days followed by three compulsory military refresher courses of 30 days each between the second and the fourth year, in total 240 days. In 1914 it increased to 340 days. Every Swedish man was obliged to register for Conscription the year they reached the age of 21. In 1914 the age was lowered to the age of 20 . The first draftees received their calling up notice for the new National Service in the spring of 1902. Conscripts weren't assigned to the cavalry until 1908. However, it took several years before the cavalry with its time-consuming horse and ride training mostly consisted on conscripts. It took a long time to be a good rider. The Navy wasn't fully receiving conscripts until after WWI.

New Garrison Towns Emerges

The training of the soldiers in the National Service System was now held over a longer period of time compared to Beväringen. The training period now also included winters which demanded better camps and barracks than the ones used by Beväringen. The conscripts in Beväringen were only trained during summers. Now the draftees were to be trained year-round. For each of the former allotted regiments a city/town in each province was chosen where the respective regiment was garrisoned. In these towns, garrisons with barracks were being built. It took some time before all these garrisons were built. Meanwhile the allotted regiments' former training grounds' barracks were renovated and used for the draftees. It was here the draftees were trained before the garrisons in the towns stood ready and the regiments were able to move there. All regiments weren't garrisoned in towns and cities until the 1920's. For example, the Södermanland Regiment wasn't able to move to their new garrison in Strängnäs city until 1921. The garrison building project wasn't formally finished until the end of 1927.

The Duration of the Training Period for Conscripts

In the beginning of the Universal Conscript System the draft age used by Beväringen was kept, i.e. age 21. Every Swede was therefore obliged to register for Conscription the year they reached the age of 21. The draftees were de-registered at the age of 40. However, the training period was largely extended in the Universal Conscription System. A draftee in the infantry had to undergo a military training for 150 days followed by three compulsory military refresher courses of 30 days each between the second and the fourth year, in total 240 days. In other words, the basic training was 150 days; 5 months. In the Navy and the newly established Coast Artillery the training period was 300 days. In 1914, in the beginning of WWI, the training period was increased to 340 days; 250 days of basic training followed by 3 military refresher courses of 30 days each for the infantry. The conscript age was also in 1914 lowered from 21 to 20. In 1941, during WWII, the duration of the training period was increased to 450 days; 360 days of basic training followed by 3 military refresher courses of 30 days each. In 1948 the duration of the training period was shortened from 450 to 360 days. It was again increased in 1952 to 394 days; 304 days of basic training followed by 3 military refresher courses of 30 days each. In 1966 the duration was shortened to a maximum of 345 days for the Army and for the Navy and Air Force to a maximum of 364 days.

Enrollment Numbers after 1901

Beginning in 1886, each conscript was assigned a unique enrollment number (inskrivningsnummer) and Sweden was divided into 31 Enrollment Areas (inskrivningsområden). Each of these enrollment areas were in turn divided into a number of Company Areas [districts] (Kompaniområden). The enrollment process of conscripts (draftee registrations) was slightly changed in the new National Service System introduced in 1901. The enrollment areas were reduced to 26 but they still corresponded to infantry regiment enrollment areas. However, the enrollment areas were given new names. The new names now corresponded to the county names (län). For example, Gävleborg Enrollment Area. In 1926 the enrollment areas were further merged and reduced to 21. Each military Enrollment Area was now subdivided into 3 Roll Keeping Areas (Rullföringsområden). An American term for "rullföringsområde" is draft board. Navy enrollments were conducted in 5 different Navy Roll Keeping Areas (Sjörullföringsområden). The conscript enrollment numbers were also changed and were now written in the form SSS RR/YY where SSS is the conscript’s personal serial number in the roll, RR is the roll keeping area or local draft board (rullföringsområde) of the enrollment area and YY the year of enrollment of the conscript. To the right is an image from a parish book (församlingsbok) showing a conscript enrollment number in the column "värnpliktsförhållanden". The roll keeping areas were abolished in 1942 and the enrollments of conscript (draft registrations) were thereafter handled directly by the 21 enrollment areas. In 1953 the former enrollment numbers were replaced by the national civil registration numbers (folkbokföringsnummer). In 1969 the nation’s division into conscript enrollment areas were abolished and Sweden was instead divided into three regional national service regions (värnpliktskontor). Like in Beväringen the draftees in the Universal Conscription System (Allmän Värnplikt) was registered in special enrollment rolls (inskrivningslängder) as well in a series of rolls called "stamrulla". The stamrulla was a military service roll which contained information about a draftee's military service. However, in 1918 the stamrulla was replaced by the new stamkort/värnpliktskort (draft cards). There was a draft card for each draftee. These new draft cards contained personal information about the draftee as well as notes about his military service. When the new stamkort was introduced in 1918 the old conscript rolls (stamrulla) were converted to draft cards also for the men drafted prior to this year (but still of draft age). Men were liable for military service from their 21th birthday (from 1914 their 20th birthday) until their 47th birthday (from 1942).

Draft age

Registration: Young men were enrolled for military service the year they became of draft age; they were then registered and assigned an enrollment number (inskrivningsnummer). The draft age has changed throughout the years. See chart below: • Between 1886 – 1914: age 21 • Between 1914 – 1950: age 20 • Between 1950 – 1954: age 19 • Between 1954 – 2010: age 18 Normally the young men were registered (mustered) the same years they reached draft age. It was the draftees place of residence that governed which draft board he had to appear to. De-registration: Also the year when you left the draft age has varied. Men were de-registered at the age of: • Between 1902 – 1914: age 40 • Between 1914 – 1936: age 42 • Between 1937 – 1942: age 45 • From 1942: age 47

The End of the Universal Conscription System in 2010

The Swedish Conscription system with armed forces based on draftee soldiers was inactivated on July 1st 2010. Instead Sweden switched to an all-volunteer military, i.e. a military based on voluntary enlisted soldiers and officers contracted for a specific time (contractual employment) or until further notice.

Reactivation of Conscription 2017

The Swedish Government decided on March 2, 2017, to reactivate the Conscription System. The new conscription system includes both men and women. The Swedish armed forces will from 2017 consist of both professional soldiers as well of draftee soldiers. The draftees will be used to fill the gap of soldiers that can’t be recruited voluntarily.

How to Research:

• Conscripts 1812 - 1901 Updated: 2017-07-28 • Conscripts 1902 - Updated: 2017-07-30 Top of page

Tutorial 11: How to Research Conscripts, Sweden

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How to Research

Conscripts/Draftees, Sweden -

Introduction

Conscription - 1800's

(Beväringen)

Lantvärnet 1808 - 1811 (Local defense

units)

Förstärkningsmanskapet 1810 - 181?

(Reinforcement troops)

Beväringsinrättningen 1812 - 1901

(Conscription 1800s)

Due to the discontentment with the Reinforcement troops ("Förstärkningsmanskapet") the Swedish Government passed an act in Parliament in 1812 for the establishment of a universal conscription system called Beväringen or Beväringsinrättningen. The act was passed on October 12, 1812. The new conscription service was to be universal which meant that all able-bodied men fit for military service had to undergo a minimum military training in the armed forces. In 1820 the service time for the draftees was set to 12 days which had to be effected during the first year. For some reason, the hiring of substitutes was allowed, i.e. to pay someone to do the service in his place. This right to avoid conscription made it very unpopular since only wealthy had the possibility of doing so. In 1860 the possibility of hiring substitutes was replaced with a right to redeem conscription. Instead of hiring someone the eligible men paid a commutation fee directly to the Army. This right was abolished in 1872 and from then everyone called up had to fulfil military service. The conscripts only had to do 12 days of service per year. However, the service time for conscripts was increased to 30 days (divided into two years) after the Crimean War (1853 - 1856) in the parliament meetings 1856-1858. Many conscript soldiers in Beväringen were mobilized during the Crimean War. In 1885 the age classes for conscription were increased from 5 to 12 years of which the last age classes (ages 27 – 32) were assigned to the newly established Landstormen (Veteran Reserve). The military service age was in other words extended from 21 - 25 to 21 - 40 years of age. The service time was at the same time extended to 42 days divided into two years. In 1892 a new Army Act was adopted in the Parliament. The liability to conscript service was now increased to 12 years in the Beväringen and 8 years in the Landstormen (in total 20 age classes) and the service time was increased to 90 days. In a way Beväringen was a forerunner to the Universal Conscription System (Allmän Värnplikt) introduced in 1901. The first conscripts were called-up for military training in Beväringen in the spring of 1813. The conscripts were entered in special muster rolls for conscripts, the so-called beväringsmönsterrullorna. From 1886 these rolls were called inskrivningslängder (enrollment rolls). However, in the very beginning of Beväringen (starting in 1812) the conscripts were kept in the same muster rolls as the allotted soldiers, i.e. in the muster rolls of the regiments in the area where a conscript was enrolled. The conscripts were trained in a regiment in the region where they were enrolled. In the beginning only allotted regiments trained conscripts but from 1849 also enlisted regiments trained conscripts. In areas where there were no garrisoned regiments the conscripts were trained at special Beväring battalions (beväringsbataljoner). Examples of those freestanding beväring units are Livbeväringsbataljonen in Stockholm, Västernorrlands beväringsbataljon, Gotlands nationalbeväring, Hallands bataljon and Blekinge bataljon. The Livbeväringsbataljonen was established in 1821. Between 1812 and 1861 the conscripts were registered in the beväringsmönsterrullor when they were enrolled. These rolls do not contain much personal data but you will find information such as name, age, place of birth, height and marital status. Further, there is also a column labelled Anteckningar (Remarks) which can contain more information, for example if the conscript hired a substitute or was exempted from military service of medical reasons. The rolls are ordered parish by parish. In other words, you need to know the parish where the conscript lived at the time of his enrollment to find him in the rolls. In 1861 a new ordinance was passed regarding the mustering of conscripts and their training. At the same time also preprinted enrollment forms was introduced with information such as name, place of residence, date of birth, occupation, marital status, possible exemption from military service (”kasserad”), branch of the army (infantry, cavalry, artillery, etc) and possible non-attendance at the mustering (with or without a due cause). A new conscription act was passed in Parliament in 1885 which contained some important changes. Sweden was divided into 31 National Service Enrollment Areas (Inskrivningsområden). These enrollment areas between 1886 and 1901 were closely linked to the allotted infantry regiments' "catchment areas" and the enrollments areas carried the same name as these regiments, for example Hälsinge Regiment Enrollment Area. Each of these enrollment areas were in turn divided into a number of Company Areas [districts] (Kompaniområden). These company areas correspond to what in the US is called draft boards. The enrollment of conscripts (draft registration) was done in respective company areas which means that the rolls were kept per company area. Enrollments were carried out annually. The conscripts (draftees) were registered in the so- called inskrivningslängderna (enrollment rolls) and each conscript was assigned a unique enrollment number (inskrivningsnummer). The former Beväringsmönsterrullor (conscript rolls) were now succeeded by the inskrivningslängd (enrollment rolls). Each company area (Draft Board) were responsible for the roll keeping of all conscripts.