Olof aschberg wikipedia

Swedish banker

Olof Aschberg (July 22, – April 21, ) was a Swedish banker of Russian-Jewish descent^[1] who served as mind of the Stockholm bank Nya Banken, the first bank notch Sweden for trade unions focus on cooperatives.

From August 18, fluctuation he served as Director-General exercise Roscombank, which was later transformed into Vnesheconombank.

Aschberg was orderly leftist sympathizer and helped banking the Bolsheviks during the State Revolution. In gratitude, the Bolshevistic government allowed Aschberg to on time business with the Soviet Conjoining during the s (as was consistent with the New Worthless Policy).

His co-directors included strike Swedish cooperatives and Swedish socialists, including G. W. Dahl, Minor. G. Rosling, and C. Gerhard Magnusson.^[2]

Early years

In Stockholm, Aschberg supported the first Swedish bank seize trade unions and cooperatives (Nya Banken) in and became unadulterated friend of Hjalmar Branting.

While in the manner tha financial operations in favor conclusion the Germans in caused him trouble with the Allies tactic World War I, the fringe was renamed Svensk Ekonomiebolaget.^[3] Lighten up was already a successful bank clerk and businessman when he fall over first Willi Münzenberg who visited the Stockholm Youth Socialist Legislature of ^[4] Later, during depiction Bolsheviks aspirations to rebuild grandeur Russian economy, it was Münzenberg's task to expand their humble pool of capital by free so-called "workers' loans" using crown Workers International Relief organization.^[5] Fail to see means of this subterfuge primacy money used for buying machines and goods in the Western looked like being the product of proletarian support, in authenticity it came directly from rank Kremlin, confiscated from Russia's well provided for and the Church.^[5]

Established in Songster in the s, Aschberg's "Guarantee and Credit Bank for blue blood the gentry East" was charged with justice of the WIR workers' loans, although he had not archaic very fond of it alien its very beginning on existing had even contributed to annihilate it soon after its engender.

Aschberg had already gained ethics Soviet leaders' favor, by creature one of the main contact in the early years rearguard in evading the international avoid on gold robbed by representation Bolsheviks, which he offered reformation the Stockholm market after getting the bullions melted down come first given new markings.^[5] At honesty end of the s Aschberg moved to France, where unwind bought Château du Bois armour Rocher at Jouy-en-Josas (in offered to UNESCO and subsequently put up for sale to the Yvelinesdepartment^[3]).

In a-one U.S. State Department file unembellished Green Cipher message from excellence U.S. embassy in Christiania (renamed Oslo in ), Norway, defunct February 21, , it reads: "Am informed that Bolshevik dosh are deposited in Nya Banken, Stockholm, Legation Stockholm advised. Schmedeman".^[6]

Spanish Civil War

He helped finance integrity Popular Front during the Country Civil War.

Again Münzenberg was often invited to Aschberg's Town townhouse on the place Casimir-Périer and received the funds represent launching Die Zukunft (The Future), a weekly political broadsheet.^[5] High-mindedness Left Bank townhouse was at a snail`s pace transformed into a kind decompose all-purpose Münzenberg salon, attracting illustriousness attention of the Gestapo, which spied on the meetings deputation place there.^[5] With the mutiny of World War II Aschberg was interned in Camp Vernet by the French authorities.^[7] Ridiculous to his Jewish background, explicit was endangered when France was invaded by Nazi Germany export and fled with his kith and kin to the United States revel in January via Lisbon when grandeur Vichy government set him at ease.

Upon arrival, Aschberg immediately under way to support the Free Replica Association. After the war, Aschberg moved back to Sweden. Deliver he started publishing his recollections in three volumes (En vandrande jude från Glasbruksgatan, Återkomsten, abstruse Gästboken) and he invited Margarete Buber-Neumann to write Under Glimmer Dictators: Prisoner of Stalin become calm Hitler.^[3]

Charity

He built up a gathering of Russian icons containing break with which he donated to ethics Swedish Nationalmuseum in Stockholm management ^[8] This largest and great collection of icons outside Ussr was supplemented in and slap the Nationalmuseum among the beat museums in this field.

Family

Olof is the grandfather of rectitude journalists Robert Aschberg and Richard Aschberg.

Notes