Per Albin Hansson

Per Albin Hansson was born on October 28, 1885, in Kulladal, near Malmö, the son of a bricklayer. Leaving school at age twelve to work as an errand boy and store clerk, he rose through the Social Democratic Youth League and edited Social-Demokraten.

In 1928, in a landmark Riksdag speech, Hansson formulated the visionary concept of Folkhemmet ('The People's Home'), transforming socialist doctrine into a cooperative national vision where class privilege is abolished and society cares for all citizens like a loving family. Becoming Prime Minister in 1932, he struck the historic 1933 agricultural pact and led the four-party national coalition government through World War II, preserving Sweden's peace and neutrality. He died suddenly of a heart attack while alighting from a midnight tram at Ålstensgatan.