Sveinn Björnsson
Sveinn Björnsson was elected regent by the Alþingi, Iceland’s parliament, in 1941. Later, when the Republic of Iceland was founded at Þingvellir on 17 June 1944, the Alþingi elected him as the republic’s first president. He passed away in 1952, while still in office.
Sveinn Björnsson was born in Copenhagen on 27 February 1881 and passed away on 25 January 1952. He was married to Georgia Björnsson (1884-1957). They had six children together: Björn, Anna Catherine Aagot, Henrik, Sveinn, Ólafur, and Elísabet.
Sveinn completed his upper secondary education in 1900 and earned a law degree from the University of Copenhagen in 1907. He ran his own law firm and served on the Reykjavík City Council from 1912 until 1920, when he was appointed Iceland’s ambassador to Denmark. He held that position until 1924 and returned to it in 1926, serving as ambassador until he was elected regent in 1941.
Sveinn held the presidency for nearly eight years. He was re-elected without opposition in 1945 and 1949.