1945–1969: Sweden and Europe in a Changing World

The unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany and the end of World War II meant no Stunde Null (zero hour) for Sweden. In contrast to its neighbours, Scandinavia’s largest nation managed to escape the brutalizing and impoverishing effects of war. Instead, with the Third Reich as the most important trade partner, Sweden’s economic well-being improved during the six years of the war. As a consequence of provisioning the Nazi war machine, Sweden’s industrial capacity increased approximately 15–20 per cent during the war years, and manufacturing and production outpaced the prewar levels. The fall of Hitler’s empire caused a substantial economic