‘It would have been a fight’: Former Swedish PM enrages Denmark and Norway with WW2 tweet

In a tweet to mark the 81st anniversary of the invasion of Denmark and Norway, Carl Bildt, who served as prime minister between 1991 and 1994, claimed that Germany’s fascist leader Adolf Hitler would have struggled to overrun Sweden.

“The defense forces of Sweden in 1940 weren’t stellar, but still stronger than Norway and in particular than Denmark. Had Hitler decided to invade Sweden, it would have been a fight,” he tweeted.

The defense forces of 🇸🇪 in 1940 weren’t stellar, but still stronger than 🇳🇴 and in particular than 🇩🇰. Had Hitler decided to invade 🇸🇪 it would have been a fight. pic.twitter.com/Zha3LEy8Wi

— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) April 9, 2021

Bildt was immediately put in his place by the former Norwegian footballer Jan Aage Fjortoft, who pointed out that Sweden had not only remained neutral, but had actually allowed Nazi Germany to transport troops and weaponry through its territory to Norway.

“The former Prime Minister of Sweden with this week’s most stupid tweet,” he wrote. “Sweden let German soldiers travel through their country to fight in North Norway in 1940.”

The former PrimeMinister of Sweden with this week’s most stupid tweet. Sweden 🇸🇪 let German soldiers travel through their country to fight in North Norway 🇳🇴 in 1940 #embarrassing https://t.co/7R9syful61

— Jan Aage Fjortoft 🏳️‍🌈 🇳🇴 (@JanAageFjortoft) April 9, 2021

Sylvi Listhaug, deputy leader of Norway’s Progress Party, made much the same point, telling Norway’s VG newspaper that the comment was misjudged.

“It’s extremely rash of a former Swedish prime minister to come out with this kind of comment when we all know the role Sweden played in the war while both Denmark and Norway were invaded by the Germans,” she said.

“While we were under pressure, Sweden allowed the Germans to transport both weapons and soldiers through their country during the war.”