By Par-Arne Jigenius
Former Swedish national press ombudsman

ONO Conference opening remarks by Par-Arne Jigenius, delivered by Lilian Ohrstrom, ombudsman for Dagens Nyheter, Stockholm, May 28:

Dear Friends:

Welcome to the native country of the ombudsman institution.

Everybody recognizes ombudsman as a Swedish word and the concept “ombudsman” is in a royal decree signed by King Karl (Charles) XII in the year 1713. This great warrior king spent many years in Central and Eastern Europe, moving from battlefield to battlefield.

He was an absolute ruler – king by the grace of God. It was not easy to rule the Kingdom of Sweden when the king spent year after year abroad. There were no mobile telephones, Internet and video conferences at this time.

Consequently, the king had to reorganize the Royal Chancellery in Stockholm in order to make it more effective. The chancellery was divided in five departments – “expeditions” – one responsible for foreign affairs, one for judicial matters and so on. This was an embryo of ministries in a modern government.

The head of the judicial department was highest in rank and the principal advisor to the king. In order to pronounce his special position he was appointed the king’s “hoge ombudsman” – the king’s “high ombudsman.” The heads of the other departments were called “ombudsrad”; today a minister in the Swedish government is called “statsrad.”

It is difficult to describe the officials in the Royal Chancellery in modern terms. Perhaps you can say that the very first ombudsman in 1713 acted as principal secretary of state in Sweden.

Today, ombudsman is an international word. From one point of view it was an international word when the king signed his decree in 1713 and was appointed the first ombudsman in history. At that time, the king had his headquarters in the castle Timurtasch in the then-existing borders of Turkey.

The ombudsman is a Swedish invention, but it was decided in Turkey.

You may reach Jigenius at pa.jigenius@telia.com. Members of ONO may use the text; Jigenius would appreciate a copy or other information in return.