18 May Strandvägen
The American Legation offices, including OSS Stockholm, were located on the fashionable street named Strandvägen, translated “beach road.”
The American Legation offices in Stockholm during WWII were located on Strandvägen, the city’s most fashionable avenue. Inside the main Chancery, located at Strandvägen 7A were housed the offices of OSS Stockholm. All related to the OSS (Office of Strategic Services) was top secret. “Very hush, hush,” as was explained to me by a gentleman who worked there.
The Swedish translation for “Strandvägen” is, appropriately, “beach road.” On one side of the street were imposing upper-class structures and on the other side, the Nybroviken bay with its small passenger steamships. In the postcard photo on the right, Hedvig Johnson of OSS Stockholm marked her building with an X, which you can faintly see on the extreme left.
The Chancery, which included the office of the Minister was at Strandvägen 7A. The Military Air Attaché’s office was at Strandvägen 7B.
The ornate building 7 Strandvägen was built in the early 1900’s, complete with the carvings, towers and balconies typically seen on the boulevard.
Other Legation offices, referred to as annexes, were at various locations on the street or nearby. In addition, some of the Americans who worked at the Legation lived in apartments on the prestigious boulevard.
Today at 7A, as described by Wikipedia as a “palace in the Art Nouveau style” are hotels and a luxurious business center. When I travel to Stockholm next year I will personally check it out. Perhaps stay at the hotel and explore.
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