When people think of Dag Hammarskjöld, they often picture a solemn figure behind a desk at the United Nations, navigating Cold War tensions with cool precision. But behind the formality was a man of deep feeling, quiet habits, and unexpected quirks.
Here are six lesser-known facets of Dag Hammarskjöld’s private life that may surprise you—and deepen your understanding of the man behind the title.
1. He Was a Devoted Journal Keeper
Dag’s spiritual journal, later published as Markings, is now considered a modern spiritual seeker’s classic. When Dag started, he never imagined it would be published for the world. He wrote it quietly, privately, sometimes late at night or during diplomatic travels, as a way to stay anchored to his core. The entries are raw, poetic, and searching—revealing a man far more complex than his public image suggested. Later in life, Dag left instructions that his journal could be published if his friend, Leif Belfrage, felt it had literary merit. I’m glad he did.
2. He Was an Avid Art Lover
Dag wasn’t just interested in art—he lived with it. He carefully curated pieces from NYC museums to decorate the UN. In my forthcoming project, Simply Dag, I also discuss Dag’s support of children’s artwork for the UN Art Club Exhibition. His personal spaces were filled with paintings that ranged from modern abstracts to conventional landscapes. In the living room of his apartment on 73rd Street, he kept a painting of the Swedish Uppland province to remind him of home. After reading Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, I suspect that Dag was a shadow artist himself, and I wish he’d had the opportunity to delve deeper. Photography was one of his passions and he was very good at it.
3. Dag Loved to Walk & Hike—Fast
Walking was part meditation, part discipline. It was how he cleared his mind and restored his spirit. Dag loved the outdoors and enjoyed the countryside whenever he could. His bodyguard and aide-de-camp, Bill, frequently complained that Dag’s walking speed was more like a gallop than a casual stroll. Sometimes he would point out birds or flowers for Dag to identify just so he could take a break from chasing after Dag.
4. He Had a Deep Love for Classical Music
Bach, Brahms, Beethoven—Dag’s study was a place for reading, writing, and soothing music. He kept his favorite chair next to a turntable with LPs of classical music. Many pages of Decoding the Unicorn and Simply Dag have been written this way as an homage to Dag and as a habit I’ve now absorbed myself. On October 24, 1960, Dag celebrated UN Day with a full performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. The performance meant a great deal to him, and it was repeated after Dag’s death in 1961. You can listen to an excerpt of his speech in his own voice here: https://www.un.org/depts/dhl/dag/undayconcert.htm.
5. He Designed the UN Meditation Room Himself
Far from being a committee-driven project, the UN Meditation Room was Dag’s personal creation. He saw it as a space for quiet reflection in the heart of a bustling city and a busy building.
A room that looked more like a broom closet with a few chairs transformed into a work of art all its own under Dag’s guidance. You can read more about it here: https://decodingtheunicorn.com/the-un-meditation-room/.
6. He Worked as a Translator—And Took It Seriously
Even while juggling the tremendous responsibilities of UN Secretary-General, Dag translated works of philosophy and poetry into Swedish. He didn’t do it for show—he did it because he believed in the precision and power of language. Words, for Dag, were sacred tools and he used them with the care of a craftsman. He enjoyed the intellectual challenge and the opportunity to bring a work to his Swedish compatriots that wasn’t available before.
Dag Hammarskjöld wasn’t flashy; he lived deliberately and with care.
To know Dag is not just to study what he did on the world stage. It’s to understand what he cherished when no one was watching.
Explore more:
- The Listener’s Edge: What Dag Hammarskjöld Taught Us About Active Listening
- A Candle in the Dark: Why Dag Hammarskjöld Still Inspires in Uncertain Times
- The Compass Within: How Dag Hammarskjöld Stayed True to His Moral Code
Stay tuned for more.
New to Dag’s life and legacy? Start here.