Why Did Dag Hammarskjöld Choose Backåkra? The Story Behind His Beloved Swedish Home
When people think of Dag Hammarskjöld, they often picture the United Nations headquarters in New York, tense diplomatic negotiations, or major international crises. Yet one of the places that mattered most to him was far removed from the world’s political centers.
In the 1950s, Hammarskjöld purchased Backåkra, a farm property in the beautiful Österlen region of southern Sweden. Though he never lived there full-time, the estate represented something deeply personal: a vision of the quieter life he hoped to enjoy after public service.
So why did Dag Hammarskjöld choose Backåkra?
The answer reveals much about the man behind the office.
What Is Backåkra?
- Backåkra is Dag Hammarskjöld’s homestead, now functioning as a museum and nature preserve
- Located in the Österlen region of southern Sweden
- Purchased by Hammarskjöld in 1957
- Intended as his future retirement home
A Love of the Southern Swedish Landscape
Dag loved the landscape of Skåne County.
Skåne is a place of broad horizons and subtle wonders. A lone farmhouse may stand against an ocean of wheat. Poppies and cornflowers brighten the edges of country roads. Sheep graze beside stone walls built centuries ago. The wind carries the scent of salt from the Baltic and the earthy fragrance of fields that have been cultivated for generations.
It is easy to understand why someone seeking peace would be drawn here.
In Manhattan, Dag lived amid the noise of diplomacy, politics, and international crisis. In Skåne, he found something entirely different. Here there were (usually) no emergency cables arriving at midnight, no delegations waiting outside his office, no speeches to deliver. There were only open fields, seabirds circling overhead, and long stretches of countryside that encouraged reflection.
Backåkra offered not escape from responsibility, but a return to essentials.
The Retirement Dag Hammarskjöld Imagined
Many readers don’t realize that Hammarskjöld expected his UN service to end someday. While he wasn’t in a hurry to leave the organization, he understood he wouldn’t be the SG forever. And that was perfectly fine.
Bo Beskow called it a perfect Shangri-la—a place where I could escape. I loved the Swedish countryside: the stretches of golden fields, the clusters of pines, sweet bouquets of purple heather, bluebells, buttercups, and daisies, picturesque apple orchards around Skåne. The southern part of Sweden had become a sanctuary for me because of my great friends Bo and Greta, who lived in Löderup.
After the break-in at my apartment in Stockholm, I was more ready than ever to find something rural and private, an oasis where my thoughts could run without interruption. I’d considered having my own orchard, and I’d purchased a property in Halland County several years before.
However, when duty called at the UN, my dreams of cultivating that acreage fell by the wayside. It became overgrown and caused consternation for the neighbors until I hired a crew of gardeners to tidy it. After that, I figured it was better to sell the land to someone ready to make good use of it.
Still, I dreamed of being Farmer Dag. I suppose that was an aspect of my personality very few understood. I wasn’t in a hurry to retire; I wasn’t even fifty yet and had only been Secretary-General for over a year, so it wasn’t an immediate goal.
But I envisioned my latter years on a tranquil farm surrounded by nature. I’d get a small flock of hens that would trade scratch for fresh eggs. Maybe a milk cow —a Swedish Friesian with black and white spots. As a boy, I had a toy Dala horse that I named Jan. Perhaps I’d get a real pony to brush and spoil rotten with sliced apples and carrots.
-Excerpt from Simply Dag: The Private Man in a Public—and Dangerous—Office
Friendship and Community: The Beskow Connection
Another important reason for Backåkra’s appeal was its proximity to Dag’s close friends. Bo and Greta Beskow lived nearby, making the region feel less like an isolated retreat and more like a small community. For a man whose work often carried him across continents, the possibility of spending time among trusted friends undoubtedly added to Backåkra’s attraction.
More Than a House
Backåkra reveals:
- the nature lover
- the friend
- the private thinker
- the man planning for life after public office
The UN Secretary-General? Yes. But so much more than that, too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Dag Hammarskjöld buy Backåkra?
Dag Hammarskjöld purchased Backåkra because he loved the southern Swedish countryside, envisioned spending his retirement there, and valued its proximity to close friends such as Bo and Greta Beskow.
Where is Backåkra located?
Backåkra is located in the Österlen region of Skåne in southern Sweden.
Did Dag Hammarskjöld live at Backåkra?
He owned the property and spent time there, but his death in 1961 prevented him from enjoying the retirement he had envisioned.
Can visitors tour Backåkra today?
Yes. Backåkra is open to visitors and serves as a museum and memorial dedicated to Hammarskjöld’s life and legacy. Its hours vary, so please check here: https://dhbackakra.se/en/home.
Explore more:
- Why Is Dag Hammarskjöld Important?
- Why Dag Hammarskjöld Redefined the Role of Secretary-General
- What Did Dag Hammarskjöld Do?
- What Was “Hungerskjöld,” and How Did It Affect Dag Hammarskjöld?
New to Dag’s life and legacy? Start here.
You can purchase Sara’s award-winning biography Decoding the Unicorn: A New Look at Dag Hammarskjöld on Amazon by clicking here! Her forthcoming project, Simply Dag, will release globally on July 29th.
Enter the private room for readers who look beyond the surface. 
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Excerpt from Simply Dag: The Private Man in a Public—and Dangerous—Office © Sara Causey.