Stackelberg

Berndt Reinhold Hjalmar Stackelberg

ARMS: Or issuing from a triple mount in base Vert two tree stems couped Proper each sprouting two acorns Vert

SOURCE/NOTES & CREDITS: Blazon text translated from the Swedish By D.Q. Wedvick from page 206 of “Den Svenska Adelns Vapenbok”, by Raneke and Dahlby, Albert Bonniers Förlag, Stockholm 1967 and then reworked by J.H. Gaylor. The background illustration: page 416, “Finland’s Adels Kalender 2001”, ed. Johanna Aminoff-Winberg, Riddarhusdirecktionen, Helsingfors, 2000. The text was adapted by D.Q. Wedvick from page 427, “Finland’s Adels Kalender 1944”, ed. Tor Carpelan, Riddarhusdirecktionen, Helsingfors, 1944; from “Uudenmaan Rakuunarykmentti”, 1918-1947, by Jyri Paulaharju, Uudenmaan Rakuunarykmentti Saatio RY, 1993, Helsinki; and “Suomen Ratsuvaen Historia”, Volume 1 ( I Osa ), 1917-1939, by Vilho Niitemaa, Uudenmaan Rakuunarykmentti Saatio, Mikkeli, 1979 and from private communications with Henrik Degerman, former genealogist to Finland’s House of Nobles.

Baron ( friherre ) Colonel Berndt Reinhold Hjalmar Stackelberg was born on 11 April 1899, a career Army officer, he became as a Lieutenant Colonel around 1935-39, the executive officer of the Cavalry Brigade, and later during WW2 was a Colonel on the General Staff. The Stackelberg family were Baltic nobles in both Estonia and Latvia and were ennobled in Sweden in 1625 under no. 113, raised to the baronage in 1727 under no. 192, they matriculated in Finland in 1818 under no.10. Colonel Stackelberg was known in the Cavalry as Reinhold to distinguish him from another Stackelberg junior to him. He married on 28 March 1929 Dora Julie ( Dolly ) af Forselles ( Finnish noble no. 143 ) but he was known en famille as Stackus. Friherre Stackelberg died in 1950.

At one time we collected Finnish militaria and were fortunate enough to obtain “Stackus'” complete dress uniform as executive officer of the Cavalry Brigade. As the dress tunic was heavily befrogged, it got the nickname “skeleton uniform”. As far as we know this is the only Finnish officers’ skeleton uniform in the United States. The uniform and other Finnish militaria were donated to and may be seen at The Price of Freedom Museum, Inc. ( Vapauden Hinta Museo, RY ) at Finland House in Lantana, Florida. We admit to retaining Stackus’ dress jodhpurs with heel spurs as they fit us to wear with our dress uniform on appropriate occasions. The dress jodhpurs were donated to the museum finally in 2017. dqw 2018 0723

The artwork is a rendering by John Hamilton Gaylor.

Wedvick Armorial, 144, Stackelberg, 2010 0518