Sven Montan

Sven Montan was the son of an army corporal. He completed the practical sailors’ school of the Rydberg Foundation in 1906. From 1910-20, he worked as a swimming teacher in Stockholm. Simultaneously, he received his university entrance qualification in 1916 and attended the Gymnastics Central Institute for the next four years. From 1917-21, Montan worked for the general customs board, before he was employed as a gymnastics teacher in Visby (1921-31) and Stockholm’s Södermalm neighbourhood (1931-51). Additionally, he took on administrative tasks, e.g. as manager of the beach bath at Lake Flaten (1934-39). Montan was also the gymnastics leader of Stockholm’s general gymnastics department and was involved in physiotherapy.

Montan competed in plain high diving at the 1912 Olympic Games but did not advance to the final. He served as chairman and board member of several sports and swimming clubs. Montan also wrote essays and articles on gymnastics and sport, and was honoured as a Knight of the Order of Vasa, receiving multiple sports awards.

In 1920, Montan married his first wife, Elsa Kristine Katarina Hallingström, whom he divorced in 1946. In the same year, he married his second wife, Maj Gurli Moberg. With his first wife, he had two daughters and one son; with his second wife, another daughter.