Fredrik von Sydow

Who was Fredrik von Sydow?

Fredrik von Sydow was a law student who became known for the "Sydow murders" in Stockholm and Uppsala on 7 March 1932.

Fredrik von Sydow came from an upperclass family in Stockholm and studied Law at Uppsala University. On March 7, 1932, his father Hjalmar von Sydow, who was a conservative member of parliament and the managing director and chairman of the Swedish Employers' Federation, and two maids employed in the household were found dead in the family residence in Stockholm, all bludgeoned to death. The murder was originally thought to have been committed using an iron pipe that Fredrik had recently purchased, but was later found to have been an iron.

Even though the police soon came to suspect the son, Fredrik, it took a few hours before they were able to locate him. Fredrik von Sydow had taken a taxi with his wife Ingun to Uppsala, where they entered the restaurant of Hotel Gillet and ordered Champagne and oysters. When the police eventually arrived at the restaurant, Fredrik von Sydow shot and killed his wife and himself.