The first milestone in KTH’s history

Here is King Karl XIV Johan’s decree in Swedish:

Kungligt bref den 18 maj 1825 om inrättandet af ett Teknologiskt Institut

”På grund av de från vetenskapsakademien, kommerskollegium och fabrikssocieterterna inkomna tillstyrkande utlåtanden förklarade emellertid Kgl. Maj:t i nådigt bref till kommerskollegium den 18 maj 1825 ’att ett Teknologiskt Institut skall, enligt de af vetenskapsakademiern uppgifna grunder anläggas samt kostnaden därtill bestridas av manufakturdiskontfondens vinstmedel’.”

An initial sum of 2,000 riksdaler was promptly allocated for the forthcoming institute, intended in part for the purchase of books and teaching models.

Gustaf Magnus Schwartz, Director-General of the Royal Board of Control, was appointed head of the new institute, with an annual salary of 2,000 riksdaler. He was tasked with developing a proposal for how the institute should be organised and operated.

Soon afterwards, Gustaf Magnus Schwartz travelled to France, Germany and England to draw inspiration from already established technical schools. He brought back literature and models – materials that laid the foundation for Sweden’s first technological institute, which would later become KTH.

Text: Marianne Norén