HECKSCHER, ELI FILIP

HECKSCHER, ELI FILIP (1879–1952), Swedish economic historian. Heckscher was born in Stockholm, where he taught from 1909 to 1944 at the University College of Commerce. His books, which were translated into many languages, were the Kontinentalsystemet (1918; The Continental System, an Economic Interpretation, 1923), and Merkantilismen (1931; Mercantilism, 1935). Based largely on new sources, Mercantilism presents an analysis of the intellectual world of the mercantile system. The study which occupied the last years of Heckscher's life was Sveriges ekonomiska historia från Gustav Vasa   (begun in 1935; Economic History of Sweden Since Gustavus Vasa, 1954). The author's death prevented him from continuing the study beyond 1815. Heckscher is regarded as one of the most important Swedish historians of his time. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: Montgomery, in: Ekonomisk Tidskrift (1953); Svenska män och kvinnor, 3 (1946). (Hugo Mauritz Valentin)