Clark Olofsson, the notorious Swedish bank robber whose 1973 siege of a Stockholm bank gave rise to the term “Stockholm Syndrome,” has died at the age of 76. Olofsson, who was released from prison in 2015 after serving more than 40 years behind bars, passed away on Wednesday in Malmö, Sweden.
Olofsson’s criminal legacy is forever intertwined with the infamous Norrmalmstorg robbery, which took place at the Kreditbanken in central Stockholm in August 1973. Over the course of six days, Olofsson and an accomplice held four bank employees hostage, leading to a tense standoff with police. During the ordeal, the captives developed a psychological bond with their captors, a phenomenon that became known as “Stockholm Syndrome.”
The term was coined by criminologist and psychiatrist Nils Bejerot to describe the surprising rapport that developed between the hostages and their abductors. Despite the harrowing circumstances, the hostages came to sympathize with Olofsson and his partner, even defending them and resisting rescue attempts. This bizarre dynamic captured the public’s imagination and has since become a recognized psychological response to captivity.
Olofsson, who was just 25 years old at the time of the robbery, went on to become a notorious figure in Sweden, known for his charismatic persona and ability to manipulate those around him. After the Norrmalmstorg incident, he was convicted of the robbery and sentenced to 10 years in prison, though he would go on to serve numerous other sentences over the course of his criminal career.
Throughout his life, Olofsson remained a polarizing and controversial figure, with some viewing him as a charismatic anti-hero and others condemning him as a dangerous criminal. In the years following his release from prison in 2015, he continued to court media attention, granting interviews and even publishing a memoir titled “Clark: My Life.”
Olofsson’s death marks the end of an era, but the legacy of the “Stockholm Syndrome” he helped create will continue to fascinate and captivate audiences for years to come. His story serves as a stark reminder of the complex and often unpredictable nature of human psychology, and the ways in which captivity can profoundly shape the relationships between captors and their victims.
