Sylvan was born on 23 April 1875 in Malmö, Sweden, the son of Ph.D. Per Gustaf Sylvan and Tina Löfvengren. He was the brother of major general Ove Sylvan. He became an officer in 1895 and second lieutenant the same year. He attended the Artillery and Engineering College higher course and became a lieutenant in 1898 and did refresher training at the same college from 1900 to 1902. Sylvan was an artillery staff officer from 1902 to 1904 and was an artillery teacher at the Artillery and Engineering College from 1904 to 1912. He was promoted to captain in 1907 and major in 1915 and was head of the Artillery and Engineering College from 1915 to 1922. Sylvan was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1918 and conducted a study trip to the Austrian front the same year. He was a teacher at the Artillery Shooting School from 1920 to 1925 and was lieutenant colonel at the Wendes Artillery Regiment in 1922. Sylvan was head of the artillery measuring course in 1922 and 1923 and was a teacher at the Artillery Shooting School from 1920 to 1925. He was promoted to colonel in 1926 and was chief of the Artillery Staff from 1926 to 1931 and was the head of the Artillery Shooting School from 1927 to 1931. Sylvan underwent tactical course for generals in France in 1927. He was commanding officer of the Småland Army Artillery Regiment from 1931 to 1932. Sylvan was brigade commander of the Eastern Army Division from 1932 to 1935, inspector of the Military Schools from 1932 to 1935 and commanding officer of the Southern Army Division from 1935 to 1937. He was promoted to major general in 1933 and was lieutenant general and Chief of the Army from 1937 to 1940.
Other work
Sylvan was the leader of the Artillery Committee in 1910 and 1918 to 1920 and the Fortification Committee in 1919. Sylvan was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences.
Personal life
He married the first time in 1906 with Signild Sylvan. They were the parents of Ph.D. Nils Sylvan. He married a second time in 1913 with Märta Santesson.
