Aladár Paasonen
Encyclopedia
Colonel Aladár Antero Zoltán Béla Gyula Arpád Paasonen (December 11, 1898, Budapest
, Austria-Hungary
– July 6, 1974 Flourtown, Pennsylvania
, United States
), known as Aladár Paasonen, was a Finnish military officer who served as Chief of Intelligence of the Finnish Defence Forces
during the Continuation War
, and later in the CIA.
Paasonen was born in Budapest
, Hungary, son of Finnish Professor of Linguistics Heikki Paasonen, and his Hungarian wife Mariska Paskay de Palásthy.
Paasonen participated in the Finnish Civil War
on the White side, reaching the rank of sub-lieutenant
. In 1920, he was promoted to lieutenant
. Between 1921 and 1922 he studied at the École Supérieure de Guerre, where among his classmates was Charles de Gaulle
. Also, at the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr.
In 1923, Paasonen was promoted to captain, in 1926 to major and in 1929 to lieutenant colonel
. He served as the Finnish military attaché
in Moscow in 1931–33 and in Berlin in 1933. In 1937, he was promoted to colonel, and appointed senior adjutant
to President Kyösti Kallio
.
Paasonen was member of the Finnish delegation to Moscow in the negotiations prior to the Winter War
. During the Winter War, he was stationed in Paris
, France, with a mission to procure weapons and equipment to the Finnish Defence Forces. France awarded him the Légion d'honneur (1939), rank "Officier".
During the Continuation War
, Paasonen commanded a regiment in the Karelian Isthmus
and East Karelia
, until he was appointed Chief of Intelligence in 1942. He worked in the Military Headquarters in Mikkeli
as one of Marshal Mannerheim's closest aides.
After the war, Paasonen, having participated in the Operation Stella Polaris
and the Weapons Cache Case
, relocated to Sweden, and was recruited by the French intelligence services, and later by the CIA, working for them in Western Europe in the post-war period. He was retired in 1963, living in the United States until his death in 1974. He was buried in a family grave in the Hietaniemi cemetery
in Helsinki, Finland.
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
– July 6, 1974 Flourtown, Pennsylvania
Flourtown, Pennsylvania
Flourtown is a census-designated place in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a ZIP code of 19031. Flourtown is adjacent to the Philadelphia neighborhoods of West Oak Lane, Mt. Airy, and Chestnut Hill...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), known as Aladár Paasonen, was a Finnish military officer who served as Chief of Intelligence of the Finnish Defence Forces
Finnish Defence Forces
The Finnish Defence Forces are responsible for the defence of Finland. It is a cadre army of 15,000, of which 8,900 are professional soldiers , extended with conscripts and reservists such that the standard readiness strength is 34,700 people in uniform...
during the Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
, and later in the CIA.
Paasonen was born in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary, son of Finnish Professor of Linguistics Heikki Paasonen, and his Hungarian wife Mariska Paskay de Palásthy.
Paasonen participated in the Finnish Civil War
Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national, political and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The Civil War concerned control and leadership of The Grand Duchy of Finland as it achieved independence from Russia after the October Revolution in Petrograd...
on the White side, reaching the rank of sub-lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
. In 1920, he was promoted to lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. Between 1921 and 1922 he studied at the École Supérieure de Guerre, where among his classmates was Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
. Also, at the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr.
In 1923, Paasonen was promoted to captain, in 1926 to major and in 1929 to lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
. He served as the Finnish military attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
in Moscow in 1931–33 and in Berlin in 1933. In 1937, he was promoted to colonel, and appointed senior adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
to President Kyösti Kallio
Kyösti Kallio
Kyösti Kallio was the fourth President of Finland . He was a prominent leader of the Agrarian League, and served as Prime Minister four times and Speaker of the Parliament six times.-Early life:...
.
Paasonen was member of the Finnish delegation to Moscow in the negotiations prior to the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
. During the Winter War, he was stationed in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France, with a mission to procure weapons and equipment to the Finnish Defence Forces. France awarded him the Légion d'honneur (1939), rank "Officier".
During the Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
, Paasonen commanded a regiment in the Karelian Isthmus
Karelian Isthmus
The Karelian Isthmus is the approximately 45–110 km wide stretch of land, situated between the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga in northwestern Russia, to the north of the River Neva . Its northwestern boundary is the relatively narrow area between the Bay of Vyborg and Lake Ladoga...
and East Karelia
East Karelia
East Karelia , also rendered as Eastern Karelia or Russian Karelia, is a name for the part of Karelia that since the Treaty of Stolbova in 1617 has remained Christian Orthodox under Russian supremacy. It is separated from the western part of Karelia, called Finnish Karelia or historically Swedish...
, until he was appointed Chief of Intelligence in 1942. He worked in the Military Headquarters in Mikkeli
Mikkeli
Mikkeli is a town and municipality in Finland. It is located in what used to be the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the Southern Savonia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
as one of Marshal Mannerheim's closest aides.
After the war, Paasonen, having participated in the Operation Stella Polaris
Operation Stella Polaris
Operation Stella Polaris was the cover name for activity in which Finnish signals intelligence records, equipment and personnel were transported into Sweden after the ending of the Continuation war in 1944...
and the Weapons Cache Case
Weapons Cache Case
The Weapons Cache Case was a Finnish criminal case of the mid-1940s. It concerned a secret military operation following the Continuation War, where a large number of Finnish Army weapons and equipment was hidden away around the country....
, relocated to Sweden, and was recruited by the French intelligence services, and later by the CIA, working for them in Western Europe in the post-war period. He was retired in 1963, living in the United States until his death in 1974. He was buried in a family grave in the Hietaniemi cemetery
Hietaniemi cemetery
The Hietaniemi cemetery is located in the Töölö district of Helsinki, the capital of Finland...
in Helsinki, Finland.