Erkki Räikkönen
Encyclopedia
Erkki Aleksanteri Räikkönen (August 13, 1900-March 30, 1961) was a Finnish
nationalist leader.
Born in St. Petersburg to a cantor
, he attended the University of Helsinki
before taking part in the ill-fated mission to secure independence for Karelia
in 1921. Like most of those who took part in this event he joined the Academic Karelia Society
(AKS), helping to found the movement along with Elias Simojoki
and Reino Vähäkallio. He quit in 1928 to join Itsenäisyyden Liitto (Independence League), a group that had been formed by Pehr Evind Svinhufvud
, Räikkönen's most admired political figure. Räikkönen took this decision in response to the banning of the Lapua Movement
, a move that had left the far right
in Finland without a wide organisational basis (groups like AKS having small, elite memberships).
Along with Herman Gummerus
and Vilho Annala
Räikkönen was the founder of the Patriotic People's Movement
in 1932. He would not stay a member long however as the group soon became purely Finnish (isolating the Swedish
-speaking Räikkönen) and moved closer to Nazism
, which he opposed.
Having left the movement he contented himself with eidting the journal Suomen Vapaussota, whilst also becoming involved in the Gustav Vasa movement, a right wing organization for Finland's Swedish-speaking population. He ultimately emigrated to Sweden
in 1945 and lived out his life there in retirement.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
nationalist leader.
Born in St. Petersburg to a cantor
Cantor (church)
A cantor is the chief singer employed in a church with responsibilities for the ecclesiastical choir; also called the precentor....
, he attended the University of Helsinki
University of Helsinki
The University of Helsinki is a university located in Helsinki, Finland since 1829, but was founded in the city of Turku in 1640 as The Royal Academy of Turku, at that time part of the Swedish Empire. It is the oldest and largest university in Finland with the widest range of disciplines available...
before taking part in the ill-fated mission to secure independence for Karelia
Karelia
Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
in 1921. Like most of those who took part in this event he joined the Academic Karelia Society
Academic Karelia Society
The Academic Karelia Society was a Finnish elitist nationalist and Finno-Ugric activist organization aiming at the growth and improvement of newly independent Finland, founded by academics and students of the University of Finland in 1922...
(AKS), helping to found the movement along with Elias Simojoki
Elias Simojoki
Lauri Elias Simojoki was a Finnish clergyman who became a leading figure in the country's far right movement....
and Reino Vähäkallio. He quit in 1928 to join Itsenäisyyden Liitto (Independence League), a group that had been formed by Pehr Evind Svinhufvud
Pehr Evind Svinhufvud
Pehr Evind Svinhufvud af Qvalstad , December 15, 1861 – February 29, 1944) was the third President of Finland from 1931 to 1937. Serving as a lawyer, judge, and politician in the Russian Grand Duchy of Finland, he played a major role in the movement for Finnish independence...
, Räikkönen's most admired political figure. Räikkönen took this decision in response to the banning of the Lapua Movement
Lapua Movement
The Lapua Movement , was a Finnish radical nationalist and anti-communist political movement founded in and named after the town of Lapua. After radicalisation it turned towards far-right politics and was banned after a failed coup-d'état in 1932...
, a move that had left the far right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
in Finland without a wide organisational basis (groups like AKS having small, elite memberships).
Along with Herman Gummerus
Herman Gummerus
Herman Gregorius Gummerus was a leading Finnish classical scholar, diplomat, and one of the founders of the Patriotic People's Movement ....
and Vilho Annala
Vilho Annala
Vilho Annala was a Finnish civil servant, academic and far right politician.-Early years:...
Räikkönen was the founder of the Patriotic People's Movement
Patriotic People's Movement (Finland)
Patriotic People's Movement, abbreviated to IKL), was a Finnish nationalist and anti-communist political party. IKL was the successor of the previously banned Lapuan liike...
in 1932. He would not stay a member long however as the group soon became purely Finnish (isolating the Swedish
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
-speaking Räikkönen) and moved closer to Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
, which he opposed.
Having left the movement he contented himself with eidting the journal Suomen Vapaussota, whilst also becoming involved in the Gustav Vasa movement, a right wing organization for Finland's Swedish-speaking population. He ultimately emigrated to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in 1945 and lived out his life there in retirement.