Erkki Räikkönen | |
---|---|
Born | Erkki Aleksanteri Räikkönen 13 August 1900 |
Died | 30 March 1961 | (aged 60)
Citizenship | Finnish |
Alma mater | University of Helsinki |
Political party | Patriotic People's Movement |
Erkki Aleksanteri Räikkönen (13 August 1900 – 30 March 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. [1] 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. [1] 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. [1] 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). [2]
Along with Herman Gummerus and Vilho Annala Räikkönen was the founder of the Patriotic People's Movement in 1932. [1] He would not stay a member long however as the group soon became purely Finnish (isolating the Swedish-speaking Räikkönen) and he moved closer to Nazism. [1]
Having left the movement he contented himself with editing the journal Suomen Vapaussota, whilst also becoming involved in Gustav Vasa movement, a Nazi organization for Finland's Swedish-speaking population and Blue Cross, another Nazi group. [1] He ultimately emigrated to Sweden in 1945 and lived out his life there in retirement. [1] [3]