Vilho Annala | |
---|---|
Minister of Transport and Public Works | |
In office 4 January 1941 – 5 March 1943 | |
Preceded by | Karl-Erik Ekholm |
Succeeded by | Toivo Ikonen |
Personal details | |
Born | Vilho Annala 17 January 1888 Lapua, Grand Duchy of Finland |
Died | 28 July 1960 Helsinki, Finland | (aged 72)
Citizenship | Finnish |
Political party | Lapua Movement, Patriotic People's Movement |
Spouse | Inez Mirjam Wink |
Alma mater | University of Helsinki |
Profession | Professor |
Vilho Annala (17 January 1888 – 28 July 1960) was a Finnish civil servant, economist and far right politician.
Annala was born in Lapua, and first came to prominence as a student at the University of Helsinki, where he edited the student union newspaper Ylioppilaslehti from 1916 to 1919. [1] He went on to work for the Bureau of Statistics, whilst serving on the editorial staff of the conservative daily Uusi Suomi. [1] He gained a doctorate in 1932 and became one of Finland's leading civil servants. [1]
Annala joined the Lapua Movement and became Helsinki District Chairman in February 1931. [1] Ideologically Annala was heavily influenced by the corporatism of Italian fascism. [2] He supported the co-opting of the working classes into the Lapua Movement and opposed the influence of wealthy industrialists. [1]
In April 1932 Annala joined Herman Gummerus and Erkki Räikkönen in founding the Patriotic People's Movement (IKL) and he served as caucus chairman from 1936 to 1944. [1] Between 1933 and 1945 he also represented the party in the Parliament of Finland. [1] Whilst the official leader was Vihtori Kosola real control of the movement rested with Annala and his close lieutenant Bruno Salmiala. [3] It was Annala who dictated the policy of the movement although his hard-line views led to condemnation by both the government and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland that damaged the group. [1] Annala held the post of Minister of Transport in the unity government of Johan Wilhelm Rangell from 1941 to 1943. [4] This however was a last throw for the IKL as the group faded soon afterwards and Annala left politics. [1]
With his political career over Annala became an academic back at the University of Helsinki. [1] He served there as the professor of political economy 1951–57. [5] He died in Helsinki, aged 72.