Difference between revisions of "Eljas Erkko"
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|wikipedia=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eljas_Erkko | |wikipedia=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eljas_Erkko | ||
|geni=https://www.geni.com/people/Eljas-Erkko/6000000007415466251 | |geni=https://www.geni.com/people/Eljas-Erkko/6000000007415466251 | ||
| − | |description=[[President of International Press Institute]] 1954-56 | + | |description=As Foreign Minister, botched the negotiations with the [[Soviet Union]] before the Winter War. [[President of International Press Institute]] 1954-56 |
| − | |image= | + | |image=Eljaserkko.jpg |
| + | |image_width=200px | ||
|nationality=Finnish | |nationality=Finnish | ||
|birth_date=1 June 1895 | |birth_date=1 June 1895 | ||
| + | |siblings=Eero O. Erkko | ||
| + | |alma_mater=University of Helsinki | ||
|birth_place=Helsinki, Finland | |birth_place=Helsinki, Finland | ||
|death_date=20 February 1965 | |death_date=20 February 1965 | ||
|death_place=Helsinki, Finland | |death_place=Helsinki, Finland | ||
| − | |constitutes=editor | + | |constitutes=editor,politician |
|employment={{job | |employment={{job | ||
|title=International Press Institute/President | |title=International Press Institute/President | ||
|start=1954 | |start=1954 | ||
| − | |end=1956}} | + | |end=1956 |
| + | }}{{job | ||
| + | |title=Finland/Ambassador to Sweden | ||
| + | |start=1939 | ||
| + | |end=1940 | ||
| + | }}{{job | ||
| + | |title=Finland/Minister for Foreign Affairs | ||
| + | |start=12 December 1938 | ||
| + | |end=1 December 1939 | ||
| + | }}{{job | ||
| + | |title=Finland/Member of Parliament | ||
| + | |start=1933 | ||
| + | |end=1938 | ||
| + | }}{{job | ||
| + | |title=Helsingin Sanomat/Editor-in-chief | ||
| + | |start=1931 | ||
| + | |end=1938 | ||
}} | }} | ||
| + | }} | ||
| + | '''Juho Eljas Erkko''' was a [[Finland|Finnish]] politician and journalist.<ref name="edustajamartikkeli-eljaserkko">https://web.archive.org/web/20120930194620/http://www.eduskunta.fi/faktatmp/hetekatmp/ed910346e-su.htm</ref> He was a [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Finland)|foreign minister]] responsible for negotiating with the [[Soviet Union]] before the [[Winter War]] started, something he badly bungled.<ref name="talvisodanpikkujattilainen-turtola">Turtola, Martti (1999). "Kansainvälinen kehitys Euroopassa ja Suomessa 1930-luvulla". In Leskinen, Jari; Juutilainen, Antti (eds.). Talvisodan pikkujättiläinen (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö. pp. 13–46.</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Erkko's father was politician and ''[[Helsingin Sanomat]]'' editor-in-chief [[Eero Erkko]] and his son editor-in-chief [[Aatos Erkko]] at the same paper<ref name="edustajamartikkeli-eljaserkko" />. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Early Life== | ||
| + | Eljas Erkko graduated from high school in 1914. In 1918, he fought for the [[White Guards (Finland)|White Guards]] in the [[Finnish Civil War]].<ref>http://vapaussota.com/merkittavia-taisteluja/ruovesi/|title=Ruovesi</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | After the Civil War, Erkko first was secretary of the Trade and Industry Commission in 1919 and then in various positions in the Foreign Service, including as an attaché at the Finnish Embassy in [[Paris]] and as a secretary in [[Tallinn]] and [[London]]. He graduated from the [[University of Helsinki]] with a bachelor's degree in law in 1922. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Editor-in-chief== | ||
| + | In the summer of 1927, Eljas Erkko first joined ''[[Helsingin Sanomat]]'' as a journalist. In October of the same year, his father, editor-in-chief [[Eero Erkko]], died and Eljas Erkko became one of the magazine's editors-in-chief. He was responsible for Foreign and Economic Affairs. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Shortly afterwards, the majority of the magazine's shares passed to Erkko's family. In 1931, Erkko became the sole editor-in-chief of ''Helsingin Sanomat'', a position he held until becoming Foreign Minister in [[1938]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | He was elected as a [[Parliament of Finland|Member of Parliament]] on 1 September 1933 from [[Uusimaa (constituency)|Uusimaa constituency]].<ref name="edustajamartikkeli-eljaserkko" /> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Erkko's War== | ||
| + | Erkko was the [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Finland)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]] between 1938 and 1939,<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20110716073918/http://formin.finland.fi/public/?contentid=41366&contentlan=1&culture=fi-FI </ref> as the Finns negotiated with the Soviet Union. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In March 1939, the [[Soviet Union]] sent its Ambassador to Rome, [[Boris Stein]], to [[Helsinki]] to continue the talks begun by [[Boris Jartsev]] with Erkko. Stein proposed that Finland lease certain islands in the Gulf of Finland to the Soviet Union for 30 years, in return for which Finland would receive territories from Soviet Karelia. Erkko's line remained uncompromising. | ||
| + | |||
| + | However, Erkko did not get the immediate negative response he wanted to Stein, as many other ministers, and especially Marshal [[Gustaf Mannerheim]], Chairman of the Defense Council, considered that Stein should not be allowed to leave [[Helsinki]] with negative results. According to Mannerheim, the islands in the Gulf of Finland could not be defended and did not even have military significance for Finland. Erkko eventually got his way through the Finnish government's consistent negative response to Stein's proposed territorial change. | ||
| + | |||
| + | When Councilor [[Juho Kusti Paasikivi|J. K. Paasikivi]] was leaving for negotiations in [[Moscow]] in October 1939, Erkko reminded him: "Forget that the Soviet Union is a great power!" Paasikivi, who supported concessions in relation to Moscow's demands, called the war "Erkko's War".<ref>Mari K. Niemi ja Ville Pernaa: Entäs jos...: vaihtoehtoinen Suomen historia, s. 126. Helsinki: Ajatus Kirjat, 2005.</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | During the negotiations in the autumn of 1939, Erkko considered that the Soviet Union was trying to bluff and not dare to start an open war. The break between Paasikivi and Erko was illustrated by the fact that when Paasikivi turned 70 in November 1940, ''Helsingin Sanomat'' was content to publish only a small picture and note. In his memoirs, Paasikivi wrote: | ||
| + | |||
| + | {{QB|Erkko had grown up in an atmosphere of 'passive resistance' in which the importance of formal, legal law in international relations was also estimated to be greater than it unfortunately still is. He trusted the public opinion of the world that supported us. 'We have a right on our side, and Russia is bound by the agreements it makes with us in the eyes of the whole world,' he said. It was difficult for him to adapt to the idea that legally equal superpower and petty power had a different status in real life. ... Erkko was not alone. The vast majority of the Finnish people hovered in similar clouds and hazy fantasies.<ref> K. Paasikivi: Toimintani Moskovassa ja Suomessa 1939–41 I, s. 58. Porvoo-Helsinki: WSOY, 1958.</ref>}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | As the [[Winter War]] started, [[Väinö Tanner]] assigned a new government and decided to appoint himself as foreign minister.<ref name="talvisodanpikkujattilainen-turtola" /> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Between 1939 and 1940 he was a [[chargé d'affaires]] in [[Stockholm]]. At the beginning of the [[World War 2|Continuation War]], Erkko was a head of [[POW]] office in Finland till [[1942]]. Erkko himself saw this posting as a humiliation for a former foreign minister. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==After the War and the CIA== | ||
| + | After the war, Erkko was charged in [[court-martial]] in 1946, but the indictment was rejected. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Erkko focused on journalism and business. In addition to his position as President and Chairman of the Board of media group [[Sanoma Corporation]], he served on the boards and supervisory boards of numerous other companies and organizations, such as the National Equity Bank, the [[Finnish-American Association]], the Finnish Railways, the Finnish Information Office and [[IBM]].<ref>https://kansallisbiografia.fi/kansallisbiografia/henkilo/747/</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Erkko was also head of the [[Finnish American Association]].<ref name="edustajamartikkeli-eljaserkko" /> He helped found the [[International Press Institute]] and was its president 1954-59. The IPI was funded by the [[Ford Foundation]] and [[Rockefeller foundation]]. Both the IPI and [[Reader's Digest]] had connections with intelligence agencies, if not outright operations directed by the [[CIA]] or [[USIS]] (United States Information Service). Eljas Erkko himself had a warm relationship with USIS public affairs officer [[Everett G. Chapman]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Moreover, Erkko already had a connection with the predecessor of the CIA, the [[OSS]] (Office of Strategic Services). The OSS had made contact with Eljas Erkko through his brother, [[Eero O. Erkko]], who lived in [[the US]], making the former an important source of information for the CIA during the [[Cold War]].<ref>https://helda.helsinki.fi/server/api/core/bitstreams/10908bd5-a098-49b2-a490-78b1d420b5c7/content page 209-210</ref> | ||
{{SMWDocs}} | {{SMWDocs}} | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
| − | |||
Latest revision as of 04:17, 5 November 2024
 Eljas Erkko     (editor, politician) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||||||||
| Born | 1 June 1895 Helsinki, Finland | |||||||||
| Died | 20 February 1965 (Age 69) Helsinki, Finland | |||||||||
| Nationality | Finnish | |||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Helsinki | |||||||||
| Siblings | Eero O. Erkko | |||||||||
As Foreign Minister, botched the negotiations with the Soviet Union before the Winter War. President of International Press Institute 1954-56
| ||||||||||
Juho Eljas Erkko was a Finnish politician and journalist.[1] He was a foreign minister responsible for negotiating with the Soviet Union before the Winter War started, something he badly bungled.[2]
Erkko's father was politician and Helsingin Sanomat editor-in-chief Eero Erkko and his son editor-in-chief Aatos Erkko at the same paper[1].
Early Life
Eljas Erkko graduated from high school in 1914. In 1918, he fought for the White Guards in the Finnish Civil War.[3]
After the Civil War, Erkko first was secretary of the Trade and Industry Commission in 1919 and then in various positions in the Foreign Service, including as an attaché at the Finnish Embassy in Paris and as a secretary in Tallinn and London. He graduated from the University of Helsinki with a bachelor's degree in law in 1922.
Editor-in-chief
In the summer of 1927, Eljas Erkko first joined Helsingin Sanomat as a journalist. In October of the same year, his father, editor-in-chief Eero Erkko, died and Eljas Erkko became one of the magazine's editors-in-chief. He was responsible for Foreign and Economic Affairs.
Shortly afterwards, the majority of the magazine's shares passed to Erkko's family. In 1931, Erkko became the sole editor-in-chief of Helsingin Sanomat, a position he held until becoming Foreign Minister in 1938.
He was elected as a Member of Parliament on 1 September 1933 from Uusimaa constituency.[1]
Erkko's War
Erkko was the Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1938 and 1939,[4] as the Finns negotiated with the Soviet Union.
In March 1939, the Soviet Union sent its Ambassador to Rome, Boris Stein, to Helsinki to continue the talks begun by Boris Jartsev with Erkko. Stein proposed that Finland lease certain islands in the Gulf of Finland to the Soviet Union for 30 years, in return for which Finland would receive territories from Soviet Karelia. Erkko's line remained uncompromising.
However, Erkko did not get the immediate negative response he wanted to Stein, as many other ministers, and especially Marshal Gustaf Mannerheim, Chairman of the Defense Council, considered that Stein should not be allowed to leave Helsinki with negative results. According to Mannerheim, the islands in the Gulf of Finland could not be defended and did not even have military significance for Finland. Erkko eventually got his way through the Finnish government's consistent negative response to Stein's proposed territorial change.
When Councilor J. K. Paasikivi was leaving for negotiations in Moscow in October 1939, Erkko reminded him: "Forget that the Soviet Union is a great power!" Paasikivi, who supported concessions in relation to Moscow's demands, called the war "Erkko's War".[5]
During the negotiations in the autumn of 1939, Erkko considered that the Soviet Union was trying to bluff and not dare to start an open war. The break between Paasikivi and Erko was illustrated by the fact that when Paasikivi turned 70 in November 1940, Helsingin Sanomat was content to publish only a small picture and note. In his memoirs, Paasikivi wrote:
Erkko had grown up in an atmosphere of 'passive resistance' in which the importance of formal, legal law in international relations was also estimated to be greater than it unfortunately still is. He trusted the public opinion of the world that supported us. 'We have a right on our side, and Russia is bound by the agreements it makes with us in the eyes of the whole world,' he said. It was difficult for him to adapt to the idea that legally equal superpower and petty power had a different status in real life. ... Erkko was not alone. The vast majority of the Finnish people hovered in similar clouds and hazy fantasies.[6]
As the Winter War started, Väinö Tanner assigned a new government and decided to appoint himself as foreign minister.[2]
Between 1939 and 1940 he was a chargé d'affaires in Stockholm. At the beginning of the Continuation War, Erkko was a head of POW office in Finland till 1942. Erkko himself saw this posting as a humiliation for a former foreign minister.
After the War and the CIA
After the war, Erkko was charged in court-martial in 1946, but the indictment was rejected.
Erkko focused on journalism and business. In addition to his position as President and Chairman of the Board of media group Sanoma Corporation, he served on the boards and supervisory boards of numerous other companies and organizations, such as the National Equity Bank, the Finnish-American Association, the Finnish Railways, the Finnish Information Office and IBM.[7]
Erkko was also head of the Finnish American Association.[1] He helped found the International Press Institute and was its president 1954-59. The IPI was funded by the Ford Foundation and Rockefeller foundation. Both the IPI and Reader's Digest had connections with intelligence agencies, if not outright operations directed by the CIA or USIS (United States Information Service). Eljas Erkko himself had a warm relationship with USIS public affairs officer Everett G. Chapman.
Moreover, Erkko already had a connection with the predecessor of the CIA, the OSS (Office of Strategic Services). The OSS had made contact with Eljas Erkko through his brother, Eero O. Erkko, who lived in the US, making the former an important source of information for the CIA during the Cold War.[8]
References
- ↑ a b c d https://web.archive.org/web/20120930194620/http://www.eduskunta.fi/faktatmp/hetekatmp/ed910346e-su.htm
- ↑ a b Turtola, Martti (1999). "Kansainvälinen kehitys Euroopassa ja Suomessa 1930-luvulla". In Leskinen, Jari; Juutilainen, Antti (eds.). Talvisodan pikkujättiläinen (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö. pp. 13–46.
- ↑ http://vapaussota.com/merkittavia-taisteluja/ruovesi/%7Ctitle=Ruovesi
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20110716073918/http://formin.finland.fi/public/?contentid=41366&contentlan=1&culture=fi-FI
- ↑ Mari K. Niemi ja Ville Pernaa: Entäs jos...: vaihtoehtoinen Suomen historia, s. 126. Helsinki: Ajatus Kirjat, 2005.
- ↑ K. Paasikivi: Toimintani Moskovassa ja Suomessa 1939–41 I, s. 58. Porvoo-Helsinki: WSOY, 1958.
- ↑ https://kansallisbiografia.fi/kansallisbiografia/henkilo/747/
- ↑ https://helda.helsinki.fi/server/api/core/bitstreams/10908bd5-a098-49b2-a490-78b1d420b5c7/content page 209-210
