Max Jakobson
 from 2 reviews Max Jakobson      (journalist, diplomat) | |
|---|---|
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| Born | September 30, 1923 |
| Died | March 9, 2013 (Age 89) |
| Nationality | Finnish |
| Member of | Trilateral Commission |
Max Jakobson [1] was a Finnish diplomat and journalist of Finnish-Jewish descent. Jakobson was an instrumental figure in shaping Finland's policy of neutrality during the Cold War.
Max Jakobson was a source of information for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)[2], it was revealed in 2013, after his death. "The CIA received excellent insider information, starting with Väinö Leskinen, Max Jakobson and Johannes Virolainen," revealed Professor of Political History Kimmo Rentola at a history seminar in Lahti.
Rentola tied the contacts of the 1960s and 70s to previous known information, according to which the CIA had already invested considerably in the non-Kekkonen wing of the Agrarian League in 1962. The financial support would have been as much as a million dollars - a great amount at the time.
Jakobson was then a top official in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and an intellectual designer of Kekkonen's foreign policy. He was a favorite of President Urho Kekkonen, as he was one of the few from whom the President also tolerated critical position. Thanks to his flawless knowledge of English, Jakobson served as the president's personal interpreter and adviser during many state visits. Still, Jakobson never belonged to Kekkonen's inner circle; he never visited the Tamminiemi sauna at the presidential residence, and did not take part in skiing, fishing and hunting trips.
Career
Max Jakobson was born in 1923 in Viipuri, Finland (now Vyborg, Russia), as son of Finnish-Jewish tailor Leo Jakobsson and his ethnic Finnish wife Helmi (née Virtanen). He began his career as a journalist. He worked at the BBC. From 1953 to 1974 he was employed by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs eventually acting as Finland's ambassador to the United Nations in 1965-1971 and Finland's Ambassador to Sweden in 1971−1974.[3]
Jakobson ran for United Nations Secretary-General in the 1971 selection. He was one of three candidates to receive the required 9 votes in the Security Council, but he was vetoed by the Soviet Union. According to historian Rentola, KGB Viktor Vladimirov said the Soviet Union had opposed the election of Max Jakobson as UN secretary general because he was an 'American agent'.[4]
Jakobson was active as a commentator on Finnish politics, having written several books and numerous articles on Finnish political history and contemporary Finnish politics. He also acted as chairman of the Estonian International Commission for Investigation of Crimes Against Humanity investigating Communist and Nazi crimes in Estonia.[5]
In the 1990s, Jakobson prominently pushed for Finland's EU membership . He was also known as a supporter of NATO membership . In his book The Future, published in 2005, Jakobson argued that Finland should not receive security guarantees through the EU and that joining NATO may only be possible when there is no threat of war.
He was a member of the Executive Committee of the Trilateral Commission.
Events Participated in
| Event | Start | End | Location(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bilderberg/1975 | 25 April 1975 | 27 April 1975 | Turkey Golden Dolphin Hotel Cesme | The 24th Bilderberg Meeting, 98 guests |
| Bilderberg/1994 | 2 June 1994 | 5 June 1994 | Finland Helsinki | The 42nd Bilderberg, in Helsinki. |
Ratings
References
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20130314023837/http://www.hs.fi/kotimaa/Max+Jakobson+on+kuollut/a1362970475575
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20140106122724/https://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/a1371095710392/
- ↑ Max Jakobson dead at 89 yle 11.3.2013
- ↑ https://www.verkkouutiset.fi/kekkosen-naisjutuista-ja-kgb-suhteista-kutkuttavia-tietoja-suojelupoliisin-historioitsijalta-8789/
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20070823133458/http://www.historycommission.ee/temp/members_frame.htm
