Edwin Linkomies

Edwin Johan Hildegard Linkomies (born December 22, 1894 in Viipuri , † September 9, 1963 in Helsinki ) was a Finnish literary scholar , politician and Prime Minister.

Studies and professional career

The son of an officer was born with the Swedish name "Flinck", which he only changed to "Linkomies" in 1928. After the early death of his father, he grew up in Rauma, western Finland .

He completed a degree in literary studies , which he finished with graduation in 1913 . In 1916 he received his doctorate from the University of Helsinki . He then continued his research at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and the University of Leipzig . During this time his lifelong close relationships with German universities began.

In 1923 he became professor of Latin literature at the University of Helsinki. In 1932 he was appointed Vice Rector of the University of Helsinki. He held this office until 1943.

Finally he was rector from 1956 to 1962 and then chancellor of Helsinki University until his death.

Politician and prime minister

His political career began in 1933 when he was elected member of the Reichstag . There he represented the interests of the National Collection Party (KOK) . Even though he grew up bilingual, he was not only an opponent of Finnish - Swedish bilingualism in Finland, but also an advocate of an authoritarian state .

On March 5, 1943, he was appointed as successor to Johan Wilhelm Rangell by President Risto Ryti as Prime Minister during the period of the Continuation War. His greatest efforts in his so-called "Peace Cabinet" were aimed at making peace between Finland and the Soviet Union . These efforts failed, however, among other things because of the presence of the troops of the German Wehrmacht in Finland, so that in the following time a trench warfare took place. After Marshal Mannerheim was elected President on August 4, 1944, Linkomies was replaced as Prime Minister on August 8, 1944 by Antti Hackzell , who signed the Moscow Armistice on September 19, 1944 . During his tenure as prime minister he was also chairman of the KOK.

From November 1945 to February 21, 1946, a trial was held against Linkomies and seven other politicians at the urging of the Soviet leadership under Josef Stalin, who were responsible for the Continuation War. In this he was sentenced to a prison term of five and a half years and released from prison in 1949 under an amnesty .

After his release he withdrew from political life and resumed his professorship.

Publications

Edwin Linkomies: Latinan kielioppi. 1947.
Edwin Linkomies: FE Sillanpää . Eräitä peruspiirteitä. Helsinki 1948.
Edwin Linkomies: I mitt lands tjänst: Minnen från statsministertiden 1943–1944. Autobiography, 1974 edition, ISBN 91-29-43085-2 .
JW Salmi and Edwin Linkomies: Latinalais-suomalainen sanakirja. 1955.

literature

Edvin Linkomies , in: Internationales Biographisches Archiv 42/1963 of October 7, 1963, in the Munzinger Archive ( beginning of article freely available)
Peace? Article in TIME magazine on August 30, 1943.
Bewitched and betrayed. Article in TIME magazine on July 10, 1944.
The Criminals. Article in TIME magazine on October 2, 1944.
Max Jakobson: Defensive victory led the way to peace. September 2004.
Klaus Reichel: At Hitler's side. How Finland became Germany's ally in 1941 - and how many of its leading politicians had to answer to a war crimes tribunal in 1946. Article in "DIE ZEIT" from March 2, 2006.

Web links

Commons : Edwin Linkomies - Collection of images, videos and audio files

personal data
SURNAME	Linkomies, Edwin
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Linkomies, Edwin Johan Hildegard (full name); Flinck, Edwin Johan Hildegard (full name at birth)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Finnish literary scholar, politician, member of the Reichstag and Prime Minister
DATE OF BIRTH	December 22, 1894
PLACE OF BIRTH	Viipuri
DATE OF DEATH	September 9, 1963
Place of death	Helsinki