Hugo Osterman
Hugo Österman (born September 4, 1892 in Helsinki , † February 17, 1975 ) was a Finnish-Swedish general and temporarily commander in chief of the Finnish armed forces .
Life
Österman was born into a Swedish-speaking family with a rural background. However, his father had moved from the country to the capital Helsinki to be accepted by the local police . Österman's mother died when he was three years old.
After graduating from high school, he enrolled at Helsinki University in 1911 as a history student. During the First World War , Österman joined the hunter movement . This organization trained young Finns in Germany to prepare for the separation of Finland from the Russian Empire .
After his training, Österman was raised to the rank of major and participated in the Finnish Civil War of the Whites' side in 1918. In the 1920s he held positions as regimental and later division commander. He spent 1927 in the Swedish army .
On his return in 1928, he was promoted to inspector of the Finnish Army Infantry. 1931–1932 Österman served in the Svinhufvud government as vice minister for defense. The following year he was appointed Commander in Chief of the Finnish Armed Forces. He was instrumental in strengthening Marshal Mannerheim's influence as head of the Defense Council. This replaced Österman in 1939 as commander in chief of the armed forces.
In the Soviet-Finnish winter war , Österman commanded the army on the Karelian Isthmus , the decisive section of the front of the war. However, after differences with Mannerheim, he resigned from this post in 1940. For the remainder of the war he served as a military training inspector.
During the Continuation War , Österman was not given a new military command. But he served as a liaison to the German headquarters and advocated the formation of a Finnish Waffen SS division. After the war, Österman worked in Finland as a manager for collective bargaining for several companies in the electrical industry and for power plant operators. He retired in 1960.
Österman married his wife Marga in 1919. In 1921 their daughter was born.
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| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Österman, Hugo |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Finnish officer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 4, 1892 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Helsinki |
| DATE OF DEATH | 17th February 1975 |