Eljas Erkko
| Eljas Erkko | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Foreign Minister of Finland | |
|
In office 12 December 1938 – 1 December 1939 | |
| Preceded by | Rudolf Holsti |
| Succeeded by | Väinö Tanner |
| Deputy Minister of the Interior | |
|
In office 25 November 1932 – 14 December 1932 | |
| Minister without portfolio | |
|
In office 20 October 1932 – 25 November 1932 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
1 June 1895 Helsinki |
| Died |
20 February 1965 (aged 69) Helsinki |
| Political party | National Progressive Party |
| Spouse(s) | Eugenia Violet Sutcliffe (1922–) |
| Children | Patricia Erkko Seppälä b. 1924 Aatos Erkko |
| Occupation | Politician, Journalist, CEO |
| Profession | Master of Laws |
Juho Eljas Erkko (1 June 1895, Helsinki – 20 February 1965, Helsinki) was a Finnish politician and journalist.[1] He was a foreign minister and negotiated with the Soviet Union before the Winter War started.[2] Erkko's father was politician and journalist Eero Erkko and son journalist Aatos Erkko.[1]
Eljas Erkko graduated as Abitur in 1914, Vimpeli School of War in 1918 and Master of Laws in 1922. He was elected as a Member of Parliament on 1 September 1933 from Uusimaa constituency. Erkko was a President's elector chosen by voters in the presidential election 1931, 1937, 1940 and 1943.[1]
Erkko was the Finnish foreign minister between 1938 and 1939, as the Finns negotiated with the Soviet Union. The Soviets demanded exchange of areas with Finland. Erkko did not want to make any concessions. 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. After the war, Erkko was charged in court-martial in 1946, the charges were dropped.
Later years Erkko worked as CEO and head of corporate government of Sanoma. He was also a head of corporate government in many Finnish companies, such as Rautakirja and Suomen Tietotoimisto, and a head of supervisory board in Kansallis-Osake-Pankki. Erkko was also a head of government in the Finnish American Association.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Eljas Erkko: Kansanedustajana 01.09.1933 - 31.08.1936" (in Finnish). Eduskunta - edustajamartikkeli.
- 1 2 Turtola, Martti (1999). "Kansainvälinen kehitys Euroopassa ja Suomessa 1930-luvulla". In Leskinen, Jari; Juutilainen, Antti. Talvisodan pikkujättiläinen (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö. pp. 13–46. ISBN 951-0-23536-9.
External links
Media related to Eljas Erkko at Wikimedia Commons
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Väinö Voionmaa |
Foreign Minister of Finland 1938–1939 |
Succeeded by Väinö Tanner |