Arne Somersalo
Arne Somersalo | |
---|---|
Somersalo dressed in IKL party uniform. He is wearing the Iron Cross, awarded during his service in the Imperial German Army. | |
Commander of the Finnish Air Force | |
In office 1920–1926 | |
Preceded by | Sixtus Hjelmmann |
Succeeded by | Väinö Vuori |
Personal details | |
Born | Arne Sakari Sommer (1891-03-18)18 March 1891 Tampere, Grand Duchy of Finland |
Died | 17 August 1941(1941-08-17) (aged 50) Karelo-Finnish SSR, Soviet Union |
Cause of death | Killed in action |
Citizenship | Finnish |
Political party | Lapua Movement, Patriotic People's Movement |
Alma mater | University of Helsinki, University of Jena |
Occupation | Military officer |
Known for | Soldier, activist |
Awards | Order of the Cross of Liberty, Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class[1] |
Arne Sakari Somersalo (born Arne Sommer; 18 March 1891 – 17 August 1941) was a Finnish officer and anti-communist activist.[2]
Somersalo was educated at the University of Helsinki before studying natural sciences at the University of Jena.[3] Based in Germany during the First World War he enrolled in the German Army as an officer in 1916, serving until the armistice.[3] He would later claim that the war had been the death of old Europe and argued that one of its main positives was that it had "rescued our nation from the deadly, slimy embrace of a lothsome cuttlefish" in reference to Russia.[4] He transferred straight to the Finnish Army and from 1920 to 1926 was the commander of the Finnish Air Force.[5]
He became involved in politics in 1926 when he started editing the right wing journal Valkoinen Vartio and then founded the fiercely anti-communist Finnish Defence League.[5] He joined the Lapua Movement in 1930 then the Patriotic People's Movement (IKL) in 1932, serving as a delegate to the Parliament of Finland for the latter from 1933 to 1935 for Turku.[5] He was also the editor-in-chief of the IKL party newspaper Ajan Suunta from 1931 to 1935.[2] Ideologically he was a supporter of corporatism and was close to fascism.[5] In 1934, Somersalo was arrested for making insulting statements against Estonian President Konstantin Päts. He was sentenced to four months in prison.[6]
Recalled to active service for the Winter War, Somersalo acted as Chief of Staff for the frontline in Suomussalmi and was awarded the Order of the Cross of Liberty for his actions.[2][5] During the Continuation War, he acted as a liaison officer for the German SS division Nord in Finnish Lapland.[2] He was killed in action near Kiestinki (Kestenga), USSR on 17 August 1941.[5]
References
- ^ Niinistö, Jussi (1998). Suomalaisia soturikohtaloita. Suomalaisuuden liitto.
- ^ a b c d Biography at the Parliament of Finland (in Finnish)
- ^ a b Philip Rees, Biographical Dictionary of the Extreme Right Since 1890, 1990, p. 364
- ^ Hans Rogger, Eugen Weber, The European Right, University of California Press, p. 413
- ^ a b c d e f Rees, Biographical Dictionary of the Extreme Right, p. 365
- ^ "Pehr Evind Svinhufvud". Estofilia 100. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
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- Academic Karelia Society
- Blue Cross
- Blue-and-Blacks
- Finnish Realm Union
- Finnish-Socialist Workers' Party
- Finnish National Socialist Labor Organisation
- Front Soldier League
- Finnish People's Organisation
- Finnish Labor Front
- Labor Organisation of Brothers-in-Arms
- Lalli Alliance of Finland
- Lapua Movement
- Organisation of National Socialists
- National Socialists of Finland
- National Socialist Union of Finland
- National Trade Union Confederation of Finland
- NSDAP/AO Finnland
- Party of Finnish Labor
- Patriotic Citizens of Viitasaari
- Patriotic People's Movement
- Patriotic People's Party
- People's Community Society
- Rising Finland
- Stormers
- Vientirauha
- Atomwaffen Division Finland
- Blue-and-Black Movement
- Blue and White Front
- Finns Party
- Finnish People First
- Finnish People's Blue-Whites
- For Independence
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- Kohti Vapautta!
- Nordic Resistance Movement
- Patriotic People's Movement
- Power Belongs to the People
- Suomen Sisu
- Soldiers of Odin
- Truth Party (Finland)
- Reino Ala-Kulju
- Vilho Annala
- Torsten Aminoff
- Hjalmar von Bonsdorff
- Severin Dobrovolsky
- Kai Donner
- Johan Christian Fabritius
- Petter Forsström
- C. A. J. Gadolin
- Herman Gummerus
- Yrjö von Grönhagen
- Bertel Gripenberg
- Reidar Hedman
- Vilho Helanen
- Gunnar von Hertzen
- Carl-Gustaf Herlitz
- Kalevi Heikkinen
- Antti Isotalo
- Y. W. Jalander
- Karl Jansson
- Kustaa Jussila
- Kaarlo Kares
- Y. P. I. Kaila
- Hans Kalm
- Arvi Kalsta
- Rauno Kallia
- Toivo Karanko
- Edvard Karvonen
- Aarne Kauhanen
- Juho Kaveheimo
- Olavi Karpalo
- Yrjö Kivenoja
- Juhani Konkka
- Vihtori Kosola
- Jussi Leino
- Gunnar Lindqvist
- Arvi Malmivaara
- Jussi Muilu
- Iisakki Nikkola
- Vietti Nykänen
- Thorvald Oljemark
- Johannes Öhquist
- Unto Parvilahti
- Martti Pihkala
- Otto Piisinen
- Boris Popper
- Niilo Rauvala
- Erkki Räikkönen
- Hilja Riipinen
- John Rosberg
- Yrjö Ruutu
- Yrjö Saarinen
- Antti Salamaa
- Bruno Salmiala
- Kaarlo Salovaara
- Jaakko Seise
- Elias Simojoki
- Teo Snellman
- Arne Somersalo
- Paavo Susitaival
- Paavo Talvela
- Eino Tuomivaara
- Örnulf Tigerstedt
- Jukka Tyrkkö
- Ensio Uoti
- Mauno Vannas
- Kurt Martti Wallenius
- Artturi Vuorimaa
- James Hirvisaari
- Esa Henrik Holappa [fi]
- Juha Kärkkäinen [fi]
- Jouni Lanamäki [fi]
- Seppo Lehto
- Junes Lokka
- Olavi Mäenpää
- Pekka Siitoin
- Ano Turtiainen
- Assassination of Heikki Ritavuori
- Murder of Onni Happonen
- Murder of Erik Mättö [fi]
- Murder of Yrjö Holm [fi]
- Mäntsälä rebellion
- Peasant March
- Ståhlberg kidnapping
- Vaasa riot
- Kursiivi printing house arson
- 1986 Oulu airplane hijacking attempt [fi]
- Jyväskylä library stabbing
- Helsinki Central Railway Station assault [fi]
- Assassination attempt of Pekka Kataja [fi]
- Kankaanpää terrorism arrests