Heikki Ritavuori facts for kids
Heikki Ritavuori (born Henrik Rydman) was a Finnish lawyer and politician. He was a member of the National Progressive Party. He also served in the Parliament of Finland and was the Minister of the Interior.
Ritavuori was a close helper of President K. J. Ståhlberg. He was Minister of the Interior from 1919 to 1922. Heikki Ritavuori is mainly remembered for how his life ended. He was shot and killed at his home in Helsinki in February 1922.
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Heikki Ritavuori's Career
The murder of a government minister is very rare in Finland. This sad event has often overshadowed Ritavuori's important work. He helped build Finnish society in its early years. This lawyer and politician was born in Turku. He was one of the most important figures after Finland became independent.
Fighting for Justice and Equality
Heikki Ritavuori strongly believed in justice. He also wanted everyone to be treated equally. He worked to unite the nation. These were brave goals in the difficult times after the Finnish Civil War. During this period, some groups tried to get what they wanted in any way possible.
Ritavuori was not afraid of extreme groups. He worked with President Ståhlberg to make important changes. He especially worked to protect the rights of prisoners of war. He pushed for laws to pardon them.
Early Work and Parliament
Ritavuori became Secretary of the Foundation Board of the Parliament in 1907. He was already interested in social issues. He cared a lot about land ownership rights. He also focused on the lives of farmers. As a lawyer, he often helped poor people with their legal problems.
He was first elected to parliament in 1913. He was elected again in 1919. He represented the Turku Province southern election area.
Finland Becomes a Republic
Heikki Ritavuori played a big part in Finland becoming a republic. This happened in June 1919. For months, there had been arguments about Finland's government. Some wanted a king, others wanted a republic. This disagreement stopped the government from working well.
The government wanted to pass a law to make Finland a republic. This law needed a special majority vote in parliament. They were one vote short, which meant a delay. Heikki Ritavuori stepped in. He quickly presented his own proposal for the new government. This proposal was then approved as urgent. On June 21, 1919, parliament accepted the new form of government. This is how Finland became a republic.
Facing Opposition
Ritavuori served as Minister of Internal Affairs twice. He often faced challenges from extreme right-wing groups. Because he supported pardoning prisoners of war, some called him the "red minister." They thought he was a threat to "white Finland."
He also supported Ståhlberg in the presidential elections of 1919. Ståhlberg was against Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim. Ritavuori also opposed the independence of protection guards in 1921. These actions made him even less popular with right-wing groups.
The Assassination
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Ritavuori's death was linked to the East Karelian uprising in 1921–22. He was the minister in charge of border security. He followed President Ståhlberg's orders directly.
Some right-wing newspapers started spreading false news from Eastern Karelia. This led to a smear campaign against Ritavuori. This campaign ruined his reputation. Sadly, it also led to his death. Heikki Ritavuori was shot and killed at his home in Helsinki on February 14, 1922. His home was at Nervanderinkatu 11.
The Day of the Murder
Around 4:30 PM on February 14, 1922, a man caused a stir at a barbershop. He claimed that Minister Ritavuori would be shot at 5:00 PM. He also said President Ståhlberg and Foreign Minister Rudolf Holsti would be next.
Around 5:00 PM, Minister Ritavuori was walking to his home. An editor named Ernst Nevanlinna was following him. Nevanlinna had business in the same building. As Ritavuori reached for his front door, someone shouted "Interior Minister!" Four shots were fired. Minister Ritavuori fell to the ground.
The Assassin is Caught
The shooter tried to run away. But Nevanlinna grabbed him and called the police. The shooter gave up right away. A schoolboy, Lothar Czarnecki, saw what happened. He heard the shooter say, "It was Ritavuori, and you probably understand why."
The assassin identified himself as Ernst Tandefelt. He said he was fully responsible. Tandefelt had fired four shots. Three of them hit Ritavuori. The first shot hit Tandefelt's own leg by accident. This injury slowed him down, allowing Nevanlinna to catch him.
Who Was Ernst Tandefelt?
Ernst Tandefelt came from a noble family. He was described as mentally not fully developed. He claimed he decided to kill Ritavuori based on newspaper reports. He especially mentioned Hufvudstadsbladet. He believed Ritavuori was a danger to Finland and had to be stopped.
In court, Tandefelt said he acted alone. He was sentenced to 12 years of hard labor. The court found him partly legally insane. Later, Tandefelt named other people. He said they were involved in planning the murder. These included a pharmacist named Oskar Jansson and General-Major Paul von Gerich.
However, investigations in 1927-30 found no proof against these people. Many believed that Tandefelt was encouraged by others. Some thought radical political groups, especially Finland-Swedish Civil Guard activists, pushed him to do it. They might have even given him the gun and some money.
Images for kids
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Heikki Ritavuori
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Murder place at Nervanderinkatu 11 D in Helsinki
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Funeral of Heikki Ritavuori
