Matti Lonkainen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matti Lonkainen
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Member of the Parliament of Finland | |
| In office 1 June 1909 – 16 May 1918 |
|
| Constituency | Kuopio Province East |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 April 1874 Tohmajärvi, Russian Empire |
| Died | 14 November 1918 (aged 44) Helsinki, Finland |
| Political party | Social Democratic Party of Finland |
| Occupation | Smallholder |
Matti Pekanpoika Lonkainen (born April 14, 1874 – died November 14, 1918) was a Finnish farmer and politician. He was a member of the Parliament of Finland, which is like the country's main law-making body. Matti Lonkainen was part of the Social Democratic Party. He represented the area of Kuopio Province East from June 1909 to May 1918. He passed away after the Finnish Civil War.
Contents
Early Life and Work
Matti Lonkainen was born on April 14, 1874, in Tohmajärvi. This town was in the south-east part of what was then called the Grand Duchy of Finland. At that time, Finland was part of the Russian Empire.
When Matti's father died in 1880, Matti was very young. He had to find ways to support himself. He worked in different jobs, including on the railways and as a stonemason. He also worked as a farm worker in Tohmajärvi. Later, he became a smallholder, which means he owned and worked a small farm in Värtsilä.
Matti Lonkainen was married to Helena. They had a daughter named Kerttu. Sadly, Kerttu passed away in August 1907 when she was only eight months old.
Political Journey
Matti Lonkainen became a member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) around 1904. This party focused on improving the lives of working people.
He was first elected to the Parliament of Finland in the 1909 election. This was a big achievement for a farmer. He was re-elected many times after that. He won elections in 1910, 1911, 1913, 1916, and 1917. This shows that people trusted him to represent them in Parliament.
Finnish Civil War and Later Life
Finland experienced a difficult time during the Finnish Civil War in 1918. During this conflict, Matti Lonkainen was named to a council of one of the sides involved, called the "Reds." However, he was named without his knowledge or permission. He never actually attended any meetings of this council.
In April 1918, as the war was ending, Matti Lonkainen and other leaders from his party spoke out. They made a statement criticizing the actions of the "Reds." Even though he did this, Matti Lonkainen still faced difficulties from the winning side, known as the "Whites."
In May 1918, the "Whites" released a list of people they believed were leaders of the "Red Rebellion." Matti Lonkainen's name was on this list because he had been named to the council. On May 14, 1918, an official announced that Matti Lonkainen and many other members of Parliament would be accused of serious wrongdoing.
Matti Lonkainen was arrested on May 16, 1918. This happened in front of the parliament building as he was going to a meeting. He was taken to a prison in Helsinki. During questioning, Matti Lonkainen denied that he had taken part in any rebellion. The official who questioned him even wrote that Matti's statements seemed truthful.
However, the authorities continued with their accusations against him. They claimed he was involved in a declaration published by his party in 1917. They also said he knew about threats of rebellion and encouraged it. Matti Lonkainen insisted he never attended the council meetings and had opposed the declaration internally.
On October 12, 1918, a court made a decision about many members of Parliament. Matti Lonkainen was found responsible for preparing for serious wrongdoing. He was sentenced to two years in prison and lost some of his rights as a citizen for six years.
Matti Lonkainen had been unwell for some time. He was moved from one prison to a hospital in Helsinki. He passed away on November 14, 1918. According to the medical authorities, his death was caused by appendicitis.
See also
- List of Finnish MPs imprisoned for political reasons
Images for kids
-
Matti Lonkainen
