Aino Sibelius
Encyclopedia
Aino Sibelius (10 August 1871 – 8 June 1969) was the wife of Finnish
composer Jean Sibelius
. They lived most of their 65 years of married life at their home Ainola
near Lake Tuusula, Järvenpää
, Finland. They had six daughters: Eva (1893–1978), Ruth (1894–1976), Kirsti (1898–1900), Katarina (1903–1984), Margareta (1908–1988) and Heidi (1911–1982).
, into the strict and disciplined family of General August Aleksander Järnefelt
and his wife Elisabeth
(née
Clodt von Jürgensburg) in 1871. She had six older siblings, including the writer Arvid Järnefelt
, the painter Eero Järnefelt
and the composer and conductor Armas Järnefelt
.
It was her brother Armas who brought his friend and fellow student, Jean Sibelius, to the family home in the winter of 1889. At the time, the writer Juhani Aho
was expressing affection towards Aino, but he did not receive the response he sought. Within the next few years, Aino became engaged to Jean Sibelius, and they were married with her father's blessing at Maxmo on 10 June 1892.
1891.jpg)
near Lake Tuusula, and used his share of his uncle's estate to pay the architect Lars Sonck
to design their house, which they called Ainola. They moved there in the autumn of 1904, having borrowed a substantial amount of money to buy the land and build the house.
Aino's early years in Järvenpää were stressful and difficult, caused partly by financial worries and partly by her husband's drinking and partying lifestyle. She sought to eke out the family budget by creating a vegetable garden from the stony ground near the house. And since they could not afford schooling for the children, Aino taught them at home, a task which she performed very successfully, since they all did well when they later went to school. She spent a period in 1907 convalescing in Hyvinkää
Sanatorium.
In 1908 her husband had a throat operation and gave up alcohol for almost seven years, and this was the start of Aino's happiest years. Margareta was born in 1908, then Heidi in 1911 (when Aino was 40 years old), and the children all grew up in Ainola – the only time they lived elsewhere was during the Finnish Civil War
in 1918 when they had to move to Helsinki for a couple of months.
.jpg)
. Jean and Aino Sibelius lived there for the rest of their days, where Aino continued to devote herself to her husband and family, and to her vegetable garden.
, Järvenpää
, on 20 September 1957 and is buried in a garden there. Aino continued to live in Ainola after his death; she sorted out family papers and helped Santeri Levas and Erik W. Tawaststjerna
who were writing biographies of her late husband. She died at Ainola on 8 June 1969, aged nearly 98, and is buried there with Jean.
In 1972 Jean Sibelius's daughters, Eva, Ruth, Katarina, Margareta, and Heidi, sold Ainola to the Finnish State and it was opened to the public as a museum in 1974.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
composer Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius was a Finnish composer of the later Romantic period whose music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish national identity. His mastery of the orchestra has been described as "prodigious."...
. They lived most of their 65 years of married life at their home Ainola
Ainola
Ainola, meaning "Aino's land", was the home of Jean Sibelius, his wife Aino and their family from the fall of 1904 until 1972. It stands on the scenic shores of Lake Tuusula in Järvenpää, 38 kilometers north of Helsinki, the Finnish capital. It was designed by the famous Finnish architect Lars Sonck...
near Lake Tuusula, Järvenpää
Järvenpää
Järvenpää is a town and municipality of Finland.-History:Järvenpää was separated from its parent community Tuusula in 1951. Järvenpää was granted the status of a market town after the separation. Neighbouring districts Kellokoski and Nummenkylä were not added to the municipality of Järvenpää and...
, Finland. They had six daughters: Eva (1893–1978), Ruth (1894–1976), Kirsti (1898–1900), Katarina (1903–1984), Margareta (1908–1988) and Heidi (1911–1982).
Childhood
Aino Järnefelt was born in HelsinkiHelsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, into the strict and disciplined family of General August Aleksander Järnefelt
August Aleksander Järnefelt
August Aleksander Järnefelt , was a Finnish general, topographist, governor and senator.Aleksander Järnefelt was born in Tohmajärvi, the son of crown overseer Gustav Adolf Järnefelt and Aurora Fredrika Molander. Aleksander married Elisabeth Clodt von Jürgensburg at December 22 in 1857 in Saint...
and his wife Elisabeth
Elisabeth Järnefelt
Elisabeth Järnefelt was known as mother of Finnish art and culture....
(née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Clodt von Jürgensburg) in 1871. She had six older siblings, including the writer Arvid Järnefelt
Arvid Järnefelt
Arvid Järnefelt was a Finnish judge and writer.Arvid's parents were general and governor August Aleksander Järnefelt and Elisabeth Järnefelt .Arvid had nine siblings: Kasper, Erik, Ellida, Ellen, Armas, Aino, Hilja and Sigrid.Arvid Järnefelt married...
, the painter Eero Järnefelt
Eero Järnefelt
Eero Erik Nikolai Järnefelt was a Finnish realist painter.Eero Järnefelt was born in Viipuri, Finland. His father August Aleksander Järnefelt was an officer in the Russian army and his mother was Elisabeth Järnefelt . He studied at the St...
and the composer and conductor Armas Järnefelt
Armas Järnefelt
Edvard Armas Järnefelt , was a Finnish composer and conductor.Armas Järnefelt was born in Vyborg, in the Grand Duchy of Finland, the son of general August Aleksander Järnefelt and Elisabeth Järnefelt . His siblings were Kasper, Arvid, Erik, Ellida, Ellen, Aino, Hilja and Sigrid...
.
It was her brother Armas who brought his friend and fellow student, Jean Sibelius, to the family home in the winter of 1889. At the time, the writer Juhani Aho
Juhani Aho
Juhani Aho, originally Johannes Brofeldt, was a Finnish author and journalist.Aho's literary output is wide-ranging since he pursued different styles as time passed....
was expressing affection towards Aino, but he did not receive the response he sought. Within the next few years, Aino became engaged to Jean Sibelius, and they were married with her father's blessing at Maxmo on 10 June 1892.
1892–1930: Early married life
From the time of their engagement they had talked of a house of their own in the country, and had looked for a house near Lake Tuusula as early as 1898. However, when her husband's wealthy bachelor uncle died in July 1903, they bought about 2.5 acres (10,117.2 m²) of land in JärvenpääJärvenpää
Järvenpää is a town and municipality of Finland.-History:Järvenpää was separated from its parent community Tuusula in 1951. Järvenpää was granted the status of a market town after the separation. Neighbouring districts Kellokoski and Nummenkylä were not added to the municipality of Järvenpää and...
near Lake Tuusula, and used his share of his uncle's estate to pay the architect Lars Sonck
Lars Sonck
Lars Eliel Sonck was a Finnish architect. He graduated from Helsinki Polytechnic Institute in 1894 and immediately won a major design competition for a church in Turku, ahead of many established architects.Sonck ignored the growing trend toward architectural rationalism...
to design their house, which they called Ainola. They moved there in the autumn of 1904, having borrowed a substantial amount of money to buy the land and build the house.
Aino's early years in Järvenpää were stressful and difficult, caused partly by financial worries and partly by her husband's drinking and partying lifestyle. She sought to eke out the family budget by creating a vegetable garden from the stony ground near the house. And since they could not afford schooling for the children, Aino taught them at home, a task which she performed very successfully, since they all did well when they later went to school. She spent a period in 1907 convalescing in Hyvinkää
Hyvinkää
Hyvinkää is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located in Uusimaa region, approximately north of the capital Helsinki. The town was chartered in 1960. Hyvinkää belongs to the Province of Southern Finland. The population of Hyvinkää is ....
Sanatorium.
In 1908 her husband had a throat operation and gave up alcohol for almost seven years, and this was the start of Aino's happiest years. Margareta was born in 1908, then Heidi in 1911 (when Aino was 40 years old), and the children all grew up in Ainola – the only time they lived elsewhere was during the Finnish Civil War
Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national, political and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The Civil War concerned control and leadership of The Grand Duchy of Finland as it achieved independence from Russia after the October Revolution in Petrograd...
in 1918 when they had to move to Helsinki for a couple of months.
1930–1957: Later life
By the 1930s the children had all left home, and Aino wanted to move to Helsinki, nearer to their children. During the next few years they spent some time in a rented apartment in Helsinki, but in 1941 they moved back to Ainola with their many grandchildren because of the risk of bombing by the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Jean and Aino Sibelius lived there for the rest of their days, where Aino continued to devote herself to her husband and family, and to her vegetable garden.
1957–1969: Life as a widow
Jean Sibelius died at AinolaAinola
Ainola, meaning "Aino's land", was the home of Jean Sibelius, his wife Aino and their family from the fall of 1904 until 1972. It stands on the scenic shores of Lake Tuusula in Järvenpää, 38 kilometers north of Helsinki, the Finnish capital. It was designed by the famous Finnish architect Lars Sonck...
, Järvenpää
Järvenpää
Järvenpää is a town and municipality of Finland.-History:Järvenpää was separated from its parent community Tuusula in 1951. Järvenpää was granted the status of a market town after the separation. Neighbouring districts Kellokoski and Nummenkylä were not added to the municipality of Järvenpää and...
, on 20 September 1957 and is buried in a garden there. Aino continued to live in Ainola after his death; she sorted out family papers and helped Santeri Levas and Erik W. Tawaststjerna
Erik W. Tawaststjerna
Erik Werner Tawaststjerna was the best known Finnish musicologist of his generation. He was also a pianist, pedagogue, critic, and biographer of Jean Sibelius....
who were writing biographies of her late husband. She died at Ainola on 8 June 1969, aged nearly 98, and is buried there with Jean.
In 1972 Jean Sibelius's daughters, Eva, Ruth, Katarina, Margareta, and Heidi, sold Ainola to the Finnish State and it was opened to the public as a museum in 1974.