Henrik Ramsay
Encyclopedia
Carl Henrik Wolter Ramsay (born 31 March 1886 in Helsinki
, died 25 July 1951 in Visby
)
was a Finnish
politician and an economist from the Swedish People's Party. He belonged to a Scottish noble family emigrated to Finland and was one of the few in Finland entitled to use the title Sir, however, Ramsay did not use the title.
Henrik Ramsay completed his Ph.D. in chemistry in 1909 at Helsinki University and worked after graduating as a sugar chemist in Russia and afterwards as a director of a sugar refinery in Helsinki.
Finland's independence in the early years Ramsay was the President and CEO of Finnish Steamship Corporation between 1920 and 1946 and again from 1948 to 1951. He was also the chairman of the board 1934-1946. He was the minister of public maintenance in Jukka Rangell's cabinet
and minister of the foreign affairs in the Edwin Linkomies' cabinet
during the Continuation War
1943-1944.
Ramsay was sentenced to prison for 2.5 years (1946-1947) in the War-responsibility trials
.
His father was statesman August Ramsay and his mother was Jully Ramsay, a historian.
Minister Ramsay was a versatile actor in the Finnish society since the 1910's. Ramsay was a member of the central committee of the Swedish People's Party from 1917 to 1935, of which the period 1922-1935 he was the party's deputy chairman. However, he is relatively unknown in spite of serving as the minister of foreign affairs from 1943-1944. Ramsay is mostly remembered for the fact that he was sentenced in the War-responsibility trials
in 1946. He hardly appeared in public anymore following his release from prison.
Ramsay's attitudes and opinions were often same as those of Mannerheim. It was due to the fact that Ramsay and Marshal had a close relationship. Both had similar perceptions of the situation and its requirements. After the Armistice, Mannerheim as the President of the Republic wanted to Ramsay be his Prime Minister. However, the Swedish People's Party prevented his primeministership.
Foreign Minister Ramsay's extensive network of relationships allowed him to have weight for his opinions after the German collapse when the Finnish government turned their eyes towards the Allies. However, Risto Ryti
said that Ramsay had insufficient capacity for initiative and activity. Also Nazi Germany narrowed the maneuverability of Finnish foreign policy.
Ramsay was able to get a sense of proprietary information from American and Swedish decision-makers. Good relations with Finland by diplomats improved his ability to follow the foreign policy positions. The German liaison officer Waldemar Erfurth complained that Ramsay had bad relations with Germany. Ramsay instinctively tried to keep his distance with representatives of the Third Reich, because they were an obstacle to peace-making. however, he bore a great concern for food intake because he was a former minister of public maintenance and concerned about the sufficiency of food.
Foreign Minister did not have the slightest difficulty to socialize with the U.S. chargé d'affaires. Similarly, his connections to Sweden were abundant.
The German requirement for a treaty between Germany and Finland was transformed into a letter from Risto Ryti to Adolf Hitler because of Ramsay's perseverance and the negotiations skills. Germany had finally obtained the Erklärung but only in a form which binded Ryti himself, not the country.
He died of a sudden illness in Visby harbor in his own yacht cabin during a sailing trip.
Helsinki
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...
, died 25 July 1951 in Visby
Visby
-See also:* Battle of Visby* Gotland University College* List of governors of Gotland County-External links:* - Visby*...
)
was a Finnish
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...
politician and an economist from the Swedish People's Party. He belonged to a Scottish noble family emigrated to Finland and was one of the few in Finland entitled to use the title Sir, however, Ramsay did not use the title.
Henrik Ramsay completed his Ph.D. in chemistry in 1909 at Helsinki University and worked after graduating as a sugar chemist in Russia and afterwards as a director of a sugar refinery in Helsinki.
Finland's independence in the early years Ramsay was the President and CEO of Finnish Steamship Corporation between 1920 and 1946 and again from 1948 to 1951. He was also the chairman of the board 1934-1946. He was the minister of public maintenance in Jukka Rangell's cabinet
Jukka Rangell's cabinet
Jukka Rangell's cabinet was the 25th government of Republic of Finland. Cabinet's time period was from January 4, 1941 to March 5, 1943. It was Majority government....
and minister of the foreign affairs in the Edwin Linkomies' cabinet
Edwin Linkomies' cabinet
Edwin Linkomies's cabinet was the 26th government of Republic of Finland. Cabinet's time period was from March 5, 1943–September 8, 1944. It was Majority government....
during the Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
1943-1944.
Ramsay was sentenced to prison for 2.5 years (1946-1947) in the War-responsibility trials
War-responsibility trials in Finland
The war-responsibility trials in Finland was a trial of the Finnish wartime leaders held responsible for "definitely influencing Finland in getting into a war with the Soviet Union and United Kingdom in 1941 or preventing peace" during the Continuation War, 1941-1944. Unlike other World War II...
.
His father was statesman August Ramsay and his mother was Jully Ramsay, a historian.
Minister Ramsay was a versatile actor in the Finnish society since the 1910's. Ramsay was a member of the central committee of the Swedish People's Party from 1917 to 1935, of which the period 1922-1935 he was the party's deputy chairman. However, he is relatively unknown in spite of serving as the minister of foreign affairs from 1943-1944. Ramsay is mostly remembered for the fact that he was sentenced in the War-responsibility trials
War-responsibility trials in Finland
The war-responsibility trials in Finland was a trial of the Finnish wartime leaders held responsible for "definitely influencing Finland in getting into a war with the Soviet Union and United Kingdom in 1941 or preventing peace" during the Continuation War, 1941-1944. Unlike other World War II...
in 1946. He hardly appeared in public anymore following his release from prison.
Ramsay's attitudes and opinions were often same as those of Mannerheim. It was due to the fact that Ramsay and Marshal had a close relationship. Both had similar perceptions of the situation and its requirements. After the Armistice, Mannerheim as the President of the Republic wanted to Ramsay be his Prime Minister. However, the Swedish People's Party prevented his primeministership.
Foreign Minister Ramsay's extensive network of relationships allowed him to have weight for his opinions after the German collapse when the Finnish government turned their eyes towards the Allies. However, Risto Ryti
Risto Ryti
Risto Heikki Ryti was the fifth President of Finland, from 1940 to 1944. Ryti started his career as a politician in the field of economics and as a political background figure during the interwar period. He made a wide range of international contacts in the world of banking and within the...
said that Ramsay had insufficient capacity for initiative and activity. Also Nazi Germany narrowed the maneuverability of Finnish foreign policy.
Ramsay was able to get a sense of proprietary information from American and Swedish decision-makers. Good relations with Finland by diplomats improved his ability to follow the foreign policy positions. The German liaison officer Waldemar Erfurth complained that Ramsay had bad relations with Germany. Ramsay instinctively tried to keep his distance with representatives of the Third Reich, because they were an obstacle to peace-making. however, he bore a great concern for food intake because he was a former minister of public maintenance and concerned about the sufficiency of food.
Foreign Minister did not have the slightest difficulty to socialize with the U.S. chargé d'affaires. Similarly, his connections to Sweden were abundant.
The German requirement for a treaty between Germany and Finland was transformed into a letter from Risto Ryti to Adolf Hitler because of Ramsay's perseverance and the negotiations skills. Germany had finally obtained the Erklärung but only in a form which binded Ryti himself, not the country.
He died of a sudden illness in Visby harbor in his own yacht cabin during a sailing trip.