Johan Kock
Encyclopedia
Captain Johan Kock was a Finnish
soldier who had been decommissioned from the Finnish army
in Viipuri in 1897. Kock was a revolutionary who was the leader of the Finnish Red Guards
from 1905 to 1906.
. In 1900 Kock was a reporter in Viipuri. He organised routes to smuggle revolutionary writings from Sweden
via Finland to Russia
. In 1905 during the general strike the academic society and labour protested together against the Russian czar. Kock became the leader of the national guard during the strike. Kock gained the support and trust of the general governor Ivan Obolensky
. Nevertheless, Obolensky negotiated with the Constitutionals how to solve the strike by political means. The Acamedic society couldn't accept Kock's leadership: university students and polytechniques split off, founding their own organisation under the leaership of Gösta Thörsleff.
The Constitutionals wanted to end the srike on 5 November, but the Red Guards to continue. Kock, who supported the strike, attended the negotiations to end the strike. The strike ended on 6 November, and on the next day Kock pulled his troops from the Helsinki
police stations.
Kock took part in the Viapori Rebellion
in 1906 in the Suomenlinna
fortress. When the rebellion failed, Kock fled the country among with other activists to Sweden
and from there to England
before moving to the United States
. He died in 1915 in Bunker Hill Township, Massachusetts.
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...
soldier who had been decommissioned from the Finnish army
Finnish Defence Forces
The Finnish Defence Forces are responsible for the defence of Finland. It is a cadre army of 15,000, of which 8,900 are professional soldiers , extended with conscripts and reservists such that the standard readiness strength is 34,700 people in uniform...
in Viipuri in 1897. Kock was a revolutionary who was the leader of the Finnish Red Guards
Red Guards (Finland)
The Red Guards formed the army of Red Finland during the Finnish Civil War in 1918. The combined strength of the Red Guard was about 30,000 at the beginning of the Civil War, and peaked at 90,000-120,000 during the course of the conflict....
from 1905 to 1906.
Biography
He 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...
. In 1900 Kock was a reporter in Viipuri. He organised routes to smuggle revolutionary writings from Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
via Finland to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. In 1905 during the general strike the academic society and labour protested together against the Russian czar. Kock became the leader of the national guard during the strike. Kock gained the support and trust of the general governor Ivan Obolensky
Ivan Obolensky
Ivan Obolensky may refer to:* Ivan Mikhailovich Obolensky, Prince, or John Obolenski , Imperial Russian Lieutenant-General* Ivan Sergeievich Obolensky...
. Nevertheless, Obolensky negotiated with the Constitutionals how to solve the strike by political means. The Acamedic society couldn't accept Kock's leadership: university students and polytechniques split off, founding their own organisation under the leaership of Gösta Thörsleff.
The Constitutionals wanted to end the srike on 5 November, but the Red Guards to continue. Kock, who supported the strike, attended the negotiations to end the strike. The strike ended on 6 November, and on the next day Kock pulled his troops from the Helsinki
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...
police stations.
Kock took part in the Viapori Rebellion
Viapori Rebellion
The Sveaborg Rebellion was a rebellion which started June 30, 1906 on the sea fortress Suomenlinna as part of the Russian Revolution of 1905–1907....
in 1906 in the Suomenlinna
Suomenlinna
Suomenlinna, until 1918 Viapori , or Sveaborg , is an inhabited sea fortress built on six islands , and which now forms part of the city of Helsinki, the capital of Finland.Suomenlinna is a UNESCO World Heritage site and popular with both tourists and locals, who...
fortress. When the rebellion failed, Kock fled the country among with other activists to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and from there to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
before moving to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He died in 1915 in Bunker Hill Township, Massachusetts.