Karl Ivan Westman
Encyclopedia
Karl Ivan Westman Swedish diplomat, 1928–1938 Sweden
's Minister in Bern and at the League of Nations
, in connection with the Continuation War
Sweden's ambassador to Helsinki
March 1941 – October 1942, and after World War II
Sweden's ambassador to Paris
1947–1956.
Westman had, as the highly intelligent man he was, done a fast career in Sweden's foreign ministry. His analyses of the host countries, and the power play at the League of Nations, were considered outstanding — a judgement that holds also in retrospect. The mission at the League of Nations was considered central to Sweden's foreign policy during the interbellum; and when appointed to Helsinki, that was at a moment when it was considered the most crucial of Sweden's embassies. For a diplomat, he was however also extraordinarily outspoken, often with a significant amount of sarcasm and unveiled criticism.
Karl Ivan Westman was the brother of Karl Gustaf Westman
, Sweden's Justice Minister during World War II
.
movement, which provided him both with relevant contacts and a good understanding for contemporary thinking in independent Finland
. But he was also critical of its political development, from the bloody aftermath of the Civil War
and forth, and particularly suspicious against the fennoman
school of thoughts that dominated outside of the Finland-Swedish
circles, and what he perceived as their strong anti-Nordic
undercurrent.
His outspoken opposition against the host country's increasing cooperation with Nazi Germany
, in the run up to and during the Continuation War
, led to an unfortunate failure of his mission to Helsinki. His reports to Stockholm were factually correct, but he was unsuited to reestablish a Finnish feeling of trust for the Swedes after the trauma of the Winter War
, and what in Finland was widely perceived as Sweden's betrayal; and in Helsinki the suspicion grew that his reports were in fact unfavorable. Most crucially, he never came on speaking terms with Finland's foreign minister Rolf Witting
, despite their shared mother tongue. This contributed to the abortion of close intelligence cooperation between the two countries, and resulted among other things in a total failure for the Swedish attempts to improve the relations with the Third Reich be means of some kind of cooperation in Operation Barbarossa
— executed as "support for Finland's heroic struggle against Bolshevism" — at the same time intending to ease Finland's emotional dependency on Germany.
Westman argued, not without some merit, that his views truly represented those of the Swedish government and civil service in general, and specifically the views of the cabinet. The realpolitik
policies of Foreign Minister Günther
were not as popular in the left-leaning majority of the Cabinet now, when a clash between Nazism
and Communism
was on the agenda, as it had been during the zenith of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
. What he said in Helsinki, he was convinced, was totally in accordance with the views of influential Social Democrats as Östen Undén
and Ernst Wigforss
, and also with the generally neutralist Liberals and Agrarians.
After Finland's re-conquest of Vyborg
, that had been a Swedish–Finnish
key castle 1293–1721, a general display of flags was proclaimed for August 30. In an unprecedented move, Sweden's embassy did not fly the flags, and soon Finland's Foreign Minister requested his removal. It would however last yet a year, and require the request of President Ryti
, until Westman was recalled to Stockholm and replaced by a less controversial diplomat.
Westman felt the recall from Helsinki to be a humiliating reprimand, for which some kind of compensation was to be expected. When Westman's friend Östen Undén after the world war became Sweden's foreign minister, Westman was promptly given the prestigious position as Secretary General of Sweden's foreign ministry, and soon one of the most prestigious embassies, that in Paris.
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....
's Minister in Bern and at the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
, in connection with 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...
Sweden's ambassador to 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...
March 1941 – October 1942, and after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Sweden's ambassador to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
1947–1956.
Westman had, as the highly intelligent man he was, done a fast career in Sweden's foreign ministry. His analyses of the host countries, and the power play at the League of Nations, were considered outstanding — a judgement that holds also in retrospect. The mission at the League of Nations was considered central to Sweden's foreign policy during the interbellum; and when appointed to Helsinki, that was at a moment when it was considered the most crucial of Sweden's embassies. For a diplomat, he was however also extraordinarily outspoken, often with a significant amount of sarcasm and unveiled criticism.
Karl Ivan Westman was the brother of Karl Gustaf Westman
Karl Gustaf Westman
Karl Gustaf Westman Karl Gustaf Westman Karl Gustaf Westman (August 18, 1876 (Gothenburg)–January 24, 1944 (Stockholm) was a Swedish historian and political leader.-Biography:Westman attended Uppsala University, where he earned bachelor's degree in 1897, Licentiate of Philosophy in 1904 and a...
, Sweden's Justice Minister during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Finland and Operation Barbarossa
In his youth, Westman had been involved in the Nationalist ActivismNationalist activism
The Nationalist activism was an elitist political movement of the early 20th century in Scandinavia, Finland and the Baltic countries. The Activists advocated in brief a close cooperation with Imperial Germany, and active support of Germany's military aims — primarily directed against...
movement, which provided him both with relevant contacts and a good understanding for contemporary thinking in independent Finland
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...
. But he was also critical of its political development, from the bloody aftermath of the 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...
and forth, and particularly suspicious against the fennoman
Fennoman
The Fennomans were the most important political movement in the 19th century Grand Principality of Finland. They succeeded the fennophile interests of the 18th and early 19th century.-History:...
school of thoughts that dominated outside of the Finland-Swedish
Finland-Swedish
Finland Swedish is a general term for the closely related cluster of dialects of Swedish spoken in Finland by Swedish-speaking Finns as their mother tongue...
circles, and what he perceived as their strong anti-Nordic
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
undercurrent.
His outspoken opposition against the host country's increasing cooperation with Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, in the run up to and 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...
, led to an unfortunate failure of his mission to Helsinki. His reports to Stockholm were factually correct, but he was unsuited to reestablish a Finnish feeling of trust for the Swedes after the trauma of the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
, and what in Finland was widely perceived as Sweden's betrayal; and in Helsinki the suspicion grew that his reports were in fact unfavorable. Most crucially, he never came on speaking terms with Finland's foreign minister Rolf Witting
Rolf Witting
Rolf Johan Witting was a renowned oceanographist and Swedish-speaking Finnish politician, member of four of Finland's cabinets 1926–1943...
, despite their shared mother tongue. This contributed to the abortion of close intelligence cooperation between the two countries, and resulted among other things in a total failure for the Swedish attempts to improve the relations with the Third Reich be means of some kind of cooperation in Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
— executed as "support for Finland's heroic struggle against Bolshevism" — at the same time intending to ease Finland's emotional dependency on Germany.
Westman argued, not without some merit, that his views truly represented those of the Swedish government and civil service in general, and specifically the views of the cabinet. The realpolitik
Realpolitik
Realpolitik refers to politics or diplomacy based primarily on power and on practical and material factors and considerations, rather than ideological notions or moralistic or ethical premises...
policies of Foreign Minister Günther
Christian Günther
Christian Ernst Günther was Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs in the National Unity Government that was formed as a consequence of the Soviet attack on Finland in November, 1939, and would remain in function until World War II had ended in 1945.Günther, whose father had been Swedish diplomat,...
were not as popular in the left-leaning majority of the Cabinet now, when a clash between Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
and Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
was on the agenda, as it had been during the zenith of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, named after the Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov and the German foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, was an agreement officially titled the Treaty of Non-Aggression between Germany and the Soviet Union and signed in Moscow in the late hours of 23 August 1939...
. What he said in Helsinki, he was convinced, was totally in accordance with the views of influential Social Democrats as Östen Undén
Östen Undén
Bo Östen Undén , J.D., was a Swedish academic, civil servant and Social Democratic politician and acting Prime Minister of Sweden 6 October 1946-11 October 1946 following the death of Per Albin Hansson...
and Ernst Wigforss
Ernst Wigforss
Ernst Johannes Wigforss was a Swedish politician and linguist , mostly known as a prominent member of the Social Democratic Workers' Party and Swedish Minister of Finance...
, and also with the generally neutralist Liberals and Agrarians.
After Finland's re-conquest of Vyborg
Vyborg
Vyborg is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated on the Karelian Isthmus near the head of the Bay of Vyborg, to the northwest of St. Petersburg and south from Russia's border with Finland, where the Saimaa Canal enters the Gulf of Finland...
, that had been a Swedish–Finnish
Sweden-Finland
Sweden–Finland is an outdated Finnish historiographical term referring to the Swedish Kingdom from the Kalmar Union to the Napoleonic wars, or the period from the 14th to the 18th century. In 1809 the realm was split and the eastern half came to constitute the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, in...
key castle 1293–1721, a general display of flags was proclaimed for August 30. In an unprecedented move, Sweden's embassy did not fly the flags, and soon Finland's Foreign Minister requested his removal. It would however last yet a year, and require the request of President 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...
, until Westman was recalled to Stockholm and replaced by a less controversial diplomat.
Westman felt the recall from Helsinki to be a humiliating reprimand, for which some kind of compensation was to be expected. When Westman's friend Östen Undén after the world war became Sweden's foreign minister, Westman was promptly given the prestigious position as Secretary General of Sweden's foreign ministry, and soon one of the most prestigious embassies, that in Paris.