![]() ![]() During this period he married Tellervo Kankaanranta in 1952. The following year he became a temporary primary school teacher. In summer 1950 Koivisto left his harbour work and took a job at a strawberry pickers’ camp in England. ![]() Studies and careerĪlongside his activities with the Social Democrats and working as a harbour master and port inspector, Koivisto also studied at evening school and graduated from upper secondary school in 1949. After this Koivisto and Rafael Paasio, editor of the publication Sosialisti, met for the first time. At a strike meeting of carpenters in Turku, Koivisto criticised the methods being employed by the strikers and attracted the interest of the Turku Social Democrats. He joined the Social Democratic Party in a situation that required taking a stand and showing courage. ![]() Koivisto later referred to the influence of the war: “ When you have taken part in a game in which your own life is at stake, all other games are small after that experience.” He developed into a thinker who would weigh the issues on all sides before speaking with a real sense of purpose.Īfter the war Koivisto began to take a real and active interest in politics and in making a political impact. He then became a member of a light infantry company – led by the legendary Lauri Törni (Larry Thorne) – in the 1 st Division. In February 1942, having reached call-up age, he was first sent to a training centre and then served at the front in the 35 th Light Infantry Regiment in Eastern Karelia until February 1944. When the Continuation War erupted, Koivisto enlisted in the volunteer field fire fighting forces. When the Winter War broke out in 1939 he joined a fire fighting unit at the age of sixteen. The hardships of Mauno’s childhood included the death of his mother when the boy was ten and the practical household problems that began when his father was left as a single parent.Īfter attending primary school Koivisto held a number of jobs. His father had experienced a religious awakening while at sea, which was reflected in the family’s life. His father Juho Koivisto was a ship’s carpenter, while his mother Hymni Sofia Eskola was the daughter of a cantor. Many times, threats start to realize just because they have been prepared for.Mauno Henrik Koivisto was born on 25 November 1923, the second son of a working class family. It often pays off, even if you wouldn't even believe in it. In his last interview in 2013 with Helsingin Sanomat newspaper, asked what was important in life, Koivisto said: "In life, it is generally wise to trust that everything will go well. As a president he left a legacy where it has been good for me and my predecessors to continue." In his last years Koivisto suffered from Alzheimer's disease. "His rise from humble home into a teacher, a banker and eventually to the top of the nation's politics is an unparalleled Finnish success story." "Koivisto was a devoted democrat and a supporter of parliamentarism. "With Mauno Koivisto, the generation that took part in wars and following rebuilding, and which guided Finland to the path of current success and wellbeing, has now definitively left Finland's political life," current president Sauli Niinisto said in a statement. He served the country as prime minister, finance minister and central bank governor before becoming president. In his youth, Koivisto fought the Soviet Union during World War Two. During his term, Koivisto also strengthened the role of the parliament after his predecessor, Urho Kekkonen, had ruled the country for 26 years, partly in an autocratic style. He led his country through the collapse of the neighboring Soviet Union and the ensuing recession at home, and oversaw Finland's application for membership of the European Union in 1992. He became the Nordic country's ninth president in 1982 and spent two terms in the office until 1994. Koivisto was born in 1923, the son of a ship's carpenter. By Jussi Rosendahl HELSINKI (Reuters) - Mauno Koivisto, Finland's first leftist president who led it along the path to EU membership, died on Friday at the age of 93, the president's office said. ![]()
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