Algot Untola

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Algot Untola (28 November 1868, Tohmajärvi – 21 May 1918, Helsinki) was a Finnish writer and journalist.

Untola was born to the Tietäväinen family and his real name was Algoth, but he changed the name to Algot Untola. Untola had many pen names including Maiju Lassila, Irmari Rantamala, Algoth Tietäväinen, Väinö Stenberg, J.I. Vatanen, Liisan-Antti and Jussi Porilainen. Untola's profession was teacher. He graduated in 1891 from Sortavala. Untola's most famous books were Harhama (1909) which he wrote under the name Irmari Rantamala, and Tulitikkuja lainaamassa (1910) under the name Maiju Lassila. Untola refused to take the state literature prize which he got from these books.

Untola first supported the Finnish Party but he didn't agree with their views and he changed his party to Social Democratic Party of Finland. Untola was arrested, during the Finnish Civil War in 1918, after the Helsinki siege. He was shot dead in the same year; white troops took him to Santahamina prison camp.