Carl Enckell

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Carl Enckell (7 June 1876 – 26 March 1959) was a Finnish politician, officer and a diplomat. He was the first representative of independent Finland in Saint Petersburg. On several occasions he served as the foreign minister and as the Finnish delegate in League of Nations.

Enckell graduated as an officer from Hamina Cadet School after which he served in the Imperial Russian Army learning fluent Russian. In 1917 Enckell negotiated for Finnish independence in Saint Petersburg in the position of Finnish Minister Secretary of State and representative of Senate of Finland.

Carl Enckell represented the newly independent Finland in the League of Nations. It can be counted as his merit that the resolution in the Åland crisis - dispute between Sweden and Finland over Åland Islands - the Island group stayed as a part of Finland.

Enckell served as Minister of Foreign Affairs 1918 - 1919, 1922, 1924 and 1944 - 1950. Enckell was the Ambassador of Finland in Paris between 1919 and 1927 after which he had a career as a banker. He returned to diplomatic service in 1944, served as the vice-chairman of the Finnish peace delegation and in 10 February 1947 signed the Paris Peace Treaty on behalf of Finland.