Hella Wuolijoki

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Hella Wuolijoki (née Ella Murrik; June 22, 1886 - February 2, 1954) was a Finnish writer of Estonian origin, known for her Niskavuori series.

She was born in Helme, Estonia.

In 1908, she married Sulo Vuolijoki, who was a personal friend of Lenin. They divorced in 1923. Later in her life Hella Wuolijoki started writing her name with "W"-letter.

In 1920s-1930s, Hella Vuolijoki had a "political salon" to discuss humanistic matters and to promote left-wing ideas. However, during that time she was not openly communist, although she had secret connections with Cheka. The Finnish police suspected her to be an illegal resident spy, but there was no solid proof until 1943, when she was arrested for hiding a Soviet paratrooper-spy and was sentenced to life imprisonment. She was released in 1944 after the cease-fire ended the Continuation War.

Wuolijoki was a member of the Finnish Parliament and the head of the SKDL faction from 1946 to 1947. Wuolijoki also served as the director of Yleisradio from 1945 to 1949.

She died in Helsinki, Finland, in 1954.

Hella Wuolijoki wrote books under the name of Juhani Tervapää, characterized by strong female characters. She also wrote a couple of books with the author Bertolt Brecht, including Mr. Puntila and his servant Matti.

Hella Wuolijoki was the grandmother of the Finnish politician Erkki Tuomioja.