Hjalmar Procopé
Encyclopedia
Hjalmar Johan Fredrik Procopé (born 9 August 1889 in Helsinki
, died 8 March 1954)
was a Finnish
politician and a diplomat from the Swedish People's Party. Procopé was a minister in several cabinets in the 1920s and 1930s.
Procopé worked as a lawyer in Helsinki 1915-1922. He also worked in the Finnish embassy in Berlin from spring 1918 to the end of 1918. Procopé was a member Swedish People's Party and was elected to the parliament 1919-1922 and 1924-1926.
He served as a minister on several occasions: Minister of Trade and Industry from 1920-1921 in the Erich cabinet, Minister of Trade and Industry 1924 in the second Cajander cabinet, Minister of Foreign Affairs 1924-1925 in the second Ingman cabinet and Minister of Foreign Affairs 1927-1931 in four consecutive cabinets.
Procopé returned to the Foreign Ministry as Finnish ambassador in Warsaw 1924-1926. After the career in the foreign ministry, he served as the CEO of Finnish Paper Mills Association from 1931 to 1939.
The war years 1939-1944 he served as the ambassador in Washington. According to Kauko Rumpunen, a Finnish National Archives researcher, Franklin Roosevelt warned Procopé about the 28 August 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
and its contents agreed between Nazi Germany and Soviet Union. Roosevelt's warning, however, arrived in Finland until months later as a part of routine reports, and it was not taken entirely seriously, partly because Roosevelt did not reveal the original source of the hint, a subordinate of Joachim von Ribbentrop
. Procopé used the sympathy of Americans during the Winter War
to benefit the interests of Finland. The political situation changed in late summer 1944 when Finland and Nazi Germany became enemies. Hjalmar Procopé was put into disponibility and he resigned from the service of Foreign Ministry in November 1945.
Procopé was the defense counsel of President Risto Ryti
during the War-responsibility trials
1945-1946 and at the same time the defense leader of all defendants of the trials.
During his last years Hjalmar Procopé participated in NGO activities, particularly to anti-communist activities in Finland.
Procopé was awarded with the special title Minister in 1931. He was ordained at the University of Rochester
awarded an honorary doctorate of law.
Poet Hjalmar Procopé was a cousin of the diplomat Hjalmar Procopé. Victor Procopé, a member of the parliament, was his son.
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...
, died 8 March 1954)
was a Finnish
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...
politician and a diplomat from the Swedish People's Party. Procopé was a minister in several cabinets in the 1920s and 1930s.
Procopé worked as a lawyer in Helsinki 1915-1922. He also worked in the Finnish embassy in Berlin from spring 1918 to the end of 1918. Procopé was a member Swedish People's Party and was elected to the parliament 1919-1922 and 1924-1926.
He served as a minister on several occasions: Minister of Trade and Industry from 1920-1921 in the Erich cabinet, Minister of Trade and Industry 1924 in the second Cajander cabinet, Minister of Foreign Affairs 1924-1925 in the second Ingman cabinet and Minister of Foreign Affairs 1927-1931 in four consecutive cabinets.
Procopé returned to the Foreign Ministry as Finnish ambassador in Warsaw 1924-1926. After the career in the foreign ministry, he served as the CEO of Finnish Paper Mills Association from 1931 to 1939.
The war years 1939-1944 he served as the ambassador in Washington. According to Kauko Rumpunen, a Finnish National Archives researcher, Franklin Roosevelt warned Procopé about the 28 August 1939 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...
and its contents agreed between Nazi Germany and Soviet Union. Roosevelt's warning, however, arrived in Finland until months later as a part of routine reports, and it was not taken entirely seriously, partly because Roosevelt did not reveal the original source of the hint, a subordinate of Joachim von Ribbentrop
Joachim von Ribbentrop
Ulrich Friedrich Wilhelm Joachim von Ribbentrop was Foreign Minister of Germany from 1938 until 1945. He was later hanged for war crimes after the Nuremberg Trials.-Early life:...
. Procopé used the sympathy of Americans during 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...
to benefit the interests of Finland. The political situation changed in late summer 1944 when Finland and Nazi Germany became enemies. Hjalmar Procopé was put into disponibility and he resigned from the service of Foreign Ministry in November 1945.
Procopé was the defense counsel of President Risto 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...
during the War-responsibility trials
War-responsibility trials in Finland
The war-responsibility trials in Finland was a trial of the Finnish wartime leaders held responsible for "definitely influencing Finland in getting into a war with the Soviet Union and United Kingdom in 1941 or preventing peace" during the Continuation War, 1941-1944. Unlike other World War II...
1945-1946 and at the same time the defense leader of all defendants of the trials.
During his last years Hjalmar Procopé participated in NGO activities, particularly to anti-communist activities in Finland.
Procopé was awarded with the special title Minister in 1931. He was ordained at the University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
awarded an honorary doctorate of law.
Poet Hjalmar Procopé was a cousin of the diplomat Hjalmar Procopé. Victor Procopé, a member of the parliament, was his son.