Waldemar Becker
Encyclopedia
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...
(now Helsinki), Grand Duchy of Finland
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...
- February 22, 1907 Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, or Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
?, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) 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...
soldier, politician and adventurer, a lifetime appeared in several continents, and fought a number of countries, armies ranks. Becker's parents were under captain Gabriel Julian Wilhelm Becker and Kristina Fredrika Reuterskiöld.
Military career in Finland
Evert Gustav Waldemar Becker began his military career as a young student in Finland Cadet SchoolHamina Cadet School
Finland Cadet school was the common name for the Fredrikshamn cadet school during the period 1819–1901. The Cadet School was originally founded in 1780 by Georg Magnus Sprengtporten at Kuopio and transferred in 1781 to Rantasalmi where it was called Haapaniemi Cadet School...
which he completed in 1858. Becker was appointed Second Lieutenant in the Finnish Guard
Military of the Grand Duchy of Finland
Between 1809 and 1917 Finland was an autonomous part of the Russian Empire as the Grand Duchy of Finland. Between 1881 and 1901 the Grand Duchy had its own army. Before that several other military units had also been formed....
. After a short time in St. Petersburg he went to Africa and fought there for the Spanish troops in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. After returning to St. Petersburg, he was recruited in the Grodno Hussar
Hussar
Hussar refers to a number of types of light cavalry which originated in Hungary in the 14th century, tracing its roots from Serbian medieval cavalry tradition, brought to Hungary in the course of the Serb migrations, which began in the late 14th century....
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
and then to study in the General Staff Academy. For personal reasons he ran away in 1862 and went to Mexico. Outbound departure was due to the fact that Lieutenant Becker eloped with a wife of a Russian officer first to Sweden and Finland then to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and therefore he was declared a deserter.
Military career in Mexico
In Mexico, he attended the ongoing civil war in the forces of Mexico's second emperor MaximilianMaximilian
Maximilian, Maximillian, or Maximiliaan is a male given name.-Saints:*Maximilian , 3rd century Christian martyr*Maximilian of Lorch, Christian bishop and martyr*Maximilian of Antioch, Christian martyr under Julian the Apostate...
(emperor 1864-1867), backed by France and Spain, against the republican
Republicanism
Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where the head of state is appointed by means other than heredity, often elections. The exact meaning of republicanism varies depending on the cultural and historical context...
army led by Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
's legitimate president Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez born Benito Pablo Juárez García, was a Mexican lawyer and politician of Zapotec origin from Oaxaca who served five terms as president of Mexico: 1858–1861 as interim, 1861–1865, 1865–1867, 1867–1871 and 1871–1872...
. He was captured by General Vicente Riva Palacio
Vicente Riva Palacio
Vicente Florencio Carlos Riva Palacio Guerrero was a Mexican politician and intellectual....
in the early stages of the war, but he was freed in an exchange of war prisoners. In the end of the war, he was again taken prisoner and was sentenced to death but pardoned. After about five years after arrival in Mexico he returned to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Return to Europe
Mexico, while Becker was married and had Catholic religion. After returning to Europe he settled in Paris, where conservative circles reinforced his catholic sentiments and Becker went to RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. In Rome Becker joined the Papal
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Swiss Guard
Swiss Guard
Swiss Guards or Schweizergarde is the name given to the Swiss soldiers who have served as bodyguards, ceremonial guards, and palace guards at foreign European courts since the late 15th century. They have had a high reputation for discipline, as well as loyalty to their employers...
, which, however, he resigned already after half a year to go to fight on behalf of the Greeks against the Turks
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. In the Greek army Becker operated as the Greek government's advisor. The Greek Government did not accept Becker's plans, so he returned back to Paris and began supporting the conservative faction in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Don Carlos
Charles III, Prince of Monaco
Charles III was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 20 June 1856 to his death. He was the founder of the famous casino in Monte Carlo, as his title in Monegasque and Italian was Carlo III.-Birth:...
with newspaper articles.
Back to the military
In 1871 Becker went to fight against Turkey in the EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian Army. Success, however, was not special. Becker moved to serve, with the recommendation of the ambassador of Russia in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, Count Ignatiev, in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
's army headquarters, where he began to reform in Serbia army. At the same time, Becker exerted pressure on the Serbian government to declare the war against Turkey. Becker was appointed as the Chief of Staff of the Serbian Army Headquarters, but was forced to resign, however, after argument with the Serbian king. Since then, even the Russian army did not want to employ him. Becker went to Greece, which currently planned to form a Balkan League
Balkan League
The Balkan League was an alliance formed by a series of bilateral treaties concluded in 1912 between the Balkan states of Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia, and directed against the Ottoman Empire, which at the time still controlled much of the Balkan peninsula...
and attack against Turkey. The plans, however, fell after Russia initiated peace talks.
Back to Paris
After the cancellation of the Balkan LeagueBalkan League
The Balkan League was an alliance formed by a series of bilateral treaties concluded in 1912 between the Balkan states of Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia, and directed against the Ottoman Empire, which at the time still controlled much of the Balkan peninsula...
and the attack against Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
Becker returned to Paris, where his friends got him a position as a political journalist in L'Estafette magazine. At the same time, Becker wrote to a number of other newspapers and magazines and books. The writings attracted attention and debate, but the special attention and outcry was raised by his 1880 article "La Finlande indépendante et neutre." In his writing Becker predicted fairly accurately the future Russian oppression
Russification of Finland
The policy of Russification of Finland was a governmental policy of the Russian Empire aimed at limiting the special status of the Grand Duchy of Finland and possibly the termination of its political autonomy and cultural uniqueness...
in Finland, and at the same time called the Finns to arms in order to obtain complete freedom and acquire guarrantees of neutrality from the Great power
Great power
A great power is a nation or state that has the ability to exert its influence on a global scale. Great powers characteristically possess military and economic strength and diplomatic and cultural influence which may cause small powers to consider the opinions of great powers before taking actions...
s. During the difficult years following the article, Becker sought a living journalist, and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the Spain, and wrote, especially the Balkan issues.
Years of Russification in Finland
During the Russian OppressionRussification
Russification is an adoption of the Russian language or some other Russian attributes by non-Russian communities...
Becker wrote of the Finnish question behind the pseudonym Ilmarinen. Becker was a very skilful and versatile high-policy expert. He was an intelligent, multilingual, and a wonderful club man but without perseverance and adaptability needed. Rest of their lives Becker lived in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
in making the Finnish case known.
Becker was married in 1866 to a Mexican, Maria Conception Adorno, and since 1889 to a widow of a Greek banker, Anna Komnenos. After the death of Becker's widow in 1929 their ashes were brought to Finland for burial in 1931.
Books
- Ilmarinen, La Russie, son passé, son présant / par Ilmarinen. Neapel: [s.n.], 1906.
- Waldemar Becker, L'Albanie et les Albanais / par le Colonel [W.] Becker. Paris: Dentu, 1880.
- Waldemar Becker, Poezdka vostzejskìa gubernìi / V. Bekkeri. Moskva: [s.n.], 1852 (tipografía V. Göte)
Sources
- Becker, Erik: Becker-Bei Finnish soldier and politician. Hämeenlinna 1968
- Duarte Soto, Crispin; Coronel Nicolás Romero, episodios heroicos 1998.