Armas Saastamoinen

Armas Herman Saastamoinen (14 April 1886 – 20 October 1932) was a Finnish businessman, diplomat and politician. The eldest son of industrialist Herman Saastamoinen, he was one of the organisers of the Jäger movement during the First World War and participated in the Finnish Civil War on the White side. After Finnish independence he represented Finland as envoy in Copenhagen, Washington and London, and served as a Member of Parliament for the National Coalition Party from 1924 to 1926.

Biography

Early life and Jäger movement A. H. Saastamoinen was the eldest son of commercial Counselor Herman Saastamoinen and Alexandra Sofia Tengman. His spouse since 1909 was Edla Emilia (Emily) Carssen.

Saastamoinen was the head of the Savo District Civil Guard in 1917 and chief of staff of the Northern Savo and Kainuu military district during the Finnish Civil War in 1918.

Diplomatic career After the war, Saastamoinen became Finland's first envoy to Copenhagen from April 1918, receiving the rank of minister in October 1918. He was selected for the post on account of his business contacts in Scandinavia, his language skills, his political suitability and his personal wealth. His most important task was to help alleviate Finland's food supply situation in the difficult post-war period.

Saastamoinen suffered his first heart attack in 1930 and a second in 1932, from which he did not recover. He died in London in October 1932.