About Carl Enckell
Lived 1876 – 1959 (aged 82). Carl Enckell was a Finnish politician and diplomat.
Carl Johan Alexis Enckell (7 June 1876 – 26 March 1959) was a Finnish politician, diplomat, officer and industrialist, regarded as one of Finland's leading foreign policy figures during the first half of the 20th century. Carl Enckell was born and spent his first seven years in Saint Petersburg. A Finland Swede with Swedish as his mother tongue, he came from a military family; both his father, Carl Enckell Sr., and his paternal grandfather Carl Gustaf Enckell had served as officers. During his career he served a grand total of 2,502 days as foreign minister.
Personal life In 1903 Enckell was married to German-born Lucy Marie Frieda Agathe Margareta Ponsonby-Lyons (1875–1945). The couple had two daughters and two sons who were born between 1911–1920. The younger son, Ralph Enckell, became a notable diplomat.
Enckell bought Eriksnäs Mansion in Sipoo in 1916 and used it as his summer residence. During his diplomacy years in Paris he started collecting historical maps of Northern Europe and Russia; the collection is currently kept in Helsinki University Library.
Board memberships Finnish General Employers' Federation Finnish Engineering Industry Employers' Federation Domestic Work Association Helsingin Osakepankki (1931–1936) Industrialists' Mutual Fire Insurance Company (1936–1946) Oy Aga Ab (1939–) Wärtsilä Group (1945–1949)
Awards Cross of Liberty, 1st Class (1919) Commander of the White Rose of Finland, 1st class (1919) Grand Cross of the White Rose of Finland (1921) Cross of Liberty, 1st Class with a grand star (1944) Grand Cross of the White Rose of Finland with Collar (1946) Grand Cross of the Dannebrog (Denmark; 1919) Grand Cross of Vasa (Sweden; 1919) Commander of the Legion of Honour (France; 1920) Cross of Liberty, 1st Class (Estonia; 1922) Grand Cross of the Crown of Belgium (Belgium; 1924) Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour (France; 1926) Grand Cross of the Falcon of Iceland (Iceland; 1949) Grand Cross of Polonia Restituta (Poland; 1927)
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Important facts
People in Carl Enckell's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Carl Enckell's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Carl Enckell?
Finnish diplomat, foreign minister and industrialist (1876-1959)
When was Carl Enckell born?
Carl Enckell was born on 7 June 1876 in Saint Petersburg.
When did Carl Enckell die?
Carl Enckell died on 26 March 1959 in Helsinki.
What was Carl Enckell's occupation?
Carl Enckell was a politician and diplomat.
What nationality was Carl Enckell?
Carl Enckell was Finnish.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Carl Enckell. https://biography.guide/carl-enckell/
MLA: "Carl Enckell." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/carl-enckell/.
Chicago: "Carl Enckell." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/carl-enckell/.
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