Hugo Österman

Hugo Viktor Österman (5 September 1892 – 17 February 1975) was a Finland-Swedish lieutenant-general. He served as Chief of Defence from 1933 to 1939 and commanded the Army of the Isthmus during the Winter War.

Biography Österman was born in Helsinki, the son of police officer Viktor Valfrid Österman and Elin Karolina Karlsdotter. He graduated from Svenska normallyceum in Helsinki. Österman underwent military training at the Finnish Jäger Battalion in Germany from 1915 to 1918 and the Royal Swedish Army Staff College (now the Swedish Defence University) in Sweden from 1927 to 1928. After returning to Finland in February 1918, Österman was ordered to Kuopio to found a Jäger Battalion composed of conscripts. After the Civil War, he became commander of the Pori Regiment, from 1925 commander of the 3rd Division and from 1927 inspector of the infantry.

Österman became a major in 1918, lieutenant colonel in 1920, colonel in 1925, major general in 1930 and lieutenant general in 1935. Österman served as Deputy Minister of Defence from 10 July 1930 to 21 March 1931.

During the Continuation War he served as an inspector in the army and in 1944 he was the commander-in-chief's representative in the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht. Österman retired from active service in 1946 and thereafter worked in business.

Österman married Marga von Troil in 1919.