Jutta Zilliacus

Jutta Armelle Zilliacus (25 July 1925 – 30 May 2026) was a Finnish-Estonian journalist and author in the Swedish language. She was also a politician, and served as a Member of Parliament for the Swedish People's Party for Helsinki from 1975 to 1987 and a member of the Helsinki City Council from 1968 to 1984.

Life and career Jutta Zilliacus' parents, piano tuner Johann Kingo and Jenny Gertrud, née Pihlak, were both Estonian refugees from St. Petersburg. Her mother had worked as a chambermaid at the court of the Russian Grand Duchess Victoria Melita. As a child, Jutta Zilliacus spent her summers in Haapsalu, Estonia, and also had Estonian citizenship since birth.

She first went to a Swedish-language public school and then to Deutsche Schule Helsinki in 1933–1944. After graduating in 1944, she studied, among other things, Latin and music at the University of Helsinki 1944–1946 and at the Sibelius Academy 1944–1946.

Besides working as a freelance journalist from 1968 and a politician, Zilliacus also worked as a model, actress and briefly as Mannerheim's secretary.

During her political career, Zilliacus worked particularly for gender equality and day care for children.

Zilliacus also appeared in a handful of feature films under the stage name Jutta Armela and in the series Matti ja Leena in the 1960s under her regular name. and died in Helsinki on 30 May 2026.

Books Rökringar (1970) Innan du vet ordet av (1975) En bit av Det stora äpplet (1978) Vägskäl (1986) Annorlunda barndom (1986) Vändpunkt (1987) Gå över gränser (1991) Balansgång (1994) Ajatuksia verannalla (1997) Underbart är kort (1997) I väntan på buss nummer 16 (2002)