Kayla, Elmo

Born in the family of a Lutheran clergyman . Elmo Kaila's elder brother, Toivo Kaila, is a famous writer and diplomat. The younger brother, Auno Kayla, is an officer of the Finnish rangers .

He graduated from the University of Helsinki , in 1908 received a bachelor's degree in art criticism. Until 1917 he taught economic geography. He was the author of a school geography textbook.

At the age of 13, Elmo Edward changed the Swedish surname Johansson to Finnish - Kayla .

Elmo Kayla was a staunch nationalist , phenomian and supporter of Finnish independence. During World War I, he supported Kaiser Germany against tsarist Russia . He organized the movement of Finnish rangers, collaborated in this with Paavo Talvela . He oversaw a network of German agents in Finland, the production of forged documents and arms smuggling.

After the February Revolution, Kayla openly joined the Guard Corps . The peculiarity of Elmo Kaila’s position was that he propagated Shyutskor not only among the intelligentsia and the peasantry, but also in the working class, tried to include workers in the independence movement.

At the start of the civil war, Kayla was in Helsinki . The capital of Finland was under the control of the Reds , oriented to the RSFSR . Among the Communists, Elmo Kayla saw primarily the enemies of independence, the agents of the "new edition of the Russian Empire." He led the underground groups in Helsinki Schutskor.

The selected role is characteristic of him. He avoided visible leadership positions. But he was like a fish in the water where clandestine operations were conducted. Conspiratory thinking was greater than the second nature of Kayla - it was part of his personality ^[1] .

In March 1918 he was forced to flee through Tallinn to Berlin . Already in April he returned to Helsinki, occupied by German troops.

After the victory of the whites, Kayla advocated the establishment of a pro-German monarchy in Finland - since he counted on the victory of Germany in the First World War and the help of Berlin in joining East Karelia . The defeat of Germany forced to change position, Kayla reoriented to Mannerheim . He urged him to establish a military dictatorship and start a war for Karelia. However, these plans were not implemented either.

Kayla began to work out a new program of action. With all the tactical zigzags, the main thing in his position was the creation of Great Finland , the consolidation of all territories inhabited by Finno-Ugric peoples . Other political attitudes were subordinate to this goal.

Relying on authority in the Security Corps, Elmo Kayla proposed a military reform program focused on the inevitable war against the USSR over Finno-Ugric territories. The project, in particular, involved the dismissal of officers from the Finnish armed forces who served in the Russian tsarist army and their replacement by Shyutskorov and jaeger commanders ^[2] . This complicated the relationship of Kayla with supporters of Mannerheim.

Elmo Kayla considered it necessary to ensure mass popular support for the Finnish army . Being an anti-communist , he was quite loyal to the Social Democrats , who recognized the independence of Finland. He continued to advocate the rapprochement of Shyutskor with the labor movement. These ideas were carried out through the Kaila-edited magazines Suojeluskuntalaisen Lehden ( Magazine of the Guard Corps ) and Sanan ja Miekan ( Word and Sword ).

In February-March 1922, Elmo Kayla took an active part in the creation of the Karelian Academic Society ( AKS ) - the organizational and ideological center of the Great Finnish movement. Twice - in 1923 - 1927 and 1928 - 1930 - was chairman of the AKS. He conducted the line of Schutskor and military nationalists in the Society. The Kayla leadership period was marked by AKS militarization.

Formal chairmanship was not characteristic of Kayla's political style. Usually he distanced himself from publicity, preferring “shadow” methods of influence and leadership.

Despite nationalism and fenomania, Elmo Kaila was a supporter of the consolidation of the Finnish and Swedish populations on the basis of the Great Finnish project, and opposed discrimination against the Swedish language in Finland. This led to conflicts with the extreme radicals of the AKS. Elmo Kaila's main competitor in the struggle for leadership in the Society was Elias Simoyoki .

In 1929, Elmo Kayla was seriously injured from being hit on the head with an airplane propeller. For health reasons, he was forced to reduce socio-political activity. Engaged in scientific research in the field of historical geography.

In 1932, Elmo Kayla received his doctorate in geographical sciences. He was appointed keeper of the military archive, held this position until his death. Elmo Kyle died at the age of 47 years.

Modern Finnish nationalists consider Elmo Kailu one of those who devoted their lives to the struggle for the national existence of Finland ^[3] .

Elmo Kayla was twice married. Married to Aino, Lyudy Pohjonen had a daughter, Anna Maya Martila. His second wife was Martha Maria Eleanor Anthony. In this marriage, the sons of Ermo Edward and Klaus and the daughter of Lael Anthera were born ^[4] .