| Hella Wuolijoki | |
|---|---|
 Hella Wuolijoki |
|
| Born | Hella Ella Murrik June 22, 1886 Helme, Estonia |
| Died | February 2, 1954 (aged 67) Helsinki, Finland |
| Pen name | Juhani Tervapää |
| Occupation | Author |
| Language | Finnish |
| Nationality | Finnish |
| Ethnicity | Estonian |
| Citizenship | Finnish |
Hella Wuolijoki (née Ella Murrik; June 22, 1886 - February 2, 1954) was a Finnish writer of Estonian origin, known for her Niskavuori series.
Life & career
Wuolijoki was born in Helme, Estonia.
In 1908, she married Sulo Vuolijoki, who was a personal friend of Lenin. They divorced in 1923. Later in her life Wuolijoki started writing her name with the letter W.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Wuolijoki had a literary and political salon that discussed culture and promoted left-wing ideas. She was however not openly communist during those years. Nevertheless, she had secret connections with Cheka. The Finnish police suspected her of being an illegal resident spy, but there was no solid proof until 1943, when she was arrested for hiding a Soviet paratrooper spy Kerttu Nuorteva and was sentenced to life imprisonment. She was released in 1944 after the ceasefire that ended the Continuation War.
Wuolijoki was a member of the Finnish Parliament and the head of the SKDL parliamentary group from 1946 to 1947. Wuolijoki also served as the director of the national broadcasting company, YLE, from 1945 to 1949.
She died in Helsinki, Finland, in 1954.
Hella Wuolijoki wrote several books under the male pseudonym Juhani Tervapää, characterized by strong female characters. She also wrote a couple of books in collaboration with the author Bertolt Brecht, including Mr Puntila and his Man Matti.
Family
Hella Wuolijoki was the grandmother of the Finnish politician and current Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja. Salme Dutt, an influential figure in the British Communist movement, was Wuolijoki's sister.
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