Carl Enckell

Carl Enckell
Minister for Foreign Affairs
In office 8 August 1944 – 17 March 1950
Preceded by	Henrik Ramsay
Succeeded by	Åke Gartz
In office 1 January 1924 – 31 May 1924
Preceded by	Juho Vennola
Succeeded by	Hjalmar Procopé
In office 2 June 1922 – 14 November 1922
Preceded by	Rudolf Holsti
Succeeded by	Juho Vennola
In office 27 November 1918 – 17 April 1919
Preceded by	Otto Stenroth
Succeeded by	Rudolf Holsti
Personal details
Born	7 June 1876 Saint Petersburg, Imperial Russia
Died	Helsinki, Finland
Nationality	Finnish

Carl Enckell (7 June 1876, Saint Petersburg – 26 March 1959, Helsinki) was a Finnish politician, officer and diplomat. He was the first representative of independent Finland in Saint Petersburg. On several occasions he served as the Finnish foreign minister and as the Finnish delegate in the League of Nations.

Enckell graduated as an officer from Hamina Cadet School after which he served in the Imperial Russian Army, learning fluent Russian. In 1917 Enckell negotiated for Finnish independence in Saint Petersburg in the position of Finnish Minister Secretary of State and representative of Senate of Finland.

Enckell represented the newly independent Finland in the League of Nations. It can be counted to his credit that the Åland crisis, a dispute between Sweden and Finland over ownership of the Åland Islands, was resolved in Finland's favor. The island group remained a part of Finland.

Enckell served as Minister of Foreign Affairs 1918 - 1919, 1922, 1924 and 1944 - 1950. Enckell was the Ambassador of Finland in Paris between 1919 and 1927 after which he had a career as a banker. He returned to diplomatic service in 1944, served as the vice-chairman of the Finnish peace delegation and on 10 February 1947 signed the Paris Peace Treaty on behalf of Finland.