Hella Wuolijoki
Humanist of the day

Hella Wuolijoki

Hella Wuolijoki was the first Estonian woman to graduate with a master’s degree from the Imperial Alexander University in 1908. Wuolijoki was a politically active leftwinger who was imprisoned during the Finnish Continuation War of 1941-1944. Hella Wuolijoki was a woman of many parts: an author, a member of the Finnish Parliament and the director-general of the Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle), to mention a few of her roles. Her grandson, the politician Erkki Tuomioja received the Tieto-Finlandia book prize in 2006 for his book on Wuolijoki, Häivähdys punaista (Eng. A Delicate Shade of Pink).

Hella Wuolijoki

Hella Maria Wuolijoki (née Ella Maria Murrik)
Born 22 July, 1886 Helme, Estonia. Died 2 February, 1954, Helsinki

Master of Arts (folklore studies, history and Russian language) 1908, the Imperial Alexander University

Occupations: reporter, businesswoman, Finnish parliamentarian, director-general of the Finnish Broadcasting Company, and author.

Photo: Museovirasto
Author: Riitta-Ilona Hurmerinta
Translated by: Aija-Leena Bernoulli, Merikki Lappi, Elizabeth Oakes, Johanna Spoof