Ernst Estlander

The Estlanders were a noble Finnish family which is now extinct. His father was the professor of surgery Jakob August Estlander (1831–1881). Ernst Estlander began his studies in 1888 and earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1891 and in law in 1896. He completed his PhD in law in 1900 with a dissertation on old Swedish law. Estlander made study trips to Geneva in Switzerland, Germany and other part of Scandinavia. He became an associate professor of legal history in 1902 and an extraordinary professor in 1908, holding this position until 1937.

Estlander became more and more involved in Finnish politics and was a member of the States Landtag for the nobility from 1897. Supporting passive resistance, he was exiled to Nowgorod in Russia in 1904 for some months. In Helsinki, he was a city council member from 1912-14. From 1907-13 he was elected for the first time as a member of the unicameral parliament for the Swedish People’s Party representing Vaasa County’s southern constituency. He served as chairman of the Swedish parliamentary group from the time Finland gained independence in 1916 until 1924 - with one break between 1920-22 - and held his seat until 1945. Estlander was involved in the creation of self-government legislation for the Åland Islands. The fear of Finnish nationalism and the protection of the Swedish language in Finland later forced him into tactical compromises. During the Continuation War in 1943, he signed the “Petition of the Thirty-three” of the so-called “Peace opposition” urging to conclude peace with the Soviet Union.

At the Stockholm Olympics in 1912, Ernst Estlander was the helmsman of the “Finn II”, the Finnish boat in the 6 metres class. His brother Gustaf /athletes/61949 was also a sailing Olympian in 1912 and well-known boat designer. Ernst remained unmarried throughout his life.