Martin Eugen Ekström (6 December 1887 – 28 December 1954) was a Swedish
military
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...
adventure
An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme spo ...
umbrella organization
An umbrella organization is an association of (often related, industry-specific) institutions who work together formally to coordinate activities and/or pool resources. In business, political, and other environments, it provides resources and iden ...
for various
fascist
Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural soci ...
Avesta Municipality
Avesta Municipality () is one of 290 municipalities of Sweden. It is in Dalarna County, in the central part of the country, and its seat is in the town of Avesta (locality), Avesta.
The municipality in its present size was created in 1967 when t ...
. During the
Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War was a civil war in Finland in 1918 fought for the leadership and control of the country between Whites (Finland), White Finland and the Finnish Socialist Workers' Republic (Red Finland) during the country's transition fr ...
Helsinki
Helsinki () is the Capital city, capital and most populous List of cities and towns in Finland, city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About people live in the municipali ...
, aged 67.
Career
Ekström was born in By, Kopparberg County, the son of Anders Gustav Ekström and his wife Johanna Mathilda (née Eriksson). He graduated from the Artillery School in 1916 and completed the German officers examination in
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
in 1916. Ekström was military instructor of the Persian Gendarmerie from 1911 to 1915 and was chief of staff of
Vaasa
Vaasa (; , ), formerly (1855-1917) known as Nikolaistad (; ),White Guard District. He participated in the
Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War was a civil war in Finland in 1918 fought for the leadership and control of the country between Whites (Finland), White Finland and the Finnish Socialist Workers' Republic (Red Finland) during the country's transition fr ...
, the
Estonian War of Independence
The Estonian War of Independence, also known as the War of Freedom in Estonia, was a defensive campaign of the Estonian Army and its allies, most notably the United Kingdom, against the Soviet Russian westward offensive of 1918–1919 and the ...
, and the
Lithuanian Wars of Independence
The Lithuanian Wars of Independence, also known as the Freedom Struggles (), refer to three wars Lithuania fought defending its independence at the end of World War I: with Bolshevik forces (December 1918 – August 1919), Bermontians (October ...
.
Ekström was the leader of the National Socialist Bloc from 1934 and editor of ''Riksposten'' from 1934. He was known for the Viipuri massacre.
Finnish awards and decorations:
- Order of the Cross of Liberty 2nd Class with swords and oak leaves
- Order of the Cross of Liberty 2nd Class without swords
- Order of the Cross of Liberty 3rd Class 1918 with swords
- Order of the Cross of Liberty 4th Class 1918 with swords
- Commander of the Order of the White Rose of Finland
- Medal of Liberty 1st Class 1918
- Medal of Liberty 2nd Class 1918
- War of Liberation Commemorative Medal with two clasps
- Commemorative Medal for the Battle of Tampere 1918
- Heimosodat Cross
- Winter War Commemorative Medal with clasp
- Commemorative Cross of the 17th Division
- Commemorative Cross for the Coastal Artillery
- Continuation War Commemorative Medal (posthumous)
- Blue Cross
Foreign awards and decorations:
- Gold Medal for Military Valour (Persia)
- Silver Medal for Military Valour (Persia)
- Iron Cross 2nd Class 1914 (Prussia)
- Gallipoli Star (Ottoman Empire)
- Cross of Liberty I Grade, 1st Class (Estonia)
- Cross of Liberty II Grade, 3rd Class (Estonia)
- Order of the Cross of the Eagle 2nd Class with swords (Estonia)
- Commemorative Medal of the Estonian War of Independence (Estonia)
Personal life
In 1920 he married Gladys Kurtén (born 1896), the daughter of Karl Henrik Kurtén and Florence Emma Elliott.