Eino Jutikkala’s work as a historical research was conducted at a rapid pace, but always careful and conscientious. He was usually the first one in the team to be ready and often well before the deadline. He is said to have published more by the age of thirty than many had in their whole lives. He also kept up the pace with other things besides his own research.

One of the first larger projects was his involvement as editorial secretary on the series of volumes on Finland’s cultural history, Suomen kulttuurihistoria. The project was led initially by Gunnar Suolahti, but when he died suddenly the responsibility fell to another titan of cultural history Väinö Voionmaa. However, the pace was really set by Jutikkala, who was said to have stood waiting beside the writer for ‘copy’. Students too experienced Jutikkala’s impatience and gave him the nickname Hoppu-Heikki (‘Hurry Harry’) or just Hoppu (harry). The students appreciated Jutikkala all the same, and his lectures were popular with students as well as in the world beyond the University.

Päiviö Tommila characterised Jutikkala thus: “As a lecturer Jutikkala was marvellous, as an examiner demanding, as seminar leader thorough, as a supervisor scholarly precise, as a boss trustworthy. He organised memorable historical soirées for his friends. And we should not forget his beloved mah-jong.”

The brisk pace at which the work was done made it possible for Jutikkala to be involved in all kinds of projects. He was influential in the setting up of independent Paikallishistoriallisen Toimisto (Eng. ‘local history office’), whose purpose was to ensure the quality of local historical research. Jutikkala was both a board member and chairman of the organisation. Jutikkala was a familiar figure in other learned societies both as member and chairman.

Jutikkala was active in editing the Finnish historical almanac over many years, serving as editor-in-chief. He was also instrumental in starting and contributing to the Finnish National Biography project, although especially in the beginning of his career he took a dim view of the cavalcade of the ‘great and good’.

The quality of Eino Jutikkala’s work was recognised in many ways. He was awarded no fewer than four honorary doctorates from different universities, in addition to which he was one of the first to be granted the title academician in 1972. His first honorary doctorate came from the faculty of political science at the University of Helsinki in 1956, which meant that he was still in post to have the rare title of riemukunniatohtori bestowed upon him, a full fifty years later.

Citation from Tommila, Vuosisadan akateemikko ja akateemikon vuosisata

 Sources (in Finnish):

• Pertti Haapala, ”Eino Jutikkala (1907-2006). Talonpojan historian kirjoittaja” (‘Eino Jutikkala (1907–2006). Author of the history of the peasantry’). In Suomalaisia tieteen huipulla (‘The Best of Finnish Science’), eds. Tapio Markkanen, Allan Tiitta and Paula Havaste. Gaudeamus: Tallinn 2014.
• Päiviö Tommila, ‘Jutikkala, Eino’. National Biography of Finland online. Accessed May 5, 2015.
• Päiviö Tommila, ”Vuosisadan akateemikko ja akateemikon vuosisata” ‘The scholar of the century and the century of the scholar’. Finnish Academy of Science and Letters online. Accessed May 5, 2015.
• Wikipedia, ‘Eino Jutikkala’. Accessed May 4, 2015.

Translated by John Calton