Born into a Karelian family of clerics in 1800, Gabriel Rein left upper secondary school in Vyborg to study at the Imperial Academy of Turku in 1817. Rein worked as amanuensis of the Academy library and docent in history. The Great Fire of Turku reached the Academy building on September 5, 1827. Rein and the undergraduate Matthias Akiander distinguished themselves by saving the majority of the university’s archives from the partly flame-engulfed buildings. Rein began as a lecturer of German Language after the university moved to the new administrative centre of the Grand Duchy of Finland, Helsinki.

Rein was one of Johan Vilhelm Snellman’s closest friends. He protected Snellman from the attacks of the Liberals and, for example, defended him in a dispute with the university consistory in 1838. Nevertheless, as a Liberal himself, Rein was capable of opposing his friend. In the years 1841–48, he had been a member of the Censorship Committee, but he had defected to the Liberals during a debate in the 1867 Diet of Finland sparked by a new press bill.

Rein was fascinated by the Middle Ages and is considered the successor of scholar Henrik Gabriel Porthan. Rein’s research included the Second Crusade and the activities of Orthodox missionaries in Karelia before the beginning of Roman Catholic missionary work in Finland.

Named Professor of History in 1834, Rein remained in his post until 1860, after which he focused on statistical work. With the support of Snellman he became director of the temporary Statistical Office of Finland in 1865. At the university, Rein lectured on Finnish history, and these lectures formed the basis of his posthumously published work Föreläsningar öfver Finlands historia I-II (‘Lectures on the history of Finland I-II’), which can be considered the first detailed, comprehensive presentation of the stages of Finnish History up until the Diet of Porvoo.

Rein was chosen as rector of the Imperial Alexander University four times between 1848 and 1858. As rector he was forced to perform a difficult balancing act in a no-man’s-land between liberal students and a more authoritarian leadership. At the time, the work of a university rector resembled that of a chief of police in respect to the undergraduates. Consequently, rectors were seldom popular among the students. Rein was nevertheless an exception. As a member of the committee which had formulated the new university statutes, he strove to defend the student nations, which had been rendered illegal by the adoption of the statues in 1852. Rein was forced to resign from his position as rector as a result of the so-called Ditt och Datt scandal of 1858.

Rein enjoyed a cordial relationship with Tsar Alexander II, who he had met as university rector when the then Crown Prince had travelled to Helsinki in 1851. In a speech addressed to Alexander II, Rein had attempted to emphasise the importance of a freer system, even making reference to assembling the Diet.

Rein was ennobled in 1856 and was simultaneously awarded the title of privy councillor. His family name was entered into the House of Nobility in 1863, and Rein represented the aristocracy in the Diet of Finland as a member of a moderate grouping in 1863–64 and 1867.

Rein, a sympathiser of Finnish identity, participated in the meetings of the Saturday Society (Lauantaiseura), a society run by humanities students which aimed to promote Finnish-language literature and culture. He was also one of the founding members of the Finnish Literature Society and held its chairmanship for two terms of office: 1841–53 and 1863–67

Gabriel Rein’s progeny became influential figures in the university world. His son Thiodolf Rein was professor of philosophy and also a long-term university rector and vice-chancellor. Thiodolf’s son Gabriel, in turn, became professor of general history and Edvard professor of Greek literature. Rein’s grandson Arvi Grontenfelt, for his part, became professor of philosophy and his brother Kustavi professor of Scandinavian history.

The works of Gabriel Rein

• De vetere Carelia ante occupationem Suecanam, 1825–1830
• De rerum Fennicarum scriptoribus ante conditam Academiam Aboensem, 1828
• Finlands forntid i Chronologisk öfversigt, åtföljd af de förnämsta händelser ur Rysslands och Sveriges historia, 1831
• De loco, quo, arma Tavastis illaturus, appulerit Birgerus Dux, 1833
• Biskop Thomas och Finland i hans tid, 1838–1839
• Statistisk teckning af Storfurstendömet Finland, 1843
• Berättelse öfver Storfurstendömet Finlands förvaltning ifrån år 1855 till början af år 1862, 1862
• Föreläsningar öfver Finlands historia I–II, 1870–1871

Sources:

• Gabriel Rein, Wikipedia. Accessed 13 November 2015
• Klinge, Matti (ed.) Helsingin yliopisto 1640–1990. 2. Osa (‘The University of Helsinki 1640–1990. Part 2.’)
• Kotivuori, Yrjö, Ylioppilasmatrikkeli 1640–1852: Gabriel Rein. (‘Student Roll of University of Helsinki 1640–1852: Gabriel Rein’) online publication 2005. Accessed November 13, 2015.
• Landgrén, Lars-Folke (2006): Rein, Gabriel (1800–1867). National Biography online publication. Helsinki: Finnish Literature Society. Accessed November 13, 2015. Available for free on the Nelli Portal
• Helsingin yliopiston opettaja- ja virkamiesmatrikkeli 1640–1917 (‘University of Helsinki teacher and Officer Roll 1640–1971’)