In the late 1970s Ilkka Herlin was initially considering the offerings of the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Political Sciences when choosing his major.

– Then I was overcome by a strong desire to get to the heart of Finnish history. I began studying history at the University of Helsinki in 1979. Afterwards I have only had some mild regrets about not going to study history somewhere farther from home.

As a student, Herlin was influenced by several notable historians. Päiviö Tommila, Heikki Ylikangas, Pekka Suvanto and Oiva Turpeinen guided Herlin through the first stage of his research career. As the topic of his master’s thesis he chose the methodology of biographical research, which progressed naturally to a doctoral dissertation on the same subject. He daringly chose to study the life of his own grandfather, the academic Kustaa Vilkuna. Through the personal history of Vilkuna, Herlin delved into the birth of Finland as a nation state, peasant culture, the war years and how the academic world influenced society.

– Irma Sulkunen was an important teacher to me. She had studied how the religious world became politicised, and was otherwise helpful in combining a sociological perspective with historical research methods. I was extremely dedicated to research. Perhaps I could have taken it a bit easier. In my final 400 page work there was enough material for two dissertations.”

Herlin’s dissertation, Kivijalasta harjahirteen. Kustaa Vilkunan yhteiskunnallinen ajattelu ja toiminta, was published in November, 1993 by Otava Publishing Company. The public defence of his doctoral thesis was one of the most memorable moments of his life.

– Docent Martti Turtola, who was my opponent for the defence of my thesis, and I managed to produce a good debate. I was particularly pleased when at the end of the event the academic Eino Jutikkala said that it had been the best public defence he had ever attended.”

The significance of his maternal grandfather is also evident in the fact that Mr Herlin’s only personal belonging decorating the conference room of Cargotec, of which he is the chairman of the board and the principal owner, is a portrait of Kustaa Vilkuna. Painted by Oso Heickell, it fills the room with determination and the importance of communication.