# Ståhlberg kidnapped (14 October 1930)

URL: https://allhistories.com/finland/timeline/1930-stahlberg-kidnapped
Location: Helsinki; Joensuu
Themes: Key Events

On 14 October 1930 activists abducted Ståhlberg and his wife Ester from their home in Helsinki and drove them to Joensuu, intending to deport them to the Soviet Union. They were released there. The kidnapping shocked the public and turned many moderates against the Lapua Movement. Several participants, including former chief of staff Kurt Martti Wallenius, were tried.

## Why it matters
The outrage marked the beginning of the Lapua Movement's decline.

Ruler at the Time: [Lauri Kristian Relander](https://allhistories.com/finland/rulers/lauri-kristian-relander)

Prime Minister of Finland: Pehr Evind Svinhufvud (National Coalition Party)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaarlo_Juho_Ståhlberg)
- [Wikipedia — Lapua Movement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lapua_Movement)
- [Wikipedia — Interwar Republic (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Finland)