1. Early Life and World War I
Hans Kalm was born on April 21, 1889, into a farmer's family in the village of Kotsama, located in Kõo Parish, which was then part of the Kreis Fellin in the Governorate of Livonia (modern-day Põhja-Sakala Parish in Estonia). His surname, Kalm, is etymologically linked to the old Finno-Ugric word `kalmaFinno-Ugrian languages`, meaning "death". According to a family legend, one of Kalm's ancestors survived the Black Death by concealing himself on a remote cemetery island, subsequently changing his name to reflect this experience.
In 1914, Kalm was conscripted into the Imperial Russian Army and participated in the First World War, fighting on the Eastern Front in areas such as the Gulf of Riga. Following the 1917 Russian Revolution and the collapse of the Tsarist regime, he fled to Finland.
2. Finnish Civil War and War Crimes
After fleeing to Finland, Hans Kalm joined the White Guards and played a significant and controversial role in the 1918 Finnish Civil War. He commanded a battalion primarily composed of students from two park ranger colleges in Ähtäri and Evo. This battalion became infamous for its brutal actions and alleged war crimes.
2.1. Joining the White Guards and Harmoinen Incident
Kalm's battalion gained notoriety in March 1918 following what became known as the Harmoinen Incident. During this event, his forces attacked a Red Guard sanatorium in the village of Harmoinen within the Kuhmoinen municipality. The attack resulted in the killing of 11 wounded soldiers and two nurses who were under the care of the sanatorium.
2.2. Hennala Camp Massacres
Following the Battle of Lahti in May 1918, which concluded with a decisive victory for the White Army, aided by German forces, approximately 30,000 prisoners were captured. Among these, around 800 were identified as Red Guards, while over 20,000 were disarmed refugees. These prisoners were dispersed among various detention camps across Finland. Kalm's battalion was assigned responsibility for the Hennala camp.
At the Hennala camp, without due legal process, Kalm's battalion conducted summary executions of over 500 Red prisoners in a short period during May. More than 200 of these victims were women. Disturbingly, reports indicate that these women were subjected to rape before their executions, with the youngest victim being only 14 years old. It is also widely believed that Kalm himself personally shot and killed Ali Aaltonen, a prominent Red Guard leader who had been captured.
3. Estonian War of Independence
In July 1918, after the Finnish Civil War concluded, Hans Kalm resigned from the White Army and departed for Estonia. There, he assumed command of the Pohjan Pojat regiment, a unit composed entirely of Finnish volunteers, which participated in the Estonian War of Independence. The Pohjan Pojat regiment was officially disbanded in May 1919, at which point Kalm returned to Finland.
4. Life and Medical Practice in the United States
Following his military service in Estonia, Hans Kalm transitioned to civilian life, spending a significant period residing and pursuing professional activities in the United States.
4.1. Medical Studies and Practice
Between 1923 and 1933, Kalm lived in the United States. During this time, he pursued extensive medical studies and subsequently practiced as a doctor in New Jersey and New York. His period of residence in the United States culminated in his acquisition of United States citizenship in 1930.
4.2. Interest in Alternative Medicine
After returning to Finland in 1934 and settling in Rauma in Western Finland, Kalm developed a profound interest in various forms of alternative medicine. His professional engagement extended to practices such as naturopathy, orthopathy, and homeopathy, and he also showed an interest in sauna therapies. Reflecting this dedication, he reportedly operated a spa promoting these alternative health approaches.
5. World War II and Post-War Years
Hans Kalm's life continued to be marked by controversial activities during World War II and by significant personal and professional challenges in the post-war period, including his flight from Finland and subsequent legal troubles.
5.1. POW Camp Command and Nazi Affiliations
When Finland joined the Second World War, Kalm briefly served as the commander of a prisoner-of-war camp in Pieksämäki. He was released from this command in October 1941 and subsequently sent to Germany to study military health issues on behalf of the Finnish Army. Throughout the war, Kalm was actively involved with the Finnish Nazi organization, the Finnish National Socialist Labor Organisation (KTJ).
5.2. Post-War Flight and Medical License Revocation
In 1946, to evade potential arrest for alleged misconduct and prisoner abuse at the Pieksämäki prison camp, Hans Kalm fled Finland. He traveled to the United States via Sweden, reportedly going into hiding during this period, possibly due to a sense of guilt or implication in the misconduct. While in the United States, he worked as a physician in Aiken County, South Carolina, and later pursued studies in surgery in Mexico.
Kalm returned to Finland in 1957, intending to continue practicing homeopathic medicine. However, his professional career faced a significant setback when his doctor's license was finally revoked in 1974. This revocation occurred after Finnish authorities discovered that the Mid-West Medical College, from which Kalm had graduated in 1933, was not recognized or approved by the American Medical Association.
6. Death
In his final years, Hans Kalm resided with his son's family in Jyväskylä, Finland. He died on February 1, 1981, at the age of 91.
7. Selected Publications
Hans Kalm's published works primarily reflect his later interest in medicine and alternative health practices. His notable publications include:
- Organotropia as a Basis of Therapy (1969)
8. Historical Assessment and Controversies
Hans Kalm's life and actions are subject to considerable historical scrutiny and controversy, largely due to his conduct during the Finnish Civil War and his later affiliations. His command during the civil war was marked by extreme brutality and disregard for human rights, particularly evidenced by the Harmoinen Incident, where wounded soldiers and nurses were killed.
More significantly, the mass summary executions carried out by his battalion at the Hennala camp are widely condemned as severe war crimes. The deliberate killing of over 500 prisoners, including a substantial number of women and minors, without trial, and the documented rapes of female prisoners before their execution, represent a dark chapter in the conflict. These actions reflect a profound lack of adherence to ethical conduct and military conventions. Furthermore, Kalm's active involvement with the Finnish Nazi organization during World War II underscores his association with extremist ideologies. His post-war flight and the subsequent revocation of his medical license highlight the ongoing legal and ethical consequences of his controversial past. Kalm's legacy is critically viewed as that of a figure deeply implicated in atrocities and extremist movements.