Ali Aaltonen

Who was Ali Aaltonen?

Ali Aaltonen was a Lieutenant in the Imperial Russian army, journalist, and Finnish socialist leader. He participated in the Russo-Japanese battles as a lieutenant and later in the Russian revolution of 1905. The revolution failed and this led to Alltonen's loss of officer status within the Imperial Russian Army. He then served as a journalist and wrote under the pseudonym Ali Baba.

Aaltonen commanded the military forces of the Reds during the Finnish Civil War and tried to secure arms deals with Russia. He led the attack on Näsilinna during the Battle of Tampere. He was later relegated to other duties due to his alcoholism. He was arrested by the White Guards at the Villähde railway station and sent to the Hennala prison camp, where he later was shot by Hans Kalm, an Estonian officer, who had volunteered to fight for the Whites.