Kagal (Finnish resistance movement)

[1] The central character of the Kagal is thought to have been Leo Mechelin, an independent liberal, but notable lead characters also included Carl Mannerheim (older brother of Marshal of Finland Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim), Adolf von Bonsdorff [fi; sv; fr], Ernst Estlander, J. N. Reuter [fi; sv; fr], Adolf Törngren and Wilhelm Zilliacus [fi; sv; fr] from the Swedish People's Party, and the Young Finns Eero Erkko, Theodor Homén, Heikki Renvall and P. E. Svinhufvud.

The lord of the mansion, General Julius af Lindfors [fi; sv; fr], had inherited his fortune from his father-in-law Henrik Borgström (1799–1883), who had risen from nothing to owning a house of commerce, and had been present in founding the Liberal Party and acted as a notable patron of the arts.

In a secret meeting, Leo Mechelin wrote a people's address to the Tsar, which gathered 500 000 signatures (the country's population at the time was about 2.6 million).

In 1905, Russia suffered a humiliating military defeat by Japan, which caused social unrest, and finally the Tsar gave up dictatorship in favour of the parliament (Dom).

The Women's Kagal distributed forbidden political literature, such as the underground newspaper Vapaita Sanoja (Fria Ord).

Kagal members at the Träskända estate in Espoo on April 10, 1903. In the back, P. E. Svinhufvud in front of the door and Eero Erkko second from the right; in front, Ernst Estlander with his hands in the gust and Theodor Homé 's hands in his pockets.