C. O. Frietsch
Carl Olof Frietsch | |
|---|---|
| Born | 24 March 1901 Prague, Czechoslovakia |
| Died | 19 August 1973 (aged 72) Malles, Val Venosta, South Tyrol, Italy |
| Occupation(s) | Diplomat, parliamentarian |
| Years active | 1927–1965 |
| Known for | Finnish diplomat and member of parliament for the Swedish People's Party |
Carl Olof (Ole, C.O.) Frietsch (24 March 1901 – 19 August 1973) was a Finnish diplomat and parliamentarian affiliated with the Swedish People's Party.
Frietsch was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, as the son of engineer Karl Gustaf Frietsch and Eva Lönnblad. He completed his secondary education in 1920 and obtained a doctoral degree from Kiel University in 1926.
Between 1927 and 1937, Frietsch was employed by the Nordic Union Bank in Helsinki, where he became procurator in 1935. He then acted as advisor to the co-operative Varuboden from 1937 to 1940 and managed sales operations for Uusimaa during 1941–1945. His editorial career included serving as editor-in-chief for Kontorsvärlden (1935–1937) and Vi och vårt (1937–1945).
Following World War II, Frietsch transitioned into diplomatic service. He was a newsreader at the Finnish Embassy in Stockholm from 1946 to 1948, then held Secretary of State roles in Stockholm (1948–1950, 1953–1956), as well as in Oslo and Copenhagen (1948–1950), and Washington, D.C. (1950–1953). From 1957 to 1961, he represented Finland permanently and acted as chargé d'affaires at the United Nations office in Vienna. Later, he served as consul general in Hamburg between 1961 and 1965.
In his political career, Frietsch represented Uusimaa in the Finnish Parliament on behalf of the Swedish People's Party from 1936 until 1945. He chaired the Parliamentary Banking Committee, contributed to the supervisory board of the Finnish Broadcasting Company, and was a board member of the Social Insurance Institution (Kela). Furthermore, he led organizations including the Finnish-American Association, the Finnish branch of the Swedish branch office, and the Swedish Banking Association of Finland.
During the Continuation War, Frietsch aligned with the peace opposition and participated on the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee. In 1945, he authored Finlands ödesår 1939–1943, a work focusing on Finland’s wartime political landscape.
Frietsch married Anna Liesbeth Hollen in 1927; their marriage ended in divorce in 1964. The following year, he wed Leni Hanna Magda Maria Delwall. He passed away at age 72 in Malles, Val Venosta, South Tyrol, Italy.