Chairman of the Administrative Board of the Bank of Finland 1923-1940, 1944-1945. As a politician supported the Progressive Party; Member of Parliament 1919-1924, 1927-1929; Minister 1921-1922, 1922-1924; Prime Minister from 1 December, 1939 till 19 December, 1940, after the Russian attack on Finland; elected President of the Republic on 19 December, 1940, after President Kyösti Kallio had been taken permanently ill.
When the presidential election was approaching in winter 1942-43, there was a political movement to put Mannerheim forward as a candidate for presidency. This was backed by the United States who believed Mannerheim to be more willing to negotiate peace than Ryti. Mannerheim, however, declined candidacy and Ryti was re-elected in February, 1943.
Ryti was convicted of war crimes in 1946 and sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment in a penitentiary, but was pardoned in 1949. Honorary Doctor of Helsinki University, 1956.
World War II | Pacific War | Winter War | Headquarters | Mannerheim Line | Vilho Petter Nenonen | K.L. Oesch | Harald Öhquist | Paavo Talvela | Continuation War |Transit Pact | Risto Ryti | Order of the Day of the Sword Scabbard | Erik Heinrichs | A.F. Airo | Hugo Österman | Marshal's Drink | Mannerheim Cross | Title of Marshal of Finland | Air War - Air Forces
COURSE OF LIFE | FAMILY | TIME OF GROWTH | MILITARY CAREER | WAR OF INDEPENDENCE | REGENT 1918-1919 | CIVILIAN | DEFENCE COUNCIL | COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 1939-1946 | PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC 1944-1946 | RETIREMENT | SPECIAL TOPICS | SEARCH