Taneli Kekkonen

Taneli Kaleva Kekkonen (4 September 1928 – 11 July 1985) was a Finnish diplomat and one of the twin sons of president Urho Kekkonen and author Sylvi Kekkonen.

Taneli Kekkonen was married since 1952 to K. A Fagerholm's daughter Brita Fagerholm (1927–2013) and had two children Timo Kekkonen (born 1957) and Tea Kekkonen (born 1963).

Taneli Kekkonen was a Bachelor of Political Science and worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1952. During his career Kekkonen served as Ambassador in Belgrade, Athens, Rome from 1975 to 1980, Malta, Warsaw from 1980 to 1984 and last in Tel Aviv from 1984 to 1985.

When Kekkonen was caught on drunk driving in the early 1980s, the Foreign Ministry invited him home from Tel Aviv. Kekkonen was deeply depressed and told his wife Brita that he is going to commit suicide. His wife asked him to wait for at least a year. That year, Kekkonen sat in his office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during office hours and no assignments were assigned to him. On 11 July 1985 Taneli Kekkonen committed suicide.^[1]

References[]