Background
He was born in Kuopio, in eastern Finland.
He was born in Kuopio, in eastern Finland.
His mother, Wilhelmiina, worked in Minna Canth"s fabric shop, and his father, Aaro, was a carpenter. In 1907–1911 Haapalainen was the first chairman of the Finnish Trade Union Federation. He was also a columnist on the Työmies newspaper, and later secretary of Helsinki"s Workers Group.
In the 1918 Finnish Civil War Haapalainen fought for the Red Guards.
After the defeat, he fled to the Soviet Union, where he was executed for counterrevolutionary nationalist activities in 1937.
