Sigurd Wettenhovi-Aspa

[[File:Sigurd-Wettenhovi-Aspa-1940.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Wettenhovi-Aspa in 1940]]
{{pseudohistory}}
'''Sigurd Wettenhovi-Aspa''' (born '''Wetterhoff-Asp'''<ref name="kuvataiteilijamatrikkeli">[https://kuvataiteilijamatrikkeli.fi/taiteilija/sigurd-wettenhovi-aspa-ent-wetterhoff-asp Wettenhovi-Aspa (ent. Wetterhoff-Asp), Sigurd)], Kuvataitelijamatrikkeli (retrieved 28 August 2020)</ref>, 1870–1946) was a [[Finland|Finnish]] sculptor and painter. However, his artistic works have been ''completely'' superseded by his [[crank]]ery about [[pseudohistory]], [[pseudoarchaeology]] and [[pseudolinguistics]].

==Specific views==
Many of the beliefs supported by Wettenhovi-Aspa stemmed from his status as a [[Theosophy|Theosophist]].<ref name="iltasanomat">[https://www.is.fi/kotimaa/art-2000005148383.html Suomalaisen huuhaan mestarin hurja teoria: Kaikki kielet pohjautuvat suomeen], ''Ilta-Sanomat'', 30 March 2017 (in Finnish)</ref>

The Finns were, according to Wettenhovi-Aspa, the primordial nation from which all other nations ultimately derived. However, Finns had not always lived in the Nordics, but instead had travelled from the island of [[Indonesia|Java]] and had temporarily settled in [[Egypt]] (''Äijäkupittaa'').<ref name="yle">Jukka Lindfors: [https://yle.fi/aihe/artikkeli/2011/01/04/wettenhovi-aspa-ja-utopia-suomen-mahdista Wettenhovi-Aspa ja utopia Suomen mahdista], ''Yle'', 4 January 2011 (in Finnish)</ref> There their Finnish language left several words in the local lexicon, such as

* ''muu mies'' ("other man") -> ''muumio'' ("mummy")<ref name="iltasanomat"/>
* ''pyhä raami'' ("holy frame") -> ''pyramidi'' ("pyramid")<ref name="iltasanomat"/>
* ''Simpele''<ref group=note>An [https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simpele actual place] by this name exists in Finland.</ref> -> ''Abu Simbel''<ref name="yle"/>
* ''seurahepo'' ("~companion steed") -> ''seepra'' ("zebra")<ref name="iltasanomat"/>

From the mighty Fenno-Egyptian empire civilization would slowly reach the entirety of the world, leaving behind words and proper nouns such as

* ''kultaura'' ("gold track") -> ''kulttuuri'' ("culture")<ref name="iltasanomat"/>
* ''puut'' ("cut-off wood") -> ''boat''<ref name="iltasanomat"/>
* ''Pukinhamina'' ("[[Goat]]'s harbor")<ref group=note>Never mind the fact that it is plainly obvious that the word ''hamina'' is an adaptation of the [[Sweden|Swedish]] ''hamn''.</ref> -> ''Buckingham''<ref name="yle"/>
* ''Venesija'' ("place for boats") -> ''Venetsia'' ("Venice")<ref name="yle"/>
* ''se Haaksenperä'' ("that Haaksenperä") -> ''[[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]]''<ref name="yle"/>
* ''Parisaaret'' ("Double Islands" -> ''Pariisi'' ("Paris")<ref name="yle"/>
* ''Perälinna'' ("Fort-in-the-Back") -> ''Berliini'' ("Berlin")<ref>Marko Ylitalo: [https://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/art-2000005021048.html Liian outo nero], ''Helsingin Sanomat'', 26 December 2016 (in Finnish)</ref>

The {{wpl|Kalevala|''Kalevala''|,}} written/compiled by {{wpl|Elias Lönnrot}}<ref group=note>Historians still debate how much of each occurred during the creation process.</ref> and published in 1835/1849, later to take the position of the national epic of Finland, was characterized by Wettenhovi-Aspa as in fact the oldest book in existence. He claimed that it was an accurate representation of history and even that it was a medical authority.<ref name="iltasanomat"/>

Wettenhovi-Aspa was in regular correspondence with the Swedish writer {{wpl|August Strindberg||,}} who in turn believed the origin of all languages to be found in [[Hebrew]].<ref>Tapio Onnela: [https://agricolaverkko.fi/keskustelu/viewtopic.php?t=5359 Pro gradu Sigurd Wettenhovi-Aspan suomen kieltä ja suomalaisten historiaa koskevista näkemyksistä], ''Agricola – Suomen humanistiverkko'', 4 October 2013</ref> He also had a predecessor in the 18th century Finnish bishop {{wpl|Daniel Juslenius}} who believed Finns to be one of the [[Ten Lost Tribes|lost tribes of Israel]].<ref name="yle"/>

As time went on, Wettenhovi-Aspa became more and more associated with the extreme right. He served as the head of a prison camp after the {{wpl|Finnish Civil War||,}} supported [[Adolf Hitler]] and [[Antisemitism|called people who criticized him Jews]].<ref name="iltasanomat"/><ref name="yle"/>

==As an artist==
Wettenhovi-Aspa's merits as an artist are not ''entirely'' insignificant. He was educated in [[Denmark]] by {{wpl|Peder Severin Krøyer}} and studied at the [https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Det_Kongelige_Akademi_for_de_Skønne_Kunster Danish Royal Academy of Fine Arts]. He also won two medals for his artwork in France in 1895,<ref name="kuvataiteilijamatrikkeli"/> although his fellow artist {{wpl|Albert Edelfelt}}<ref group=note>Who is much better known as an artist and is not known to have held significantly cranky beliefs during his lifetime.</ref> did characterize his beliefs as "pretty goddamn insane" as early as 1893. Significant trouble assessing his artistic legacy stems from the fact that it is littered all over the world in who-knows-where – not unlike the Finnic influence he claimed, actually.<ref name="iltasanomat"/>

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wettenhovi-Aspa, Sigurd}}
[[Category:Antisemites]]
[[Category:Artists]]
[[Category:Finland]]
[[Category:Nationalist pseudohistory]]
[[Category:Pseudohistory promoters]]
[[Category:Pseudolinguistics]]

Categories: Antisemites, Artists, Finland, Nationalist pseudohistory, Pseudohistory promoters, Pseudolinguistics