Aino Sibelius’s paternal roots are in Germany. According to researcher Heikki Vuorimies’s findings, Didrik Keldunck, the bailiff of the Skåningen district, had two sons in the early 1600s who both served in the Swedish army during the Thirty Years’ War. After peace was declared, both sons, who had risen to the rank of captain, received noble titles from Queen Christina in gratitude for their service. Johan Keldunck, ennobled as Järnefelt (also appears as Jernefelt), is the family’s patriarch.
Didrik Keldunck
- Son: Johan Järnefelt
Lieutenant Colonel. Ennobled on June 3, 1651, as Järnefelt and registered with the Swedish House of Nobility in 1652. Owned the Eknö estate in the parish of Björskog, where he died on April 15, 1666.
Spouse: Sigrid Laurintytär. - Son: Gustav Järnefelt
Lieutenant in the Ostrobothnian Infantry Regiment. Died in 1688.
Spouse: Anna Margareetta Nassokin. - Son: Gustav Johan Järnefelt
Born August 22, 1682. Lieutenant in the Jämtland Infantry Regiment. Was captured twice by the Russians during Charles XII’s campaigns. Died in Maaninga on March 14, 1761.
Spouse: Maria Sander, in Kokkola in the 1720s. - Son: Olof Anders Järnefelt
Born in Kokkola on July 19, 1729. Company wagon master lieutenant in Rantasalmi, where he died on November 30, 1788.
Spouse: Helena Katariina Carlquist, in Mikkeli on November 22, 1757. - Son: Johan Adolf Järnefelt
Born in Mikkeli on June 17, 1763. Ensign. Participated in Gustav III’s War of 1788–90 and the Finnish War of 1808–09. Registered as a member of the Finnish House of Nobility in 1818.
Spouse: Hedvig Gustava Törne, in Rantasalmi on November 6, 1790. - Son: Gustav Adolf Järnefelt (Aino Sibelius’s grandfather)
Born in Rantasalmi on July 20, 1791. Volunteer in the Savonia Light Infantry Regiment in 1804. Participated in the Finnish War of 1808–09. Matriculated in Turku on May 15, 1816. Crown Bailiff of the Lower District of Karelia on April 11, 1820. Died in Tohmajärvi on May 17, 1838.
Spouse: Aurora Fredrika Molander, in Ilomantsi on December 21, 1820.
Gustav and Aurora’s children
The marriage produced nine children, five daughters and four sons. The oldest son, Gustav Johan, was a district judge in Ilomantsi, Karl Konstantin, the next in line, served as a surveyor in the Viipuri province, and Klas Erik served as a vicar in Kontiolahti. The youngest son, August Aleksander, Aino Sibelius’s father, chose a military career following the family tradition.
August Aleksander Järnefelt (Aino Sibelius’s father)
Born in Tohmajärvi on April 2, 1833. Attended Savonlinna Upper Elementary School and the Finnish Cadet School. Was assigned to the Mihailovsky Artillery School in St. Petersburg on August 25, 1853, and transferred to the Artillery Academy at the end of the same year. After completing the senior officer class course, he was transferred to the inspectorate of artillery on June 23, 1855. Sent to the Nikolayevsky Academy on September 6, 1856, and transferred to its geodetic department at the end of the same year. He also worked at the Pulkovo Observatory. He was transferred as a second lieutenant to astronomical work in the topographic department operating in Finland on April 25, 1860.
He led various topographic mapping projects in Finland up to Lapland during the next decade, sometimes working as an assistant at the Pulkovo Observatory and lecturing in geodesy and astronomy at the General Staff. Promoted to colonel in 1868 and appointed head of the Finnish department of the Russian topographic corps on April 1, 1870.
He participated in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78, leading the mapping of conquered areas. Promoted to major general on April 29, 1878, when he transferred to the mapping administration in St. Petersburg. Returned to Finland in 1881, leading mapping work for a couple more years.
Appointed governor of the Mikkeli province on October 27, 1883, and already on January 24, 1884, to the same position in the Kuopio province. Promoted to lieutenant general on September 11, 1888, and moved to serve as governor of the Vaasa province on November 8 of the same year, during which he was appointed to the Finnish Senate in the summer of 1894. He served as chairman of the Defense Affairs Committee until his death. He died of a stroke in Helsinki on April 15, 1896.
- Spouse: Elisabeth Clodt von Jürgensburg, in St. Petersburg on December 22, 1857.
Children of August Aleksander and Elisabeth:
- Kasper 1859–1941
- Arvid 1861–1932
- Erik (Eero) 1863–1937
- Ellida (Liida) 1865–85
- Ellen (Elli) 1867–1901
- Armas 1869–1958
- Aino Sibelius née Järnefelt 1871–1969
- Hilja 1873–79
- Sigrid (Siiri) 1875–76
August Aleksander Järnefelt had a distinguished career as a soldier, geodesist, topographer, astronomer, and administrator. However, the pinnacle of his career remained unseen as he died at the age of 63 while serving as a senator and chairman of the Defense Affairs Committee, a position comparable to the current Minister of Defense.
Aleksander mandated Finnish as the official language of the regional governments he led, which placed him at the forefront of the Fennoman movement. Elisabeth shared her husband’s Finnish-minded attitude, but there were also significant differences in their thinking; for example, Elisabeth could not accept the leadership position of the nobility as her husband did. After the birth of nine children, the couple’s relationship cooled for many reasons in the late 1870s: two of their children died, Aleksander had to go abroad for work for several years, and upon his return, he became estranged from his wife, who had become more progressive, and partly from their increasingly radicalized sons. Communication and even arrangements regarding financial matters between Elisabeth and Aleksander eventually often occurred only through their daughter Aino.
Aino Järnefelt was her father’s confidante and favorite, whom he wanted to keep at home. Despite her excellent academic performance, Aino was not allowed to attend advanced courses, although her older sister Elli was allowed to attend further education and qualify as a teacher. Aino’s final school report was a leaving certificate from Kuopio Girls’ School, where she was the third-best student in her class with an average grade of 9.
As some compensation for the lack of education, a travel allowance was paid from Aleksander Järnefelt’s estate to his daughter Aino in May 1896. She was able to take her first trip abroad with her composer husband (see Sibelius’s travels).
All of the general’s surviving letters to his daughter convey warmth and love. Aleksander Järnefelt also approved of his confidante’s choice of fiancé. He congratulated Aino immediately on December 3, 1890, upon hearing of his daughter’s secret engagement. At that time, Sibelius was sweating over his proposal letter in Vienna.
Permission for marriage was easily obtained in April 1892 after the premiere of Kullervo, especially since Sibelius was promised work at the Music Institute and the Orchestra Association’s orchestra school.