Cely Mechelin 1866-1950

Cely Mechelin was a Finnish activist in the women’s movement and other non-governmental organisations. She established a career in the philanthropic and social civic organisations typical of the women of her time, becoming active in them at a young age. Interested in promoting literacy for the blind and having become acquainted with the library for the blind in Paris, she founded the Föreningen Böcker åt de blinda (Books for the Blind) in 1890, which she chaired until 1932. Mechelin was active in the Unioni Naisasialiitto Suomessa and in 1899 she was one of the founders of the Martta Association.
During the first period of repression, Mechelin was involved in organising passive resistance and in 1902 she was one of the founders of the sister organisation of the resistance organisation Kagaal, the Women’s Kagaal, where she remained until its formal dissolution in 1944. Mechelin was possibly homosexual, as later revealed in his correspondence. At one point, he may have had a romantic relationship with Vera Hjelti, a member of parliament, with whom he corresponded for 54 years.