struggle against Bolshevism"—at the same time intending to ease Finland's emotional dependency on Germany. Westman argued, not without some merit, that his views truly represented those of the Swedish government and civil service in general, and specifically the views of the cabinet. The realpolitik policies of Foreign Minister Günther were not as popular in the left-leaning majority of the Cabinet now, when a clash between Nazism and Communism was on the agenda, as it had been during the zenith of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. What he said in Helsinki, he was convinced, was totally in accordance with the views of influential Social Democrats as Östen Undén and Ernst Wigforss, and also with the generally neutralist Liberals and Agrarians. After Finland's re-conquest of Vyborg, that had been a Swedish–Finnish key castle 1293–1721, a general display of flags was proclaimed for August 30. In an unprecedented move, Sweden's embassy did not fly the flags, and soon Finland's Foreign Minister requested his removal. It would however last yet a year, and require the request of President Ryti, until Westman was recalled to Stockholm and replaced by a less controversial diplomat. Westman felt the recall from Helsinki to be a humiliating reprimand, for which some kind of compensation was to be expected. When Westman's friend Östen Undén after the world war became Sweden's foreign minister, Westman was promptly given the prestigious position as State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and soon one of the most prestigious embassies, that in Paris. Awards and decorations Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star (6 June 1936) King Gustaf V's Jubilee Commemorative Medal (1928) References 1889 births 1970 deaths Ambassadors of Sweden to France Ambassadors of Sweden to Finland Ambassadors of Sweden to Spain Ambassadors of Sweden to Switzerland Westman family Commanders Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star