The history books claim that the parents of Mina Armfelt was Fredrik Armfelt (16 Mar1759 - 26 Jun 1821) and his wife Ulrika Wallman (1 May1768 - 27 Mar 1842). Fredrik was a cousin to GM Armfelts father. Further it is said that GM Armfelt then adopted his 2nd cousin Mina. The fact is that GMA had to flew from Sweden after the Swedish King Gustav III had been murdered. GMA was sentenced to death but he had manage to escape abroad before the sentence was given. It is known that GMA during his staying abroad had an affair with the Dutchess of Kurland, Anna Charlotta Dorothea von Biron b. von Medem, in the beginning of 1798. Approximately 9 months later a girl, Mina was born. The pregnancy and birth was kept in total secrecy. To make this possible Ulrika Armfelt in Finland pretended to be pregnant by filling up her belly step by step until Mina was born in Germany. Very soon GMA went to Germany to fetch Mina and brought her in secrecy to Turku/Åbo where Mina was christened 21.12.1798 and registered as born 20.12.1798 as the daughter of Ulrika and Fredrik Armfelt. GMA later adopted Mina. Two years later in 1801 GMA had another daughter with the Dutchess' daughter, the princess of Kurland (actually at that time already dutchess of Kurland) Wilhelmina of Sagan. GMA's daughter was Adelaide Gustava Aspasie “Vava” born 13 Jan 1801 in Hamburg, Germany. Vava got the surname Armfelt and in 1802 she was officially accepted also by GMA's own family in Finland. Vava was brought up together with her sister Mina and lived with GMA's family in Finland. Sources given by Birgitta Elving. Letters from: Siri Federley b. 16 Jan 1858 (Mina was Siri's grandmother), Gurli Hegart b. 31 Jan 1861, Rolf Bernhardt b. 29 Mar 1883 and Christer Bernhardt b. 31. Dec 1908. Mina and Vava were both adopted in 1802. It is worthwhile to mention that Mina and Vava both carried the name Gustava from their father and that Mina also carried the name Wilhelmina from, Vava's mother and Charlotta from Mina's mother. The names of Mina's and Axel's children are also quite interesting. Hedvig, Mina's stepmother, Axel, Mina's Husband, Gustaf Mina's father, Lousie Aspasie, Mina's sister, Axela ,Mina's husband, Gustava, Mina's father and Mauritz, Mina's father. Mina came from Halikko to Turku 14 Nov 1822 together with her stepmother, Gustav Mauritz´s widow Countess Hedvig Ulrika born De La Gardie. Source Åbo svenska domkyrkoförsamling communion bok 1812 - 1831. Source by Leena Heikelä. Mina is burried at the old Helsinki cemetary together with her husband Axel. The grave is located at Qvarter Nr 003, Row 6, Grave 0064. |