In the footsteps of Mannerheim

Who was Field Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim?

Five quick questions

President C.G.E. Mannerheim granted the City of Mikkeli the Cross of Liberty, 4th Class with swords, in December 1944 in gratitude for its service as the Headquarters City.

The badge of honour is borne by the City’s coat of arms.

The present coat of arms of the City of Mikkeli, decorated with two ceremonial marshal’s batons of Field Marshal Baron C.G.E. Mannerheim, was adopted in 1943.

2. Mannerheim also worked as A) a restaurateur B) a blacksmith C) a ship’s captain 3. Mikkeli and its environs, home to 11,000 people, hosted what number of people in wartime units?

A) 850 B) 1,500 C) 2,500

5. Marskin ryyppy (schnapps) “secret recipe” contains A) Koskenkorva vodka, gin, Jägermeister B) Vodka, lime juice, sugar C) Aquavit, Vermouth, gin

1 l Rajamäki aquavit 2 cl Vermouth 1 cl Finnish gin

Can you drink it without spilling it?

1. Mannerheim accepted the duties of commander-in-chief A) aged 68 B) aged 72 C) aged 78

4. How far did Mannerheim travel in his saloon carriage?

A) About 48,000 km B) About 78,000 km C) About 104,000 km

– The water of life from the round table of Mikkeli in 1942

Mannerheim’s statue The headquarters statue – Mannerheim’s statue – is a bronze sculpture designed by sculptor Kalervo Kallio.

It was unveiled on 4 June 1967 to honour 100 years since Mannerheim’s birth.

Marskin ryyppy should be served in a long-stemmed schnapps glass, with the thumb and forefinger on the middle part of the bowl. The drink must be ice cold and the glass filled to the brim. It is to be drunk in two gulps or “chewed” several times. When raising the arm, the elbow is kept straight out from the body and the glass is brought close to the body. The drinker does not look into the glass – instead, he looks the opposite person in the eye and raises the glass towards the mouth.

Mannerheim’s saloon train carriage

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Mannerheim’s influences on the coat of arms

Eau-de-Vie de la Table Ronde de St. Michel 1942

As commander-in-chief during Finland’s wars and as a statesman, Mannerheim was also a cultural figure and a cosmopolitan whose own customs drew on international influences. There was a visibly international orientation to his hobbies and culinary habits, the most distinctive of which was his drinking culture and the legendary Marskin ryyppy schnapps.

The foundation for Mannerheim’s drinking culture was laid during his time in service of the Russian Imperial Army. One of the benefits enjoyed by officers in the Czar’s army was one shot glass of vodka at lunch time and two at dinner. As the drink was a benefit-in-kind, the officers always sought to fill the glass right to the brim.

Mannerheim’s aperitif of choice was a glass – full to the brim – of chilled aquavit. A little variety was sought among Mannerheim’s entourage, but wartime rationing was troublesome. A spirit distilled from wood-based raw materials was barely drinkable on its own.

At Mannerheim’s request, adjutant Ragnar Grönvall began making experimental mixes in autumn 1942, and these led to the creation of Marskin ryyppy.

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Mannerheim was again called upon to provide leadership for Finland and change the political course of the state. He was appointed President by emergency law on 4 August 1944, and Finland began to actively pursue a peace settlement. A peace treaty was signed between Finland and the Soviet Union on 19 September 1944. C.G.E. Mannerheim served as president until March 1946, when he moved to Switzerland for the final years of this life. Mannerheim died on 27 January 1951 in Lausanne, Switzerland, at the age of 83.

Mannerheim was laid to rest in the soldier’s cemetery in Hietaniemi, Helsinki, on 4 February with full honours.

Marskin ryyppy schnapps

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World War II broke out when Germany invaded Poland in September 1939. Finland began its mobilisation in the form of additional military exercises in October, and C.G.E. Mannerheim was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Defence Forces at the age of 72.

When Finland found itself on the brink of the Continuation War, it again established its military command centre in Mikkeli on 18 June 1941. Commander-in-Chief Mannerheim once again chose Mikkeli Central School as a base for himself and his closest officers.

Mannerheim moved to a granite building opposite Mikkeli Cathedral and lived there until spring 1944.

The very long working days at headquarters were broken up by lunch and dinner at Mikkelin Klubi.

Even after dinner, the commander -in-chief went back to hear the latest status update. He usually ate with a fixed entourage of his most important officers. The headquarters received a large number of visitors from the front line, parliament and abroad. Journeys were made to the front line and to Helsinki to meet political decision-makers.

During the Winter War and the Continuation War, the headquarters operated out of Mikkeli Central School. The headquarters were a highly visible part of the streetscape in wartime Mikkeli, which was then home to 11,000 people. At its peak, the headquarters and subordinate units had around 2,500 staff. Visit the Headquarters Museum to learn about the activities of the headquarters and see Mannerheim’s office.

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When the Bolshevik Revolution brought about the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917, Mannerheim left his position and returned to his home country of Finland having spent 30 years in the Imperial Russian Army. The Finnish Civil War broke out in January 1918. Mannerheim was appointed Head of the Senate Forces. The Senate Forces, known as the Whites, set up their headquarters in Vaasa, and moved by rail as the location of the front line changed. After the decisive battle of Tampere, the headquarters arrived in Mikkeli, where they operated out of the Seurahuone Hotel and Mikkeli City Hall until the end of the war. In December 1918, Mannerheim was invited to become Regent of Finland.

The headquarters were located in Mikkeli Central School, and Mannerheim was accommodated at the Seurahuone Hotel, a place that was already familiar to him.

Mannerheim and his closest officers dined at the hotel daily.

Following fierce bombardments in January, Mannerheim moved to Otava Folk High School. At the end of the war, he then moved to Inkilä Manor in Juva.

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Mannerheim was a lot more besides: an aristocrat, a General of the Russian Empire, an officer in the Imperial Chevalier Guard, a spy and an explorer, commander-in-chief of the Finnish army and President of the Republic of Finland. He was born into an aristocratic family with no wealth and abandoned by his father, becoming an orphan.

While Finland was still a part of the Russian Empire, Mannerheim developed the demeanour of a cultured courtier but remained a boy in search of adventure. He was a big-game hunter, a restaurateur, the founder of the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare, a husband and a father, whose family life lasted only a few years. Mannerheim was a complex and multidimensional character who remains fascinating to this day.

The Winter War broke out when the Soviet Union invaded Finland on 30 November 1939.

Correct answers: 1B, 2A, 3C, 4B, 5C

In Mikkeli, Mannerheim is famous for being the commander-in-chief of Finland, the leading figure at the headquarters, which were based in our city. He was responsible for leading the Finnish army during both World Wars.

The headquarters were based at Mikkeli

8 Mikkeli Cathedral Ristimäenkatu 2 The headquarters suffered only minor damage during bombardments in the Winter War, but several buildings in the immediate vicinity were damaged or destroyed. The cathedral was also hit, but the schoolboys responsible for air raid shelters were able to extinguish the fire started by the bombs and saved the church from destruction.

The park in front of the cathedral contains a statue commemorating those who died in the liberation war.

It was sculpted by Johannes Haapasalo in 1920. On Memorial Day in 1943, Mannerheim laid a wreath on the statue, but this was reported in the news in a cautious manner.

9 Mikkeli Parish Church Otavankatu 9 Mannerheim attended several events at Mikkeli parish church while he was in Mikkeli.

The men from Mikkeli rural municipality who fell in battle now rest in the heroes’ cemetery in front of the church. The cemeteries located in the church grounds of all of Finland’s parishes differ from the practices in other countries that were at war. When the Winter War broke out, the Isthmus Army ordered that the fallen be transported to their

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Granite House Ristimäenkatu 5 The Granite House is a stone building commissioned for construction by David Pulkkinen, holder of the honorary title Kauppaneuvos, in 1913. The building contained three luxurious apartments, one of which was owned by Dr Dahlström during the Continuation War. He allowed Mannerheim the use of his apartment, and the commander-in-chief lived there from autumn 1941 until March 1944. He then moved to Sairila mansion, outside the town, due to the risk of bombing. The commander -in-chief’s apartment was located on the second floor of the Granite House facing the Hallituskatu street.

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Headquarters statue Commander-in-chief Mannerheim was a familiar sight in Mikkeli, as he often walked from the headquarters to the Mikkeli Klubi for lunch. The headquarters statue, made by sculptor Kalervo Kallio and completed in 1967, brings together Mannerheim as the commander-in-chief, the headquarters, and the wartime memories of the residents of Mikkeli in regard to their commander-in-chief.

13 The Mikkeli Klubi The Mikkeli Klubi is an English-style gentlemen’s club that was founded in 1898 and got itself noticed when Marshal Mannerheim and his entourage ate in the dining room and cafe during the Continuation War. The concept of the “Marshal’s court” took shape when Taru Stenvall, a waiter who had worked there, gave the name to her book of memoirs of the war years. A catering service now operates in the traditional hall at Mikkeli Klubi.

Where to go? What to do?

What is on? Go to visitmikkeli.fi or come and see us at Mikkeli Region Tourism.

THE HEADQUARTERS CITY GUIDE

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3 Hyytiäinen’s Barber Shop Mannerheim kept his hair and moustache in order with regular visits to Hyytiäinen’s Barber Shop on the Porrassalmenkatu street

6 Headquarters Päämajankuja 1 Education takes a back seat when war breaks out. Pupils at Mikkeli Folk School discovered this when their school was requisitioned to host the military headquarters at the beginning of December 1939. The children were away until summer 1945, with a few brief interruptions.

Main Guard Savilahdenkatu 11 The Mikkeli voluntary fire brigade built premises for itself in 1892. The building later became the town’s festive premises, the permanent fire brigade quarters and the home of Mikkeli theatre. During air raids in the Winter War, fire engines and firemen based here set out on a desperate and ultimately hopeless mission: to put out the many fires that were ravaging the wooden town, all at the same time.

In the Continuation War, the building became the centre of Headquarters’ everyday activities: the Headquarters Battalion, the guards and the couriers convened here to receive their orders and to eat meals.

Barracks area Jääkärinkatu 6 During Finland’s last wars, the barracks were where the headquarters’ departments were located, and they also provided accommodation facilities for Finnish non-commissioned officers and troops. The area also hosted the German link-up garrison led by General Waldemar Erfurth and visited by Mannerheim. Nowadays, the barracks area houses the Infantry Museum, the August restaurant and the Marja apartment hotel.

Beautiful Mikkeli on Lake Saimaa.

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Provincial Hospital Porrassalmenkatu 35 Mikkeli Provincial Hospital was the 17th military hospital during the Winter War and the Continuation War. Men who were wounded on the front were transferred via dressing stations further inland to hospitals, where the majority of treatment was administered.

Between the beginning of February 1942 and November 1944, approximately 11,000 military patients were treated in Mikkeli.

Mannerheim often visited the wounded and handed out T-shaped walking sticks to those with leg injuries.

The oldest section of the Provincial Hospital was built in 1843 and the inner courtyard contained a sauna, which Mannerheim used almost weekly during the Continuation War.

5 Lokki Communication Centre Vuorikatu Caves were blasted into Naisvuori hill next to the headquarters, with construction completed in 1940.

When the Continuation War broke out, the communication centre for the general garrison at headquarters was moved to one of the caves under the codename Lokki, which means “seagull” in Finnish. Lokki was responsible for all of headquarters’ wired communications during the Continuation War. The bunkhouses built in the cave served as the headquarters’ telephone switchboard, a telegraph station, the Germans’ communication station, the regional centre for Mikkeli’s air surveillance, and the shelters for the high command at headquarters. Lokki was staffed by 100–130 people. The majority of the personnel were women.

Nowadays, the Lokki communication centre is a museum. The museum is open in the summer and can be opened by arrangement in the winter.

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4 Kinolinna Vuorikatu 9 The Kinolinna cinema was praised as a prime example of its type when it was completed in 1938, and cinema owners from other localities were advised to visit. Various art forms flourished during the war, particularly film and literature. They offered a counterweight to the misery of war, inspiring patriotism and solidarity.

The Kinolinna cinema continued operating almost as normal during the wars. Staff from headquarters often went to the cinema, and Mannerheim was known to have visited Kinolinna on a few occasions.

The top brass from headquarters were placed in Mikkeli Central School, and the other divisions were dispersed around the town and countryside on public and private premises. The Headquarters Museum, which was opened in 1974, presents Marshal Mannerheim’s office, the activities of headquarters, and the wartime way of life. The museum shop sells Mannerheim-style schnapps glasses.

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Railway station Mannerheimintie Mannerheim first arrived in Mikkeli during the civil war in spring 1918 and established his headquarters in the Seurahuone Hotel opposite the railway station. Mannerheim next visited Mikkeli as Regent of Finland on 26 February 1919. At a civic ball held at the Seurahuone Hotel, he was informed that the City Council had decided to rename the Rantakatu street in his honour to Mannerheimintie (literally: Mannerheim’s Road). Mikkeli was the first place in Finland to name a road after Mannerheim.

Once a year, on the Defence Forces flag day of 4 June, the doors of the saloon carriage standing at Mikkeli station are opened.

Members of the public can visit the carriage in which Marshal Mannerheim travelled 78,000 kilometres during the Winter War and the Continuation War. The most infamous meeting known to have taken place in the saloon carriage was arranged on Mannerheim’s 75th birthday in Imatra, and the guest was Adolf Hitler. The conversation recorded during the dinner is the only surviving recording of Hitler’s normal speaking voice.

Experience a virtual view of the saloon carriage at http://salonkivaunu.mikkeli.fi/

opposite the Kirkkopuisto park.

Locals from Mikkeli and soldiers on leave also visited the barber to see the commander-in-chief. It is said that there was once even a prisoner of war in the seat next to Mannerheim.

Small boys stood waiting to open the doors for the commander-in-chief whenever he came and went.

Mannerheim thanked the “doorman” for the courtesy by giving him a sweet or a coin.

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home regions. Based on this order, it became standard practice to evacuate fallen soldiers, right up to the end of the war. The heroes’ cemeteries of Mikkeli town parish, Anttola, Haukivuori, Ristiina and Suomenniemi are within the boundaries of modern-day Mikkeli.

FO R IN DEP

In the footsteps of Mannerheim

Maaherrankatu 22, Mikkeli +358 44 794 5669 • matkailu@mikkeli.fi

WILL LEAD YOU TO MILITARY HISTORICAL SITES IN A FRESH WAY The Headquarters City Guide is an entirely new way of getting to know the military historical sites in the Mikkeli region. The game-style guide, designed for mobile devices, will lead you to museums, monuments, the locations of headquarters departments and other places of interest. Many of the historical sites work with tourism and welcome you to visit them.

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sodanjarauhankeskus.fi /opas/en

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