Working in the…

..mist.

Shelling of Mainila (Mainilan laukaukset)…

…was Soviet Union’s staged excuse to attack Finland in November 1939. Soviets claimed that Finland was responsible of the shelling of their village. The following three months of Winter War (see my entry) were the most crucial moments in the history of independent Finland.

Later Soviet and Russian leaders and historians have admitted that the shots didn’t come from Finland. Today is the 70th anniversary of the incident that is still referenced quite often. Less importantly this blog also reached the 500th post milestone today.

The photo is from this summer from a cannon demonstration at Suomenlinna sea fortress. To get the perfect timing, I used something that some purists might consider cheating – but not staging.

More about the Shelling of Mainila

• Wikipedia
• Discussion at Axis history forum
• YLE: Finland Marks the 70th Anniversary of Shelling of Mainila

Warship…

…I think.

And The Spotlight Moves to…

…Hanasaari powerplant. Yesterday it was on Helsinki cathedral.

Helsinki Cathedral is Getting a Facelift…

…and see how it shines already!

There was a small opening in the clouds and it acted like a spotlight that lit one building at a time.

The Opening of Christmas Street…

…included some performances for children and a parade.

I didn’t stay for the parade so have a look at amnellanna’s photos from last year when the weather was closer to what it should be during Christmas.

Our Land is Poor…

…and it will remain poor. You foreigners might not believe this but that sentence is actually from the Finnish national anthem.

In the photo is the bottom half of the memorial of J.L Runeberg who made the lyrics for the national anthem – in Swedish for a song that was “composed” by a German (see my entry). Estonians also use the same melody.

No wonder there are people who think that Finlandia Hymn by national composer Jean Sibelius should be our national anthem. But that has already been used by the short-lived Republic of Biafra that is today part of Nigeria.

An Emergency…

…near the Old Ice Hall.

The Oldest Stone Building in Downtown Helsinki…

…is Sederholm house from 1757.

That’s pretty young but Helsinki isn’t that old either. The Swedes founded it first in 1550 and moved it to a more favourable location in 1640.

And Helsinki didn’t become the capital until 1812 when Russians wanted their newly acquired Grand Duchy to have the capital closer to St. Petersburg and not so close to Stockholm.

November is so Lovely…

…isn’t it?