F-18 Hornet, The Most Discussed…

…military purchase in Finland. First planes were received in 1995 and many would have wanted to use the money for something else than for about 60 jet fighters. On the other hand, 60 doesn’t sound much for a country that doesn’t belong to any military alliance.

The symbolic significance was also big as American planes might not have been bought at a time when Finland’s eastern neighbour was still called Soviet Union. Many saw the purchase as a concrete step towards Finland’s NATO membership.

The photo was taken in Helsinki International Airshow and the pilot has just fired flares that are used to distract missiles.

University Students’Houses…

…at the “outskirts of the city center.” That was true in 1870 but today this is as central as it can get in Helsinki. This lucky chance means that the Student Union of the University of Helsinki owns many very valuable buildings and is now one of the richest student bodies in the world.

The building on the right is Vanha (=old) from 1870 and the building with a green dome is the new student house from 1910. University students organize many kinds of activities in these buildings and there are restaurants and events that anybody can visit.

Open Doors at the 200 Years Old Finnish Government

Prime minister Matti Vanhanen welcomed people to Government Palace.

Today all government ministries had open doors day in celebration of the 200 years old Finnish Government. It was a chance to visit places that everybody knows from the news but which are usually off-limits to regular people.

Risto Ryti – Hero or a War Criminal?

Risto Ryti medal at the National Museum.

After the WW II Risto Ryti got a 10 years sentence for being the main responsible for the war against Soviet Union. This shocked the majority of Finns who respected the former prime minister and president and who thought that the hostilities between the two countries were started by Soviet Union in 1939.

The first thing people remember of Ryti is how he in 1944 answered to Germany’s pressure: Finland shouldn’t make peace with Soviet Union without German consent. Instead of tying Finland to the issue, he personally as the president guaranteed that this will not happen. This secured that some very important German troops, weapons and other resources would still be at Finland’s disposal. Once it was a good time for Finland to make the peace, Ryti resigned which also made his earlier guarantee obsolete. It is possible that the German troops and resources actually saved Finnish democracy and independence – we can only speculate.

Once Soviet Union collapsed, it became easier to acknowledge how Ryti and his sacrifices were still valued. In 2004 Ryti became second in Great Finns tv show where spectators voted Carl Gustav Emil Mannerheim as the greatest ever Finn in similar manner as spectators of BBC voted Winston Churchill as the greatest Briton. Ryti’s second place was strongly a people’s choice as Finnish Broadcasting Company hadn’t originally listed him as a candidate for the voting.

The Oldest Wooden House in Mainland Helsinki

Today Burgher’s house from 1818 is part of the city museum that has several sites in Helsinki. Inside you can have a look at a 1860’s middle class home.

Carl Ludwig Engel – The Architect of Empire Helsinki

The German architect Carl Ludwig Engel was given a rare chance in 1816: design how Helsinki should be rebuilt to match its new status as the capital of Grand Dutchy of Finland.

The easiest way to see something designed by Engel is to walk to the neoclassical (empire) Senate’s Square and most of the buildings you see are his designs like these that I’ve shown you earlier

• Helsinki Cathedral
• The main building of the University of Helsinki
• Council of State

Early Spring in Suomenlinna Sea Fortress

One of the preserved cannons.

200th Anniversary of the Porvoo Diet – Finland became a nation among the nations?

Czar Alexander I's seat that was used during the Porvoo diet. Photo from the National Museum of Finland.

The Diet of Porvoo 1809 is one of the key milestones in the history of Finland. Centuries long Swedish rule had ended and the Grand Dutchy of Finland was created under Russian rule. For the next hundred years Finland had an autonomous status before becoming independent in 1917. The level of autonomy varied depending on the moods of the czars.

In the coastal city of Porvoo czar Alexander I famously said that Finland had became a nation among the nations. Finns took this too literally forgetting that the czar was still the head of state.

Restaurant Kappeli in Esplanadi Park

Kappeli is one of the city's oldest restaurants that have remained in the same location.

End of Winter War – Independence Saved

The city's highest point Taivaskallio was one of Helsinki's air defence bases during WW II.

Today in 1940 ended Winter War, the most important event in the history of independent Finland. Three months earlier poorly prepared Finland (population 4 million) was attacked by Soviet Union (population >100 million) during one of the coldest winters ever and against all odds Finland was still independent although 10% smaller. Later that year Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania became parts of Soviet Union for fifty years. If Stalin wouldn’t have been so paranoid towards his officers, Finland probably would have shared the same fate.

The first thing people connect with Helsinki and Winter War are air raids and air defence. Naturally many Helsinkians served in the military and people received news of dead relatives and friends. Today there are several not so well-known air defence memorials like the photographed Taivaskallio.

Despite the historical significance, today is just like any day for most Finns. Finns are proud of Winter War because of the survival but war is not admired. The Finnish flag is also reserved only for special occasions – and sports – so some people may find my photo too militaristic and too patriotic. I would, if the text would be about something not so important.

See photos from Winter War from Pictures From Wars During Finland’s Independence.