The Mannerheim Cross of the Cross of Liberty (Mannerheim-risti / Mannerheimkorset) is a Finnish military decoration introduced after the Winter War and named after Marshal Mannerheim. The award was introduced into the Order of the Cross of Liberty and a bearer of the cross is called a Knight of the Mannerheim Cross. While the 1st class is the 5th and the 2nd class the 9th in the order of precedence of Finnish awards, the Mannerheim Cross 2nd class has become the most distinguished military award in Finland. The Winter War (also known as the Soviet-Finnish War or the Russo-Finnish War) broke out when the Soviet Union attacked Finland on November 30, 1939, three months after the start of World War II. As a consequence, the Soviet Union was expelled from the League of Nations on... The famous Mannerheims equestrian statue by the Mannerheim road in downtown Helsinki, the capital of Finland Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (June 4, 1867 – January 28, 1951) was the reputed Commander-in-Chief of Finlands Defence Forces, Marshal of Finland, an outstanding strategist and officer and was later... There are three official orders in Finland: the Order of the Cross of Liberty, the Order of the White Rose of Finland and the Order of the Lion of Finland. ...

The Second Class of the award was instituted as the universal award for extraordinary bravery, for the achievement of extraordinaryly important objectives by combat, or for especially well conducted operations. The Cross could be awarded to any soldier of the Finnish Defence Forces, regardless of rank. The lack of a rank requirement, the emphasis on individual bravery, and the prize of 50,000 FIM to each recipient attracted considerable public attention to the award during the war. In 1942, the sum was equivalent of a lieutenant's annual salary. As the Mannerheim Cross was awarded most often in the 2nd class, this is usually meant when referring to the Mannerheim Cross. The markka or mark was the currency used in Finland from 1861 until January 1, 1999, when it was replaced by the euro (€). The currency code used for the markka was FIM, and the usual familiar notation was a postfix mk. ... This article is about the year. ... A Lieutenant is a military, paramilitary or police officer. ...

No special requirements differing from the Mannerheim Cross 2nd class were laid out for the Mannerheim Cross 1st class. It has been awarded only twice, to the Commander-in-Chief, Marshal C.G.E. Mannerheim and general Erik Heinrichs. The famous Mannerheims equestrian statue by the Mannerheim road in downtown Helsinki, the capital of Finland Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (June 4, 1867 – January 28, 1951) was the reputed Commander-in-Chief of Finlands Defence Forces, Marshal of Finland, an outstanding strategist and officer and was later... Axel Erik Heinrichs (1890-1965) was a Finnish general. ...

Mannerheim Cross Second Class has been awarded to 191 persons, all during World War II. Four persons have been awarded it twice. De jure, the decoration is still active and can be awarded to any Finnish soldier, although it is highly unlikely that this would be done during peacetime or even in a minor conflict. (Decree 550/1946 on the Order of the Cross of Liberty) World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons like the atom bomb World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a mid-20th-century conflict that engulfed much of the globe... Look up De jure in Wiktionary, the free dictionary De jure (in Classical Latin de iure) is an expression that means based on law, as contrasted with de facto, which means in fact. The terms de jure and de facto are used like in principle and in practice when one...

Since the presidency of Martti Ahtisaari, all surviving recipients of Mannerheim Cross have been invited to the Independence Day Reception, hosted by the president. By tradition they are also the first guests to enter. Martti Oiva Kalevi Ahtisaari (born June 23, 1937) is a former President of Finland (1994 - 2000). ...

Notable Knights of the Mannerheim Cross

• Aksel Airo, Lieutenant-General, Chief Quartermaster General (chief of operations at the GHQ) - (18 November 1944)
• Adolf Ehrnrooth, Colonel, infantry regiment commander - (4 December 1944)
• Erik Heinrichs, General of Infantry, army commander and Chief of General Staff - (31 December 1944)
• Vilho Petter Nenonen, General of Artillery, Inspector of Artillery - (8 January 1945)
• Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, Field Marshal, Commander-in-Chief - (7 October 1941)
• Ruben Lagus, Colonel, infantry brigade and division commander - (22 July 1941)
• Karl Lennart Oesch, Lieutenant-General, Commander of the Isthmus Forces - (26 June 1944)
• Paavo Talvela, Major-General, army corps commander - (3 August 1941)
• Lauri Törni, Lieutenant, infantry company commander - (9 July 1944)
• Rudolf Walden, General, defence minister - (2 December 1944)
• Hjalmar Siilasvuo, Lieutenant-General, army corps commander - (21 December 1944)

Aksel Fredrik Airo (1898 - 1985) was a Finnish lieutenant general and main strategic planner during the Winter War and the Continuation War. ... Lieutenant General is a military rank used in almost every country in the world. ... November 18 is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years), with 43 remaining. ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Adolf Ehrnrooth (December 6, 1999) Source:Finnish Defence Forces. ... Colonel is both a military rank and civilian title, used by nearly every country in the world. ... December 4 is the 338th day (339th on leap years) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Axel Erik Heinrichs (1890-1965) was a Finnish general. ... General is a military rank used by nearly every country in the world. ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Vilho Petter Nenonen (March 6, 1883 - February 17, 1960) was a Finnish general. ... General is a military rank used by nearly every country in the world. ... January 8 is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1945 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... The famous Mannerheims equestrian statue by the Mannerheim road in downtown Helsinki, the capital of Finland Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (June 4, 1867 – January 28, 1951) was the reputed Commander-in-Chief of Finlands Defence Forces, Marshal of Finland, an outstanding strategist and officer and was later... Note: This article is about the military usage of the word marshal. For other usages, see the end of this article. ... October 7 is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years). ... 1941 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Ruben Lagus (October 12, 1896 - July 15, 1959) was a Finnish Major General. ... Colonel is both a military rank and civilian title, used by nearly every country in the world. ... July 22 is the 203rd day (204th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 162 days remaining. ... 1941 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Karl Lennart Oesch (1892-1978) was a Finnish Lieutenant General. ... Lieutenant General is a military rank used in almost every country in the world. ... June 26 is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 188 days remaining. ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Paavo Talvela (1897-1973) was a Finnish soldier. ... Insignia of a United States Major General Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... August 3 is the 215th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (216th in leap years), with 150 days remaining. ... 1941 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Lauri Allan Törni (May 28, 1919 - October 1965) was a Finnish army captain who led an infantry unit in Finnish wars and moved to the United States after the war. ... A Lieutenant is a military, paramilitary or police officer. ... July 9 is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 175 days remaining. ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Karl Rudolf Walden (December 1, 1878 - October 25, 1946) was a Finnish industrialist and soldier. ... General is a military rank used by nearly every country in the world. ... December 2 is the 336th day (337th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Hjalmar Fridolf Siilasvuo (1892 - 1947) was a Finnish general who led troops in the Winter War, Continuation War and Lapland War. ... Lieutenant General is a military rank used in almost every country in the world. ... December 21 is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...

People who were decorated twice

Both 1st and 2nd Class crosses

• Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, Field Marshal, Commander-in-Chief - both on 7 October 1941
• Axel Erik Heinrichs, General of Infantry, army commander and Chief of General Staff - 2nd Class on 5 February 1942, 1st Class on 31 December 1944

Two 2nd Class crosses The famous Mannerheims equestrian statue by the Mannerheim road in downtown Helsinki, the capital of Finland Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (June 4, 1867 – January 28, 1951) was the reputed Commander-in-Chief of Finlands Defence Forces, Marshal of Finland, an outstanding strategist and officer and was later... Note: This article is about the military usage of the word marshal. For other usages, see the end of this article. ... October 7 is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years). ... 1941 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Axel Erik Heinrichs (1890-1965) was a Finnish general. ... General is a military rank used by nearly every country in the world. ... February 5 is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...

• Aaro Olavi Pajari, Major-General, infantry division commander - first on 14 September 1941, second on 16 October 1944
• Martti Johannes Aho, Colonel, infantry regiment commander - first on 1 March 1942, second on 16 October 1944
• Eino Ilmari Juutilainen, Warrant Officer, fighter pilot - first on 26 April 1942, second on 28 June 1944
• Hans Henrik Wind, Captain, fighter pilot - first on 31 July 1943, second on 28 June 1944

Insignia of a United States Major General Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... September 14 is the 257th day of the year (258th in leap years). ... 1941 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in Leap years). ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Colonel is both a military rank and civilian title, used by nearly every country in the world. ... March 1 is the 60th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (61st in leap years). ... This article is about the year. ... October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in Leap years). ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Ilmari Juutilainen (February 21, 1914 - February 21, 1999) was a Finnish Air Force fighter pilot during Winter War (1939-1940) and Continuation War (1942-1944). ... April 26 is the 116th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (117th in leap years). ... This article is about the year. ... (Some entries on this page have been duplicated on August 1. ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Captain is both a nautical term and a military rank. ... July 31 is the 212th day (213th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 153 days remaining, as the final day of July. ... 1943 is a common year starting on Friday. ... (Some entries on this page have been duplicated on August 1. ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...

See also

• Order of the Cross of Liberty

There are three official orders in Finland: the Order of the Cross of Liberty, the Order of the White Rose of Finland and the Order of the Lion of Finland. ...

External link

• Information about the decoration (Mannerheim.fi)
• More information and a list of all Knights of the Mannerheim Cross