The Greatest Finns.

H

Hegario

Active member
Last weekend began the final of the Greatest Finns poll here in Finland and I thought I'd post the finalists here as an experiment to see how many of them the rest of the world knows, and hope to get some good discussions going. You military historians probably know a lot of them. I'll try to give a brief explanation after every one of them. :)

The first 10 are the finalist of whom we must vote.

Arvo Ylppö - A doctor who was largely responsible for our health care.
Urho Kekkonen - President from 1956 to 1982.
Mikael Agricola - Gave us our language. :)
Tarja Halonen - Our current president. :roll:
Aleksis Kivi - One of the most famous Finnish writers
Risto Ryti - Our president during WW2. Sacrificed himself for peace.
Elias Lönnrot - Collected Kalevala which is our national chronicle.
Adolf Ehrnrooth - Infantry general during WW2 and war-hero
Jean Sibelius - Famous Finnish classical composer.
C.G.E. Mannerheim - Commander in chief of three wars, President

Places 11-100
11. Matti Nykänen - Olympic winner and drunk. :D
12. Väinö Myllyrinne - The tallest Finn ever.
13. Ville Valo - Singer in HIM
14. Lalli - Beheaded a Swedish bishop in the middle ages. :D
15. Väinö Linna - Famous Finnish writer. Wrote "The Unknown Soldier".
16. Linus Torvalds - Invented Linux.
17. Pertti "Spede" Pasanen - Finnish comedian
18. Pentti Linkola - Finnish environmentalist.
19. Tove Jansson - Wrote the Moomin childrens-books. :)
20. Veikko Hursti - Helps the poor
21. Paavo Nurmi - A runner who won several olympic gold-medals.
22. Minna Canth - Finnish playwrite and writer.
23. J.K. Paasikivi - President after war.
24. J.V. Snellman - Philosopher and statesman.
25. Hertta Kuusinen - A communist.
26. Arto Saari - Skateboarder
27. Miina Sillanpää - First woman minister
28. Väinö Tanner - Statesman. Foreign minister during Winter War.
29. Lucina Hagman - Womens rights activist.
30. Cristfried Ganander - Another culture fella in the 1700's
31. Mika Waltari - Famous writer. Wrote Sinuhe.
32. Mika Häkkinen - Formula 1 driver. World champion twice.
33. Alvar Aalto - Famous architect.
34. Eugen Schauman - Assassinated a Russian governor in 1904.
35. Tapio Rautavaara - Singer & Olympic gold medalist
36. Eino Leino - Poet
37. Jaakko Pöyry - Industrialist
38. Otto Ville Kuusinen - Leader of the Reds during our civil war.
38. Juice Leskinen - Singer & poet.
40. Anders Chydenius - Writer and economist in the 1700's
41. Uno Cygnaeus - Invented our first proper school-system.
42. Jari Litmanen - Soccer player & Ajax man for life. :)
43. Katri Helena Kalaoja - A woman singer
44. Fanni Luukkonen - Leader of the womens paramilitary Lotta-organization.
45. Anneli Jäätteenmäki - A politician who shouldn't be here,
46. Karl Fazer - Made candy. His chocolate is great. :)
47. K.J. Ståhlberg - Our first president.
48. Mauno Koivisto - Another ex-president.
48. Helene Schjerfbeck - Painter
50. Reino Helismaa - Made lyrics for songs.
51. Jorma Ollila - CEO of Nokia
52. Lauri Törni - A.K.A Larry Thorne. Former SS and U.S Army
53. Georg Henrik von Wright - Philosopher
54. Arndt Pekurinen - Peace activist
55. Tauno Palo - Actor
56. Akseli Gallen-Kallela - Painter
57. J.L. Runeberg - Poet
58. Kyösti Kallio - President during Winter War.
59. Paavo Ruotsalainen - Err... A religious cult leader.
60. Lars Levi Laestadius - Another religious cult leader.
60. Lasse Virén - Won 4 olympic medals.
62. Helvi Sipilä - Human rights activist. Held high positions in the UN.
63. Yrjö Kallinen - Defense minister & peace activist.
64. A.I. Virtanen - Nobel prize winner in chemistry.
65. Nils-Aslak Valkeapää - Lappish activist.
66. Armi Kuusela - The first Miss Universe. :p
67. P.E. Svinhufvud - Our second president.
68. Aki Kaurismäki - Film director.
69. Kalle Päätalo - A writer.
70. Paavo Lipponen - Ex-prime minister.
71. Aurora Karamzin - Social worker in the 1800's
72. Sakari Topelius - Wrote childrens stories.
73. Alli Vaittinen-Kuikka - Pioneered medicine.
74. Simo Häyhä - A sniper.
75. Jaakko Ilkka - Rebelled agains the Swedes in the 1500's
76. Arto Javanainen - Hockey goalscorer extraordinaire. :)
77. Leena Palotie - Doctor who researches genetics.
78. Karita Mattila - Opera singer.
79. Veikko Hakulinen - Olympic gold medalist in skiing.
79. Helle Kannila - Librarian and womens rights activist.
79. Olavi Virta - Singer.
82. Hannu Salama - An author who was sentenced of blasphemy. :p
83. Irwin Goodman - Singer and drunkard.
83. Laila Kinnunen - Singer
83. Arvi Lind - Our own Tom Brokaw. Voice of Finnish news.
86. Kirsti Paakkanen - Owns Marimekko, a fashion company.
87. Larin Paraske - Poet.
87. Mathilda Wrede - Peace activist.
89. Erno Paasilinna - Author
89. Antti Tuisku - Finished third in our version of Idols. AAARRGGHH!!!
89. Annikki Tähti - Singer
92. Elisabeth Rehn - Former defense minister and UN official.
92. Esa Saarinen - Philosopher
94. Maiju Gebhard - Invented stuff to help the ladies.
94. Kalevi Sorsa - Served as prime minister for several terms.
96. A.F. Airo - Mannerheims chief of staff.
96. Lauri Ylönen - Singer for the rockband "The Rasmus" :roll:.
98. Raimo Helminen - Ice hockey player. :p
98. Armi Ratia - Fashion designer.
98. Veikko Sinisalo - Lefty-actor.

There are some pretty interesting choices here. For example Lauri Törni A.K.A Larry Thorne. He served in the armed forces of three countries. The Finnish, German and finally he was a green beret colonel whose chopper got shot down in Vietnam.
 
Snauhi said:
Risto Ryti dint sarciface him self for peace he just started the second war and lost it..
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I don't think Ryti was the only one to blame for the Continuation War. The people wanted revenge for the losses of the Winter War. And he did sacrifice himself in a way. Ryti is a complex character and only now in the latter years he has achieved some form of vindication.

During the Soviet offensive in 1944 in order to gain German antitank-weapons, he said to Hitler that Finland would never try to make separate peace if he's the president. Ryti then resigned soon after this statement and and Mannerheim became president and immediately started the peace negotiations. Then Ryti was sentenced to 10 years in hard labor. I do know that Ryti was no saint but he was certainly a great patriot.
 
Hegario said:
Snauhi said:
Risto Ryti dint sarciface him self for peace he just started the second war and lost it..
Click to expand...

I don't think Ryti was the only one to blame for the Continuation War. The people wanted revenge for the losses of the Winter War. And he did sacrifice himself in a way. Ryti is a complex character and only now in the latter years he has achieved some form of vindication.

During the Soviet offensive in 1944 in order to gain German antitank-weapons, he said to Hitler that Finland would never try to make separate peace if he's the president. Ryti then resigned soon after this statement and and Mannerheim became president and immediately started the peace negotiations. Then Ryti was sentenced to 10 years in hard labor. I do know that Ryti was no saint but he was certainly a great patriot.
Click to expand...

yeah he was but he led Finland to a other hard loss. :?
 
Impressive list - and wide ranging!

Nykänen was a great ski-jumper but I found it strange to see him that close to people such as Mannerheim, Sibelius and Kekkonen ;)

Obviously he's still a national hero even after his "troubled" life following his retirement from ski-jumping.
 
SleepySweeper said:
Impressive list - and wide ranging!

Nykänen was a great ski-jumper but I found it strange to see him that close to people such as Mannerheim, Sibelius and Kekkonen ;)

Obviously he's still a national hero even after his "troubled" life following his retirement from ski-jumping.
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Well you could consider Nykänen a protest vote.

Just a couple of days ago he was sentenced to 2 years 2 months in prison for stabbing a guy he was drinking booze with. Sure he has won several gold medals but most of us still realize he's a joke nowadays.
 
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"Masa" is the best skijumper but he is also a great singer too! V-style and "elämä on laiffii". 8)

"I don't think Ryti was the only one to blame for the Continuation War. The people wanted revenge for the losses of the Winter War."

There was no way to avoid continuation war. Russians were going to invade Europe in summer -41. In summer -40 Molotov had even requested permission to "solve finnish solution" from Germany but Hitler refused. That and a lot of other plans have been proved afterwards by russians themselves after Soviet Union collapsed.

Ryti cheated germans quite well and got a lot of german weapons and supplies like panzerfausts, panzerschrecks, StuG IIIs, 75mm PaK40s, BF109Gs wich were really needed in summer -44 battles. What would have happened in Tali-Ihantala without german AT-weapons? How could have russians been once again stopped without them? With great assistance of new weapons in june-july -44 russians lost 750 tanks on isthmus and 200 in eastern Karelia. Please, "Great hand" to Ryti!

panssarinyrkki.jpg


One of the most famous pictures from Tali-Ihantala.

By the way StuG IIIs are still unpaid but would germans "unsere waffenbrudern" like to get paid but a little late? :lol:
 
LOL
when i saw the title of this thread i thought you were talking about the musicians, tim and neil finn!!!
 
I must say that Simo Häyhä is the greatest Finn. I quote "A member of the 34th Infantry Regiment and a farmer by trade, Simo Häyhä became a most feared sniper during the 1939-40 (30 November 1939 14 March 1940) Winter invasion of Finland by the Soviet Union. Using nothing more than an iron sighted Mosin-Nagant Model 28, Simo is credited with killing 505 Russians during a three month period - a feat still unmatched today by any sniper in any conflict. (Editor's note: Some sources say as many as 542 kills in this period.) The impact of Simo and men like him forced the Soviets to pay dearly for their transgressions. While Finland lost the Winter war, it cost the Soviets 1,000,000 men killed out of the 1,500,000 man invading force*. The Finns lost a total of 25,000 men in that conflict. A testament to their bravery and determination in the face of amazing odds.

He passed away on April 1st 2002 at the age of 96

*Information gleaned from Rifles of the White Death. Doug Bowser. Camellia City Military Publications."
 
Vitaly said:
I must say that Simo Häyhä is the greatest Finn. I quote "A member of the 34th Infantry Regiment and a farmer by trade, Simo Häyhä became a most feared sniper during the 1939-40 (30 November 1939 14 March 1940) Winter invasion of Finland by the Soviet Union. Using nothing more than an iron sighted Mosin-Nagant Model 28, Simo is credited with killing 505 Russians during a three month period - a feat still unmatched today by any sniper in any conflict. (Editor's note: Some sources say as many as 542 kills in this period.) The impact of Simo and men like him forced the Soviets to pay dearly for their transgressions. While Finland lost the Winter war, it cost the Soviets 1,000,000 men killed out of the 1,500,000 man invading force*. The Finns lost a total of 25,000 men in that conflict. A testament to their bravery and determination in the face of amazing odds.

He passed away on April 1st 2002 at the age of 96

*Information gleaned from Rifles of the White Death. Doug Bowser. Camellia City Military Publications."
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Häyhä's credits were great but the greatest and the winner of the poll is C.G.E. Mannerheim and in larger scale he is unmatched. Even for Häyhä's big kill account he was only a sniper.

That kill account with m/28 mosin nagant finnish version with iron sights is awesome. Häyhä lived somewhere here in 100km radius and in his old days he was somekind of local hunting master. Some of his kill account he had enlarged by submachine gun.


"While Finland lost the Winter war, it cost the Soviets 1,000,000 men killed out of the 1,500,000 man invading force*. The Finns lost a total of 25,000 men in that conflict. A testament to their bravery and determination in the face of amazing odds."

Win the fight, lose the war, politicians are weak. But if soviet war goals were all failed but finnish weren't.
 
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