Helsinki Travel Forum

Hello all
I am visiting Helsinki in a few weeks and i was thinking about whether or not there might be some memorials to The Winter War of 1939-40 in Helsinki?
Would it fair to assume there aren't any monuments or memorials to The Continuation War 1941-44?
I understand there are a couple of museums worth visiting in the city which deal with these historical subjects but i'm interested in seeing memorials/monuments in or around Helsinki which deal with this sometimes sensitive subject.

If anyone can advise i would be most grateful

Regards to all!

DG

Interesting point. Finland is strikingly poor in war memorials, and I think you've hit the nail on the head for the reason.

Although it's not exactly what you've asked for, I know of one interesting war memorial in Helsinki city centre, although discreetly placed: it commemorates the German soldiers who lost their lives liberating (or conquering) Helsinki from the Reds on behalf of the White government in the War of Independence (1918) and others killed in a sea disaster on the way home. It's in the grounds of the German church, close to the Silja and Linda Line terminals.

Thanks JohnTheFinn!
I'll definitely go to see that! At least that memorial sounds like something from a chapter which is little known outside of Finland...
Cheers again
DG

I asked my father,who is walking dictionary of Finnish wars.Even him didn´t get any ideas.I gues we don´t have those very much.
If you still are coming to Tampere,I´m afraid it´s not any better here.Some places might have something small like bomb-holes in the wall of Raatihuone,but nothing"real".

Thanks Turska for trying, and thanks for asking your dad too :)
Much appreciated :)
DG

It came right to my mind,when you asked.He has lots of books of those wars,and knows more of them than anyone I know.Maybe one reason is,that his father(my grandfather) was at both wars your mentioned.I belive grandfather and his friends played important role in some big fights,
One of most important fights was also at my birth-village,but it´s far from Tampere and Helsinki.And there´s also only one monument for that.

I just discovered that there's a monument to fallen communists in Hiekkaharju (Vantaa, short commuter train ride from Helsinki).
Smack in the centre of Helsinki, there are chunks missing from the Long Bridge (Pitkäsilta) dating back to the time the German army gave the Reds a pasting on their way into the workers' strongholds north of the bridge in the Civil War.
Here's a pic of the Crimean War memorial in Bomarsund, Åland, but that's pretty far off your track: http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnthefinn/2174840597/stats/
Here's also the Germans' monument I mentioned in my previous posting. This may help you to find it. http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnthefinn/2065557652/
There is a large monument in Helsinki to the Reds killed in and after the Civil War but it's in a military area off-limits to foreigners (and pesky hard to get into even for Finns). I'll post a pic of it if you're interested.

I'd be happy to see it JohnTheFinn
Thanks for all the good work!
DG

Hi JohnTheFinn
I was researching the location of that German church you wrote about in an earlier post.
Can i assume this is the church located close to Bernhardinkatu, just west of the docks?
Many thanks
DG

Sorry for the late reply, I've been on an extended trip. That is indeed the correct address, but you may find it more easily just by walking along the sea shore from the indoor market (kauppahalli) in the direction away from the market square. It's not far along, on the right (naturally, or it would be in the sea). Just look for the church in the park.