Aarne Leopold Blick (3 February 1894 – 15 February 1964) was a
Finnish
Finnish may refer to:
* Something or someone from, or related to Finland
* Culture of Finland
* Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland
* Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people
* Finnish cuisine
See also ...
lieutenant general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
(), Knight of the
Mannerheim Cross
The Mannerheim Cross ( fi, Mannerheim-risti, sv, Mannerheimkorset), officially Mannerheim Cross of the Cross of Liberty ( fi, Vapaudenristin Mannerheim-risti, link=no, sv, Frihetskorsets Mannerheimkors, link=no) is the most distinguished Finnis ...
and a member of the
Jäger movement
The Jäger Movement ( fi, Jääkäriliike sv, Jägarrörelsen) consisted of volunteers from Finland who trained in Germany as Jägers (elite light infantry) during World War I. Supported by Germany to enable the creation of a Finnish sovereign ...
. He participated in the
Eastern Front of World War I
The Eastern Front or Eastern Theater of World War I (german: Ostfront; ro, Frontul de răsărit; russian: Восточный фронт, Vostochny front) was a theater of operations that encompassed at its greatest extent the entire frontier ...
, the
Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War; . Other designations: Brethren War, Citizen War, Class War, Freedom War, Red Rebellion and Revolution, . According to 1,005 interviews done by the newspaper ''Aamulehti'', the most popular names were as follows: Civil W ...
, the
Winter War
The Winter War,, sv, Vinterkriget, rus, Зи́мняя война́, r=Zimnyaya voyna. The names Soviet–Finnish War 1939–1940 (russian: link=no, Сове́тско-финская война́ 1939–1940) and Soviet–Finland War 1 ...
and the
Continuation War
The Continuation War, also known as the Second Soviet-Finnish War, was a conflict fought by Finland and Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1944, as part of World War II.; sv, fortsättningskriget; german: Fortsetzungskrieg. A ...
.
Early life
Aarne Leopold Blick was born on 3 February 1894 in
Ulvila
Ulvila (; sv, Ulvsby) is a town and municipality of Finland. It is one of the six medieval cities of Finland, as well as the third oldest city in the country. Ulvila was granted charter as a town by King Albert of Sweden on 7 February 1365. How ...
to
railway roadmaster Albert Blick and Selma Lund. He graduated as an ''
abitur'' in 1915, working as a clerk in the
Kemi police office. He became involved in the Finnish
Jäger Movement
The Jäger Movement ( fi, Jääkäriliike sv, Jägarrörelsen) consisted of volunteers from Finland who trained in Germany as Jägers (elite light infantry) during World War I. Supported by Germany to enable the creation of a Finnish sovereign ...
, where Finnish volunteers traveled to
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
to receive military training. Blick was initially involved in organizing the movement of the volunteers in the region, but soon also traveled to Germany himself, joining the
27th Royal Prussian Jäger Battalion. As a member of the
battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions a ...
's
pioneer
Pioneer commonly refers to a settler who migrates to previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited land.
In the United States pioneer commonly refers to an American pioneer, a person in American history who migrated west to join in settling and de ...
company, Blick took part in several battles in the regions of
Misa and
Gulf of Riga
The Gulf of Riga, Bay of Riga, or Gulf of Livonia ( lv, Rīgas līcis, et, Liivi laht) is a bay of the Baltic Sea between Latvia and Estonia.
The island of Saaremaa (Estonia) partially separates it from the rest of the Baltic Sea. The main c ...
, including the . In 1916, he was given the rank of ''Hilfsgruppenführer'' ( en, assistant
squad leader
''Squad Leader'' is a tactical wargames, tactical level board war game originally published by Avalon Hill in 1977. It was designed by John Hill (game designer), John Hill and simulates on infantry combat in Europe during World War II. One of th ...
).
Blick returned to Finland in 1918, taking part in the
Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War; . Other designations: Brethren War, Citizen War, Class War, Freedom War, Red Rebellion and Revolution, . According to 1,005 interviews done by the newspaper ''Aamulehti'', the most popular names were as follows: Civil W ...
on the side of the
Whites
White is a racialized classification of people and a skin color specifier, generally used for people of European origin, although the definition can vary depending on context, nationality, and point of view.
Description of populations as ...
first as a platoon leader. Starting from 28 March 1918, he acted as a company commander in the . During the civil war, he saw combat in
Tampere
Tampere ( , , ; sv, Tammerfors, ) is a city in the Pirkanmaa region, located in the western part of Finland. Tampere is the most populous inland city in the Nordic countries. It has a population of 244,029; the urban area has a population o ...
,
Raivola
Roshchino (russian: Ро́щино; fi, Raivola), Raivola before 1948, is an urban locality (an urban-type settlement) in Vyborgsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, and a station on the Saint Petersburg-Vyborg railroad. It is situated on ...
and
Rajamäki. He was promoted to the rank of
second lieutenant ( fi,
vänrikki, link=no) on 11 February 1918.
After the Civil War
Blick's military service continued after the end of the Finnish Civil War. Promoted to a
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...
in 1919, he held various company commander positions from 1918 to 1920. In 1918 and 1919 he also taught
Officer Cadet
Officer Cadet is a rank held by military cadets during their training to become commissioned officers. In the United Kingdom, the rank is also used by members of University Royal Naval Units, University Officer Training Corps and University Ai ...
courses in
Viipuri. In 1920, Blick transferred to the Finnish General Headquarters to act as staff officer and was promoted to a
captain. From 1921 to 1923, he was the head of the Infantry Section of the Infantry
NCO School. From 1923 to 1927 Blick served in various roles related to Finno-Soviet border affairs, starting with an assignment as the assistant to the commander of the
Joensuu
Joensuu (; krl, Jovensuu; ) is a city and municipality in North Karelia, Finland, located on the northern shore of Lake Pyhäselkä (northern part of Lake Saimaa) at the mouth of the Pielinen River (''Pielisjoki''). It was founded in 1848. The ...
border guard from 1923 to 1924. He commanded the
Kainuu border guard from 1924 to 1926, and the
Salmi (rural locality)
Salmi (russian: Салми; Finnish and krl, Salmi, lit. ''inlet'') is a rural locality (a settlement) in Pitkyarantsky District of the Republic of Karelia, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated within and serves as the administrative center ...
border guard from 1926 to 1928. During this time he was promoted to
major in 1925 and graduated from a command course of the War College ( fi, Sotakorkeakoulu, link=no).
Following his time in the border guard, Blick returned to teaching. From 1928 to 1933, he was a senior teacher of
tactics
Tactic(s) or Tactical may refer to:
* Tactic (method), a conceptual action implemented as one or more specific tasks
** Military tactics, the disposition and maneuver of units on a particular sea or battlefield
** Chess tactics
** Political tact ...
in the Finnish Cadet School ( fi, kadettikoulu, link=no). During his time in this posting, in 1928, Blick was promoted to the rank of
lieutenant colonel and served as the chairman of the school's honor council in 1929 and 1931. From 1933 to 1936, Blick was given command of the Battle School ( fi, Taistelukoulu, link=no). His final command before the start of the
Winter War
The Winter War,, sv, Vinterkriget, rus, Зи́мняя война́, r=Zimnyaya voyna. The names Soviet–Finnish War 1939–1940 (russian: link=no, Сове́тско-финская война́ 1939–1940) and Soviet–Finland War 1 ...
was as the commander of the Savonia Jaeger Regiment starting from 1936. He was promoted to the rank of
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
the same year.
In 1921, Blick married Kerttu Maria Pyhälä. During their marriage, the couple had a total of two children, a boy named Matti Aarne Albert born in 1922 and a girl named Ritva Maria Marketta born in 1926.
Winter War and Continuation War
When the Finno-Soviet Winter War broke out in November of 1939, Blick initially commanded a sequence of smaller units, namely the Infantry Regiment 25, a formation named Group Blick and Infantry Regiment 26. On 21 December he was given temporary command of the
10th Division before being made the commander of the
Taipale Sector, which saw
significant action.
Following the end of the war in early 1940, Blick was initially posted into the headquarters of the peacetime III Corps and as the commander of the 3rd Division. Later in 1940, he was made commander of the Itä-Savo
Military District
Military districts (also called military regions) are formations of a state's armed forces (often of the Army) which are responsible for a certain area of territory. They are often more responsible for administrative than operational matters, and ...
, keeping the posting until the start of the
Continuation War
The Continuation War, also known as the Second Soviet-Finnish War, was a conflict fought by Finland and Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1944, as part of World War II.; sv, fortsättningskriget; german: Fortsetzungskrieg. A ...
in the summer of 1941.
When the Finns, alongside
Germans
, native_name_lang = de
, region1 =
, pop1 = 72,650,269
, region2 =
, pop2 = 534,000
, region3 =
, pop3 = 157,000
3,322,405
, region4 =
, pop4 = ...
, attacked the Soviet Union in 1941, Blick initially commanded the
2nd Division. Subordinated to the
II Corps, the division participated in the
Finnish invasion of Ladoga Karelia
The Finnish invasion of Ladoga Karelia was a military campaign carried out by Finland in 1941.
Initial layout of forces
At the start of the Continuation War the Finnish army was deployed in a defensive posture, but on June 29 Mannerheim created ...
on the northwestern shore of
Lake Ladoga. On 24 August, the forces in the area were divided into two corps. A new
I Corps I Corps, 1st Corps, or First Corps may refer to:
France
* 1st Army Corps (France)
* I Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* I Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French A ...
would be commanded by
Einar Mäkinen. II Corps, in turn, was briefly commanded by Blick until 30 August, after which he returned to the command of the 2nd Division. 1941 also saw Blick's promotion to
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
and an award of
Mannerheim Cross
The Mannerheim Cross ( fi, Mannerheim-risti, sv, Mannerheimkorset), officially Mannerheim Cross of the Cross of Liberty ( fi, Vapaudenristin Mannerheim-risti, link=no, sv, Frihetskorsets Mannerheimkors, link=no) is the most distinguished Finnis ...
, the most distinguished Finnish military honour. In January 1942, Blick was given command of the
VI Corps 6 Corps, 6th Corps, Sixth Corps, or VI Corps may refer to:
France
* VI Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry formation of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars
* VI Corps (Grande Armée), a formation of the Imperial French army du ...
, a posting he would keep until 1944. Consisting of the
5th
Fifth is the ordinal form of the number five.
Fifth or The Fifth may refer to:
* Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as in the expression "pleading the Fifth"
* Fifth column, a political term
* Fifth disease, a contagious rash tha ...
and
17th divisions, the corps was located on the
Svir front, alongside the German 163rd Division and the
V Corps 5th Corps, Fifth Corps, or V Corps may refer to:
France
* 5th Army Corps (France)
* V Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* V Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Ar ...
. Following a series of Soviet counter-attacks that largely stopped by April 1942, the area stabilized into stationary warfare.
Still under Blick's command, the corps was struck by the Soviet
Vyborg–Petrozavodsk offensive on 21 June 1944. Following a
Soviet landing in Tuloksa, which put the corps in danger of being cut off, Blick requested permission to pull back from his superior,
general
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...
Paavo Talvela
Paavo Juho Talvela (born Paavo Juho Thorén 19 February 1897, died 30 September 1973) was a Finnish general of the infantry, Knight of the Mannerheim Cross and a member of the Jäger movement. He participated in the Eastern Front of World War ...
. The request was denied and Blick was ordered to conduct a delaying action. Blick cut communications with Talvela, gave out orders to fall back, and only re-established communications once it was too late to countermand his orders. This caused significant animosity between Talvela and Blick, and resulted in the replacement of Blick by
Armas-Eino Martola on 6 July. According to historian Antti Juutilainen, Blick's actions "saved his men". Following his removal from the command of the VI Corps, Blick was given command of the 2nd Division on the Karelian Isthmus. Under his command, the division participated in the
Battle of Vuosalmi
The Battle of Vuosalmi (also known as the Battle of Äyräpää-Vuosalmi) – the main bulk of it – lasted from July 4 to July 17, 1944. It was fought during the Continuation War (1941–1944), a part of World War II, between Finland
...
where a Soviet bridgehead over the river
Vuoksi
The Vuoksi (russian: Вуокса, historically: "Uzerva"; fi, Vuoksi; sv, Vuoksen) is a river running through the northernmost part of the Karelian Isthmus from Lake Saimaa in southeastern Finland to Lake Ladoga in northwestern Russia. The ri ...
was contained.
Post-war career and death
Following the end of the Continuation War, Blick continued as the commander of the 2nd Division until 1945, when he was given command of the 3rd Division. Promoted to
lieutenant general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
, he took command of the 1st Division in 1947. He kept the posting until 1954 when he retired from military service. In his retirement, Blick continued to be active in veteran affairs. He worked as the
editor-in-chief
An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies.
The highest-ranking editor of a publication may also be titled editor, managing ...
of the ''Kansa taisteli – miehet kertovat'' magazine, and held several positions of trust in organizations related to the Jäger Movement and veterans of the wars he had participated in. Blick died in Helsinki on 15 February 1964.
During his life, Blick was granted several Finnish awards, the most notable of which are the
Mannerheim Cross
The Mannerheim Cross ( fi, Mannerheim-risti, sv, Mannerheimkorset), officially Mannerheim Cross of the Cross of Liberty ( fi, Vapaudenristin Mannerheim-risti, link=no, sv, Frihetskorsets Mannerheimkors, link=no) is the most distinguished Finnis ...
2nd class, the
Order of the Cross of Liberty
The Order of the Cross of Liberty ( fi, Vapaudenristin ritarikunta; sv, Frihetskorsets orden) is one of three official state orders in Finland, along with the Order of the White Rose of Finland and the Order of the Lion of Finland.
Organisation
...
and the
Order of the White Rose of Finland
The Order of the White Rose of Finland ( fi, Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunta; sv, Finlands Vita Ros’ orden) is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, and the Order of the Lion of Finland. ...
. He also received the Norwegian
Order of St. Olav, the Romanian
Order of the Crown, and the German
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia es ...
(both 1st and 2nd class).
Notes
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Blick, Aarne
1894 births
1964 deaths
People of the Finnish Civil War (White side)
Finnish military personnel of World War II
Knights of the Mannerheim Cross
Jägers of the Jäger Movement
Finnish generals
People from Ulvila