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. The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The orders are administered by boards consisting of a chancellor, a vice-chancellor and at least four members. The orders of the White Rose of Finland and the Lion of Finland have a joint board.

History

The Order of the White Rose of Finland was established by Gustaf Mannerheim in his capacity as regent (temporary head of state) on January 28, 1919. The name comes from the nine roses argent in the coat of arms of Finland. The order's rules and regulations were confirmed on May 16, 1919, and its present rules date from June 1, 1940. The revised scale of ranks was confirmed most recently in 1985. The original decorations were designed by Akseli Gallen-Kallela. The swastikas of the collar were replaced by fir crosses in 1963, designed by heraldic artist Gustaf von Numers. The honour can be granted for military as well as civilian merit.

Insignia

The ribbon for all classes is ultramarine, as it is found in the flag of Finland, although officially the statutes do not define the color of the ribbon beyond it being "dark blue". The motto of the order appears on the medallion and is ().

The President of Finland wears the Grand Cross of the White Rose of Finland with Collar (a neck chain). The Collar is worn four centimetres from either side and hangs at equal distances at the front and back. The Grand Cross and Commander marks are awarded with a breast star.

Classes

The classes of the order of the White Rose of Finland are:

* Grand Cross of the White Rose of Finland with Collar
* Grand Cross of the White Rose of Finland
* First Class Commander of the White Rose of Finland
* Commander of the White Rose of Finland
* First Class Knight of the White Rose of Finland
* Knight (Chevalier) of the White Rose of Finland
* Cross of Merit of the White Rose of Finland
* First Class Medal of the White Rose of Finland with golden cross
* First Class Medal of the White Rose of Finland
* Medal of the White Rose of Finland

Recipients

Generally the Grand Cross with Collar is awarded only to foreign heads of state, e.g. to King Fuad I of Egypt (1935), Charles de Gaulle (1962), Josip Broz Tito (1963) and King Birendra of Nepal (1988). In the case of royals, consorts may be awarded with it. Heirs apparent of Nordic monarchies have also been awarded. The Grand Master may however in principle award it at his pleasure. During World War II Hermann Göring and Joachim von Ribbentrop were exceptionally given the Grand Cross with Collar because Adolf Hitler would not receive orders.

Prime Ministers of Finland customarily receive the Grand Cross. (Certain leftist politicians refused the cross or did not wear it, and the transient term in office of Anneli Jäätteenmäki did not lead to the President awarding the cross.) The Grand Cross is also given to presidents of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Administrative Court, the Archbishop of Turku and Finland, and the Chancellor of the order.

Recipients List

*''2021'' David Yoken, Cross of Merit of the White Rose of Finland, for promoting music and dance throughout the Nordic region, and climate action through artistic exchange.
*''2017'' Dr. Helena Yli-Renko
*''2016'' ''Pauline Kiltinen'' - Cross of Merit of the Order of the White Rose for the promotion of Finnish culture including the commissioning Rockland the Opera.
*''2015'' Anna-Maja Henriksson, Commander of the White Rose of Finland
*''2015'' ''Tapani Jyrki Tarvainen'', Chevalier (Knight) of the White Rose of Finland
*''2011'' Dr. Henry Tirri, First Class Knight of the White Rose of Finland
:: Former Executive Vice President and CTO of Nokia. Henry was a tenured Professor of Computer Science at the University of Helsinki. Henry holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Helsinki, Finland and an Honorary Doctorate from University of Tampere, Finland.
*''2011'' ''Bob Foster''
:: Professor, Director – GAP, UCLA Anderson School of Management; as a ''First Class Knight'', on December 09, 2011Bensley, Lucas, "From 'professor' to knighted 'sir': Finnish government honors Bob Foster for his work with country's technological companies", ''Daily Bruin'', UCLA, 2012 January 12, pp. 1 & 4. "in recognition of his efforts, through the GAP program, to help Finnish technology companies expand into markets abroad, including the United States" and their advancement "further in corporate development."
*''2010'' Rajendra Kumar Pachauri
*''2009'' Mart Laar, 2009
*''2009'' Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kazakhstan
*''2008'' ''Tim Purcell''
:: Knight 1st Class awarded 3 October 2008, presented in NSW Parliament House 6 Dec 2008 by the Finnish Ambassador Glenn Lindholm for fostering bilateral relationships between Australia and Finland Government, Business and Academia in the area of Innovation.
*''2008'' Simon Beresford-Wylie, Chief Executive Officer, Nokia Siemens Networks, Awarded 2008
*''2008'' ''Jim Gilleran''
*''2008'' Managing Director – Finnforest USA on 2008 September 12.
*''2007'' ''James Cathey''
*''2006'' Erkki Oja, 2006
*''2005'' Kostiantyn Tyshchenko, philologist, linguist
*''2004'' ''Elwin Svenson''
:: Executive Director – International Programs, FEMBA/GAP programs, UCLA Anderson School of Management; as a ''First Class Knight'', on December 11, 2004Carrillo, Sandybeth, "Vice chancellor emeritus receives recognition overseas: Finland awards Svenson for work with international Anderson program", ''Daily Bruin'', UCLA, 2005 January 10. "for assisting the expansion of Finnish start-up companies through the UCLA Anderson's Global Access Program."
*''2003'' ''Andrew Wilkinson'', Knight, 1st Class, Order of the White Rose of Finland
*''1991'' Margareta Steinby
*''1988'' Ensio Seppänen, First Class Knight of the White Rose of Finland
*''1988'' Birendra Bir Bikram Shah, Late king of Nepal
*''1984'' Arthur J. Collingsworth, 1984
*''1983'' ''Walter Werronen''
*''1983'' ''Leo Kyntäjä''
*''1978'' Dmitriy Ustinov, Marshal of the Soviet Union
*''1976'' Leonid Brezhnev, 1976
*''1971'' Arthur Lydiard, 1972
*''1971'' Olli Mannermaa, 1979
*''1969'' Anne, Princess Royal
*''1967'' Zoltán Kodály, 1967 - First Class Commander of the White Rose of Finland (donated by President Kekkonen, 17 February, Finnish Embassy Budapest)
*''1967'' Colonel Wayne J. Moe, US Army Attaché
*''1967'' ''Greta Kukkonen''
*''1963'' Koča Popović
*''1963'' Josip Broz Tito
*''1962'' Charles de Gaulle
*''1961'' Maggie Gripenberg
*''1960'' Jarl Lindfors, 1960
*''1958'' ''John Fawcett''
*''1955'' Thomas Beecham, 1955
*''1951'' ''Bernard Aabel'', 1951, In 1948 Aabel became the Assistant Military Attaché in Helsinki, Finland
*''1947'' ''Earl Wagner Twitchell''
*''1944'' ''Norman Cameron Moore'', 1941
*''1942'' Hirohito, Emperor of Japan
*''1942'' Ion Antonescu
*''1941'' Eduard Dietl
*''1941'' Josef Veltjens
*''1941'' Dean Driscoll, 1941, Chevalier (Knight) of the White Rose of Finland, for services "toward relieving the civilian population of wartorn Finland".
*''1939'' Walther von Brauchitsch
*''1934'' Shaul Tchernichovsky
*''1926'' Ernesto Burzagli, 1926.Order of White Rose of Finland: diploma
* - Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden
* - Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand
* - Armi Kuusela, Miss Universe 1952
* - Edward Rydz-Śmigły
* - Dáithí O'Ceallaigh

Special honors

*Grand Cross with Collar, Jewels and Swords was awarded only once, to Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim 4 June 1944.
*Grand Cross with Jewels, to three Finns: Senator Otto Stenroth 1938, Foreign Minister Carl Enckell 1946 and Jean Sibelius 1950.
*Grand Cross with Swords has been awarded to three Finnish Lieutenant Generals: Hjalmar Siilasvuo, Edvard Hanell and Aksel Airo. The decoration has also been awarded to a number of foreign high officers, such as the German Colonel General Eduard Dietl.

See also

*Orders, decorations, and medals of Finland

References

Works cited

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Further reading

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External links

*{{Official website
Pictures of decorationsThe Office of the President of the Republic of Finland: Order of the White Rose of Finland

Order of the White Rose of Finland
Awards established in 1919
Orders of merit
Finnish awards