The Order of the Lion of Finland ( fi, Suomen Leijonan ritarikunta; sv, Finlands Lejons orden) is one of three official

orders Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

, along with 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. ...

. The

President of Finland The president of the Republic of Finland ( fi, Suomen tasavallan presidentti; sv, Republiken Finlands president) is the head of state of Finland. Under the Constitution of Finland, executive power is vested in the Finnish Government and the p ...

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. The President of Finland wears the Star of the Order of the Lion of Finland.

History

The Order of the Lion of Finland was established on September 11, 1942. At that time, Finland was waging 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 ...

. Wartime diplomacy included a heightened need to decorate particularly foreigners from aligned countries, chiefly Germany. The existing Finnish orders – the

and the

– could not keep up with the decorations and their highest grades were in danger to become inflated due to too many holders. The Order of the Lion of Finland was thus established to allow the continuation of decorating foreigners with high ranks in Finnish orders, although the Order of the Lion of Finland can also be awarded to Finnish nationals. The new order also allowed for more flexible decorations, taking in account the rank and achievements of the recipients. In January 1998 President

Martti Ahtisaari Martti Oiva Kalevi Ahtisaari (; born 23 June 1937) is a Finnish politician, the tenth president of Finland (1994–2000), a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and a United Nations diplomat and mediator noted for his international peace work. Ahtisa ...

was criticized by some NGOs, politicians and notable cultural figures because he awarded Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland to Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo, the Forest Minister of

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

, and to

Sukanto Tanoto Sukanto Tanoto (; b. 25 December 1949) is an Indonesian businessman primarily involved in the lumber industry. After starting as a supplier of equipment and materials for the state-owned oil firm Pertamina, Tanoto moved into the forest industry ...

, the main owner of the Indonesian RGM Company, a parent company of the April Company. The April Company was criticized by non-governmental organisations for destroying

rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

s, and Indonesia itself was criticized heavily for human right violations, especially in

East Timor East Timor (), also known as Timor-Leste (), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is an island country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-weste ...

. Ahtisaari's party chairman

Erkki Tuomioja Erkki Sakari Tuomioja (born 1 July 1946) is a Finnish politician and a member of the Finnish Parliament. From 2000 to 2007 and 2011 to 2015, he served as the minister for foreign affairs. He was president of the Nordic Council in 2008. Tuomioja ...

said that giving the medals was questionable since he feared the act may tarnish the public image of Finnish human rights policy. Students of the arts had demonstrations in Helsinki against the decision to give medals. Artist and author

Leena Krohn Leena Krohn (born February 28, 1947 in Helsinki) is a Finnish author. Her large and varied body of work includes novels, short stories, children's books, and essays. In her books she deals with topics that include man's relationship with himself a ...

returned their Pro Finlandia medals to protest the Indonesian decorations. Finnish

Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...

and

Paralympic The Paralympic Games or Paralympics, also known as the ''Games of the Paralympiad'', is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities, including impaired muscle power and impaire ...

medalists are awarded Knight or Knight, First Class, with clasps. Ambassadors accredited to Helsinki leaving their post are given the Grand Cross provided that their country also awards medals reciprocally.

Classes

The classes of the Order of the Lion of Finland are: * FIN Order of the Lion of Finland 1Class BAR

Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of Finland * FIN Order of the Lion of Finland 2Class BAR

Commander, First Class, of the Order of the Lion of Finland * FIN Order of the Lion of Finland 3Class BAR

Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland * FIN Order of the Lion of Finland Pro-Finlandia BAR

Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland (awarded to artists and writers) * FIN Order of the Lion of Finland 4Class BAR

Knight, First Class, of the Order of the Lion of Finland * FIN Order of the Lion of Finland 5Class BAR

Knight of the Order of the Lion of Finland * FIN Order of the Lion of Finland 5Class BAR

Cross of Merit of the Order of the Lion of Finland

Recipients

Grand Cross

Risto Ryti Risto Heikki Ryti (; 3 February 1889 – 25 October 1956) served as the fifth president of Finland from 1940 to 1944. Ryti started his career as a politician in the field of economics and as a political background figure during the interwar perio ...

(1942) *

Aimo Cajander Aimo Kaarlo Cajander (4 April 1879 – 21 January 1943) was the Prime Minister of Finland up to the Winter War. Cajander was born in Uusikaupunki, and became a botanist, a professor of forestry 1911–34; director-general for Finland's Fore ...

(1942) *

Harri Holma Harri Gustaf Holma (last name until 1906 ''Hellman''; April 14, 1886 – April 14, 1954) was a Finnish diplomat and assyriologist. Holma was born in Hämeenlinna. His parents were colleague Anders Victor Hellman and Anna Ida Charlotta af Enehje ...

(1942) * (1942) * Lauri Malmberg (1942) *

Oskari Mantere Oskari Mantere (18 September 1874 – 9 December 1942) was a Finnish politician from the National Progressive Party who served as Prime Minister of Finland The prime minister of Finland ( fi, Suomen pääministeri; ) is the leader of the F ...

(1942) *

Karl Ivan Westman Karl Ivan Westman (August 5, 1889 – April 24, 1970) was a Swedish diplomat who served as Sweden's Ambassador to Switzerland in Bern between 1928 and 1938 and at the League of Nations, in connection with the Continuation War Sweden's ambassador ...

(1942) * , with swords (1942) *

Herbert Backe Herbert Friedrich Wilhelm Backe (1 May 1896 – 6 April 1947) was a German politician and SS Senior group leader (SS-''Obergruppenführer'') in Nazi Germany who served as State Secretary and Minister in the Reich Ministry of Food and Agricult ...

(1942) * (1942) *

Noti Constantinide Noti may refer to: * Noti, Oregon, a settlement in the US * Notia Nótia ( el, Νότια, formerly Νώτια; ruq, Nânti or ) is a village in the Exaplatanos municipal unit of the Pella regional unit, Central Macedonia, Greece. Lying at an al ...

(1942) * Vincenzo Cicconardi (1942) *

Heikki Renvall Henrik Gabriel "Heikki" Renvall (January 19, 1872 in Turku – June 1, 1955 in Helsinki) was a Finnish lawyer, journalist and the Head of the Editorial Board at the Finnish Ministry of Trade and Industry from 1917–1918. He married opera singer Ai ...

(1942) * Aarno Yrjö-Koskinen (1942) *

Nicolas Petzeff Nicolas or Nicolás may refer to: People Given name * Nicolas (given name) Mononym * Nicolas (footballer, born 1999), Brazilian footballer * Nicolas (footballer, born 2000), Brazilian footballer Surname Nicolas * Dafydd Nicolas (c.1705–1774), ...

(1943) * Alfréd Nickl (1943) *

Antti Tulenheimo Antti Agathon Tulenheimo (4 December 1879 – 3 September 1952) was a Finnish politician from the National Coalition Party who served as Prime Minister of Finland in 1925. He was also minister of the interior from November 1918 to April 1919. H ...

(1943) * , with swords (1943) * , with swords (1943) *

Ilie Șteflea Ilie Șteflea (11 April 1888 – 21 May 1946) was a Romanian General during World War II and Chief of the Romanian General Staff between 20 January 1942 and 23 August 1944. Early life and career Ilie Șteflea was born in Săliște (near Sibiu, in ...

, with swords (1943) *

Hubert Guerin Quirin Marie Hubert Guerin (25 January 1896 – 17 December 1986) was a French diplomat and military officer. He served as an ambassador to Canada (1949 – 1955), Brazil (1946 – 1949) and the Netherlands (1945 – 1946), and repre ...

(1943) * Gheorghe Davidescu (1943) * (1943) *

Karl Fiehler Karl Fiehler (31 August 1895 – 8 December 1969) was a German Nazi Party (NSDAP) official and Mayor of Munich from 1933 until 1945. He was an early member of the Nazi Party having joined in 1920. In 1933, he became a '' Reichsleiter'' in the pa ...

(1943) * Hartmann Lauterbacher (1943) *

Artur Axmann Artur Axmann (18 February 1913 – 24 October 1996) was the German Nazi national leader (''Reichsjugendführer'') of the Hitler Youth (''Hitlerjugend'') from 1940 to 1945, when the war ended. He was the last living Nazi with a rank equivalent to ...

(1943) *

Alexander von Dörnberg Alexander Freiherr von Dörnberg zu Hausen (17 March 1901 in Darmstadt – 7 August 1983 in Oberaula-Hausen, Hesse) was a German jurist, diplomat and SS officer. He was head of the Protocol Department of the Foreign Office from 1938 to 1945. L ...

(1943) * Octav Ullea (1943) *

Gösta Bagge Gösta Adolfsson Bagge (27 May 1882 – 3 January 1951) was a Swedish professor of economics and a conservative politician, and leader of the National Organization of the Right from 1935 to 1944. Biography Bagge was born in Stockholm and en ...

(1943) * (1943) * Agâh Aksel (1943) *

Werner Lorenz Werner Lorenz (October 2, 1891 – March 13, 1974) was an SS functionary during the Nazi era. He was head of the ''Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle'' (VOMI) (Main Office for Ethnic Germans), an organization charged with resettling ethnic Germans in ...

(1943) * (1943) *

G. A. Gripenberg Georg Achates Gripenberg (18 May 1890 – 31 May 1975) was a Finnish diplomat. He served as an Envoy of Finland to London in 1933–1941 and in Stockholm from 1943 to 1956 and as Finland's first Permanent Representative of Finland to the United Na ...

(1943) *

Onni Talas Onni Eugen Aleksander Talas (15 June 1877 – 3 May 1958; till 1895 Gratschoff) was a Finnish lawyer, politician, professor and diplomat, and was a member of the Senate of Finland. Talas was born in Lappeenranta. He was the Chargé d'affaires ...

(1943) * Jenő Szinyei Merse (1944) *

Ferenc Szombathelyi Ferenc Szombathelyi (17 May 1887 – 4 November 1946), born Ferenc Knausz or Ferenc Knauz, was a Hungarian military officer who served, from September 1941 to April 1944, as Head of the General Staff of the Royal Hungarian Army during World W ...

, with swords (1944) *

Lajos Csatay Vitéz Lajos Csatay de Csataj (born as ''Lajos Tutzentaller'' on 1 August 1886 – 16 October 1944) was a Hungarian military officer and politician, who served as Minister of Defence between June 1943 and October 1944. Life World War I and ...

, with swords (1944) * Gustaf Lindström (1944) *

Axel Rappe ''Friherre'' General Axel Emil Rappe (2October 1838 – 18December 1918) was a Swedish Army officer and Minister of War from 1892 and 1899. Early life Rappe was born on 2 October 1838 in Christinelund manor in Arby, Kalmar County, the ...

(1944) * Karl Weisenberger, with swords (1944) *

Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (, ; 4 June 1867 – 27 January 1951) was a Finnish military leader and statesman. He served as the military leader of the Whites in the Finnish Civil War of 1918, as Regent of Finland (1918–1919), as comma ...

, with swords (1944) *

Leo Ehrnrooth Leo Reinhold Ehrnrooth (10 March 1877 in Helsinki – 26 July 1951 in Sweden) was a Finnish politician from Swedish People's Party of Finland. He was a member of the Senate of Finland. He served as Minister of Trade and Industry in 1920, and ...

(1944) *

Ernst von Born Baron Ernst Viktor Lorenz von Born (24 August 1885, Pernå - 7 July 1956) was a Finnish lawyer, farmer and politician. He served as Minister of the Interior from March 1931 to December 1932 and from December 1939 to May 1941, Minister without Por ...

(1944) *

Paavo Hynninen Paavo Johannes (Juho) HynninenFacta2001, WSOY 1981, 6. osa, palsta 274 (31 May 1883 Joroinen – 18 May 1960 Helsinki ) was a Finnish Minister and Ambassador. He was a Master of Philosophy.WSOY Iso Tietosanakirja 3. osa, s. 319, WSOY 1995 Hynnin ...

(1944) *

Gustaf Idman Karl Gustaf Idman (1 December 1885 in Tampere – 13 April 1961 in Helsinki) was a Finnish diplomat and a non-partisan Minister of Foreign Affairs in Antti Tulenheimo's cabinet in 1925. Idman completed a law doctorate in 1914 and worked in He ...

(1944) * , with swords (1945) *

Woldemar Hägglund Johan Woldemar Hägglund (August 10, 1893 – February 12, 1963) was a Finnish lieutenant general ( fi, kenraaliluutnantti, link=no) in the Finnish Army in the Second World War, and an early volunteer of the Jäger Movement. He participated in t ...

, with swords (1945) * , with swords (1945) *

Hugo Österman Hugo Viktor Österman (5 September 1892, Helsinki – 17 February 1975) was a Finnish lieutenant-general during World War II. He was commander of the Finnish Army 1933–1939. When the Winter War started Österman was made commander of the Army ...

, with swords (1945) * (1945) * José de Palafox, 3rd Duke of Zaragoza (1945) *

Helge Söderbom Lieutenant General Johan ''Helge'' Fritiof Söderbom (21 May 1881 – 3 January 1975) was a senior Swedish Army officer. Söderbom served as head of the Quartermaster Staff from 1928 to 1935 and was Quartermaster-General and as commanding officer ...

(1946) * (1946) * Max von Bonsdorff (1946) * (1946) *

Berndt Grönblom Berndt Gustaf Grönblom (20 December 1885 – 4 October 1970) was a Finnish industrialist and vuorineuvos.

(1946) * (1946) *

Juho Kusti Paasikivi Juho Kusti Paasikivi (; 27 November 1870 – 14 December 1956) was the seventh president of Finland (1946–1956). Representing the Finnish Party until its dissolution in 1918 and then the National Coalition Party, he also served as Prime Ministe ...

(1946) * (1946) *

Eliel Saarinen Gottlieb Eliel Saarinen (, ; August 20, 1873 – July 1, 1950) was a Finnish-American Architecture, architect known for his work with art nouveau buildings in the early years of the 20th century. He was also the father of famed architect Eero ...

(1946) * (1946) * (1946) * (1946) * (1946) * (1946) * (1947) * (1947) * (1947) * (1947) *

Zygmunt Modzelewski Zygmunt Modzelewski (15 April 1900, Częstochowa – 18 June 1954, Warsaw) was a Polish communist politician, professor, economist, and diplomat. Life and career He was a member of the Social Democracy of the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania a ...

(1948) *

Hilary Minc Hilary Minc (24 August 1905, Kazimierz Dolny – 26 November 1974, Warsaw) was a Polish economist and communist politician prominent in Stalinist Poland. Minc was born into a middle class Jewish family; his parents were Oskar Minc and Stefa ...

(1948) * (1948) * (1948) * Iivari Toivanen (1948) * Josef Pavlovský (1949) * (1949) * Jan Wasilewski (1949) *

Rainer von Fieandt Berndt Rainer von Fieandt (26 December 1890 – 28 April 1972) was a Finnish banker and official without party affiliation. He was appointed as the Governor of the Bank of Finland in 1955 before being appointed by the President to form a cabinet ...

(1949) *

Hans Fuglsang-Damgaard Hans Fuglsang-Damgaard (29 July 1890 – 8 July 1979) was a bishop of the diocese of Copenhagen for 25 years including the years of the Nazi Germany, German occupation. Early life and education Hans Fuglsang-Damgaard was born on 29 July 1890 in ...

(1949) *

Armas Järnefelt Edvard Armas Järnefelt (14 August 1869 – 23 June 1958), was a Finnish conductor and composer, who achieved some minor success with his orchestral works ''Berceuse'' and ''Praeludium''. He spent much of his conducting career at the Royal Sw ...

(1949) *

Gustaf Nobel Gustaf Nobel ( , ; born 1950 in Stockholm) is a Swedish businessman and humanitarian, and a member of the Nobel family. He is the Chairman of the Nobel Charitable Trust (since 2010). He studied at the University of Lund, and has worked in managem ...

(1949) *

Emil Aaltonen Emil Aaltonen ( Widell until 1890; b. 29 August 1869 — d. 16 December 1949) was a prominent Finnish industrialist and philanthropist, who went from humble beginnings to own and run the largest shoe manufacturing business of its time in the N ...

(1949) * (1949) * Hjalmar Granfelt (1949) *

Oskari Wilho Louhivuori Oskari Wilho Louhivuori (18 September 1884 – 1 July 1953) was a Finnish politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, rejec ...

(1949) * (1949) * (1950) * Archbishop Herman (1950) * (1950) * (1950) * (1951) *

Wilhelm Wahlforss Emil Wilhelm Wahlforss (25 June 1891 – 20 June 1969) was a Finnish engineer, industrialist and vuorineuvos. Early life Wahlforss was born in Helsinki, the capital of Grand Duchy of Finland. His father Henrik Alfred Wahlforss was an appreciat ...

(1951) * (1951) * (1952) * (1952) *

Erik von Frenckell Erik von Frenckell (18 November 1887 – 13 September 1977) was a Swedish-speaking Finnish nobleman, member of the Parliament of Finland, member of the International Olympic Committee and a vice president of the International Football Associati ...

(1952) * Vilho Ebeling (1952) * (1952) * (1952) *

Kyösti Haataja Kyösti Haataja (19 February 1881 – 10 August 1956) was a twentieth century Finnish politician, born in Oulu. He was a member of the Parliament of Finland from 1916 to 1919 and again from 1929 to 1930. He was a member of the National Coalition ...

(1953) * Torbjörn Seippel (1953) * (1953) * Mikko Louhivaara (1953) *

Pekka Myrberg Pekka Juhana Myrberg (30 December 1892, Viipuri – 8 November 1976, Helsinki) was a Finnish mathematician known for developing the concept of period-doubling bifurcation in a paper published in the 1950s. The concept was further developed by Mitc ...

(1953) *

Juho Niukkanen Juho Niukkanen (27 July 1888 in Kirvu – 17 May 1954 in Helsinki) was a Finnish politician prior to, during, and after the Winter War. He was a member of parliament from 1916 to 1933 and again from 1936 to 1954, and represented the Agrarian Par ...

(1953) *

Artturi Ilmari Virtanen Artturi Ilmari Virtanen (; 15 January 1895 – 11 November 1973) was a Finnish chemist and recipient of the 1945 Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for his research and inventions in agricultural and nutrition chemistry, especially for his fodder preserv ...

(1953) * Aarne Wuorimaa (1953) * Bruno Kivikoski (1954) * Marcus Wallenberg Jr. (1954) * (1954) *

Kaarlo Heiskanen Kaarlo Aleksanteri (Aleksander) Heiskanen (28 October 1894 in Joroinen – 6 November 1962 in Hämeenlinna) was a Finnish general and Knight of the Mannerheim Cross. He was the Chief of Defence of the Finnish Defence Forces The Finnish Defe ...

(1954) * (1954) * (1954) * (1954) * (1954) * (1955) * (1955) * (1955) *

Arturo Toscanini Arturo Toscanini (; ; March 25, 1867January 16, 1957) was an Italian conductor. He was one of the most acclaimed and influential musicians of the late 19th and early 20th century, renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orch ...

(1955) * (1955) * (1955) *

Urho Kekkonen Urho Kaleva Kekkonen (; 3 September 1900 – 31 August 1986), often referred to by his initials UKK, was a Finnish politician who served as the eighth and longest-serving president of Finland from 1956 to 1982. He also served as Prime Minister ...

(1956) * (1956) *

Torsten Friis Lieutenant General Torsten Friis (1 August 1882 – 21 April 1967) was a Swedish Air Force officer. Friis was initially a fortification officer and was commanding officer of the Field Telegraph Corps from 1928 to 1932 and chief of the Military Of ...

(1956) * (1956) *

Hugo Cederschiöld General Hugo Montgomery Cederschiöld (25 September 1878 – 17 March 1968) was a senior officer in the Swedish Army. He served as commander of Svea Life Guards (1936–1938), as Commandant of Stockholm (1938–1945) and as Defence District C ...

(1956) * (1956) *

Gustaf Dyrssen Lieutenant General Gustaf Peder Wilhelm Dyrssen (24 November 1891 – 13 May 1981) was a Swedish Army officer and Olympic modern pentathlete. Early life Dyrssen was born on 24 November 1891 in Stockholm, Sweden, the son of admiral Wi ...

(1956) *

Onni Okkonen Onni Okkonen (20 August 1886 – 18 May 1962) was a Finnish art historian based at the University of Helsinki. Okkonen was born in Korpiselkä in Karelia and earned his Ph.D. in 1914. He was appointed professor of art history at the University ...

(1956) *

Veikko Antero Koskenniemi Veikko Antero Koskenniemi (8 July 1885 – 4 August 1962) was a Finnish poet born in Oulu. From 1921 to 1948, Koskenniemi served as Professor of Literary History at the University of Turku. He was the university's rector from 1924 to 1932. ...

(1956) * (1957) * (1957) * Eduard Palin (1957)

References

Works cited

* *

External links

*{{Official website
11.9.1942/747 Decree. On the establishment of the Order of the Lion of Finland
Finlex.
ritarikunnat.fiThe Office of the President of the Republic of Finland (Decorations)
Lion of Finland, Order of Awards established in 1942 1942 establishments in Finland

History

Classes

Recipients

Grand Cross

See also

References

Works cited

Further reading

External links