Production
In winter 2012 Yle reported on a forthcoming Mannerheim film, which would be an international production. Information of the film being filmed in a foreign country became to public, before Yle had time to organize a press conference on August 16, 2012.
Erkko Lyytinen got the idea for the film in Kenya from an Estonian producer Ken Saan. Saan had asked from Lyytinen if he had any project that could be filmed at Kenya. According to Lyytinen, Saan's aspect at the production was a major success of the movie filming. The screenplay was written by a Kenyan work group. Yle gave to scriptwriters the necessary facts, but the group created the portrait of Mannerheim themselves. Originally the film was going to be a war film, but turned out to be a biographical film, because it was too hard to shoot the war scenes at the bad circumstances.
The film was shot around Nairobi in May and June. Gilbert Lukalia was chosen to be a director of the film in just 12 hours before the start of filming. They also made a six-part documentary of making the film called Operation Mannerheim, which cost about 100,000–150,000 €, even though the movie itself cost only 20,000 €.
Kyösti Kallio was a Finnish politician who served as the fourth president of Finland from 1937 to 1940. His presidency included leading the country through the Winter War; while he relinquished the post of commander-in-chief to Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, he played a role as a spiritual leader. After the war, he became both the first President of Finland to resign and the only one to die in office, dying of a heart attack while returning home after submitting his resignation.
Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim was a Finnish military commander, aristocrat, and statesman. He served as the military leader of the Whites in the Finnish Civil War (1918), as Regent of Finland (1918–1919), as commander-in-chief of the Finnish Defence Forces during the period of World War II (1939–1945), and as the sixth president of Finland (1944–1946). He became Finland's only field marshal in 1933 and was appointed honorary Marshal of Finland in 1942.
The Mannerheim Cross, officially Mannerheim Cross of the Cross of Liberty is the most distinguished Finnish military honour. A total of 191 people received the cross between 22 July 1941 and 7 May 1945, with six of the recipients receiving a cross twice. Available in two classes, the 1st class medal has only been awarded twice, with both recipients also having received the medal in the 2nd class. Although still active de jure, no crosses have been awarded since 1945. Tuomas Gerdt, the last living Knight of the Mannerheim Cross, died on 1 November 2020.
Simo Häyhä, often referred to by his nickname, The White Death, was a Finnish military sniper during World War II in the 1939–1940 Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union. He used a Finnish-produced M/28-30 rifle and a Suomi KP/-31 submachine gun. Häyhä is believed to have killed over 500 enemy soldiers during the conflict, the highest number of sniper kills in any major war. Consequently, he is often regarded as the deadliest sniper in history.
Renny Harlin is a Finnish film director, producer, and screenwriter who has worked in Hollywood, Europe, and China. His best-known films include A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger, The Long Kiss Goodnight, and Deep Blue Sea.
Suuret suomalaiset was a 2004 television show broadcast in Finland by Yle, which determined the 100 greatest Finns of all time according to the opinions of its viewers. The viewers were able to vote during a programme which lasted from October to December 2004. The show was a Finnish spin-off of the BBC's programme Great Britons.
Yekaterina Vasilyevna Geltzer was a prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet who danced in the theatre from 1898 to 1935. She was the daughter of the famous Russian dancer Vasily Geltzer.
The Desert Fox is a 1951 American biographical war film from 20th Century Fox about the role of German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in World War II. It stars James Mason in the title role, was directed by Henry Hathaway, and was based on the book Rommel: The Desert Fox by Brigadier Desmond Young, who served in the British Indian Army in North Africa.
Count Carl Gustaf Mannerheim was a Finnish nobleman, amateur entomologist and governor of the Viipuri province in the Grand Duchy of Finland. He collected beetles from across the Arctic region from Alaska to Russia through northern Scandinavia making use of a network of aristocratic amateurs and Finnish settlers resulting in a personal collection of nearly 100000 specimens of beetles representing 20,000 species made over a period of 40 years.
Tamminiemi is a villa and house museum located in the Meilahti district of Helsinki, Finland. It was one of the three official residences of the President of Finland, from 1940 to 1982. From 1956, until his death in 1986, it served as the residence of President Urho Kekkonen. Since 1987, it has been the Urho Kekkonen Museum. Tamminiemi is located in a park by the sea. Its floor area is about 450 square metres (4,800 sq ft); living quarters comprise the first two floors while the third floor is dedicated to office space.
In the Finnish Defence Forces, Field Marshal is officially not an active military rank but an honorary rank that can be bestowed upon 'especially distinguished generals'. So far the only holder of this title has been Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, then Chairman of the Defence Council, who received it on 19 May 1933 by the decision of the State Council. Baron Gustaf Mannerheim (1867–1951) served as Regent (1918–1919) and President of the Republic (1944–1946).
Peace opposition was a Finnish cross-party movement pushing for Finland to step out of the Continuation War. From 1943 to 1944, the "Peace opposition" united bourgeois politicians such as Paasikivi, Kekkonen and Sakari Tuomioja with social democrats, wanted a way to conclude peace with the Soviet Union. The number of MPs belonging to this group was rather small at first, but it gained influence as the military situation worsened. After the signing of armistice, Paasikivi established his cabinet, which included members of the previous opposition group.
Marskin ryyppy is a strong alcoholic drink of Finnish origin, served as a snaps. The drink is named after Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, the Marshal of Finland. According to all sources it is important that the glass where the drink is served is poured as full as possible ; the glass is then to be emptied without spilling. This practice is said to originate in the Chevalier Guard, where Mannerheim once served, in which every man was entitled to one shot of vodka per day. Through this practice everyone was assured an equal amount. Marskin ryyppy must also be served ice-cold.
Lieutenant General Count Wilhelm Archibald Douglas was a senior Swedish Army officer and nobleman. Douglas had a remarkable career marked by military achievements and high-ranking positions. Commissioned as an officer in 1903, he quickly rose through the ranks, attaining the rank of lieutenant in the Life Regiment Dragoons in 1906. During World War I, he served as a general staff officer in the 1st Army Division, and in 1918, he played a significant role in the Finnish Civil War, becoming captain and lieutenant colonel in the Finnish Army and participating in key battles.
The Hitler and Mannerheim recording is a 1942 recording of a private conversation between German dictator Adolf Hitler, and Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Defence Forces. It took place on a secret visit made to Finland by Hitler to honour Mannerheim's 75th birthday on 4 June 1942, during the Continuation War, a sub-theatre of World War II. Thor Damen, a sound engineer for the Finnish broadcaster Yleisradio (YLE) who had been assigned to record the official birthday proceedings, recorded the first eleven minutes of Hitler and Mannerheim's private conversation—without Hitler's knowledge. It is the only known recording of Hitler speaking in an unofficial tone.
Count Carl Robert Mannerheim was a Finnish aristocrat and businessman. He was the son of naturalist Carl Gustaf Mannerheim, and father of Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim.
Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (1867–1951) was a Finnish military leader and statesman.
Louhisaari Manor is a historic baroque manor house in Askainen in the municipality of Masku, Western Finland Province, Finland. The mansion is the birthplace and childhood home of Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, Finnish military leader, statesman and sixth president of Finland (1944–1946).
General is the highest officer's rank in Finland. It is held exclusively by the Chief of Defence during peacetime. General is comparable to ranks of NATO armies officers as OF-9.
The Headquarters is a 1970 Finnish historical war drama film written and directed by Matti Kassila. Based on the 1966 Finnish play Päämajassa by Ilmari Turja, the film describes the mood and atmosphere of the Finnish army headquarters led by Marshal C. G. E. Mannerheim in Mikkeli in the summer of 1944 during the breakthrough of the Karelian Isthmus.
