Today is Finland's 100th Independence Day

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Today, December 6th, 2017 is Finland's 100th Independence Day. It is time to celebrate and remember past generations and their sacrificies with deep gratitude and hope that the future generations can enjoy their lives in peace.

Odd bunch us Finns as the poem says:
grin.gif


"Finn by Jorma Etto

A Finn is of a kind who answers when he is not asked,
asks when he is not answered, does not answer when he is asked.

Of a kind who gets lost, howls on the shore and on the opposite shore howls another of the same kind.

Forest peals, echoes, the pine trees hum.

There comes a Finn and groans, is here and groans, goes there and groans - is as in the sauna and groans when another throws water on the sauna stove.

Such a Finn always has a partner, never is he alone, and that partner is another Finn.

And nothing separates a Finn from another Finn. Nothing. Except the Death. And the Police."
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Independence from who? I'm not up on my world history.

From the 1300s to 1809 Finland was a part of Sweden.
From 1809 to 1917 it was a Grand Duchy and part of the Russian Empire, because there was a war in 1809 that Sweden lost.
Stalin tried to "take back" Finland in 1939 by staging a false attack on it's own territory, but they didn't succeed, although Finland lost 10% of it's territory.
 
Excellent.

I did the spittle gene test thing. Apparently you blokes get around. I had a great-great-great who was Finnish. My parents/grandparents never knew or mentioned this.

So time to celebrate!!
 
I was in Vantaa in 99 visiting friends at this time of year, we went to a feast on an island in Helsinki harbor, it was an interesting place, an old fort IIRC.
I tested quite a few products for Rukka back then and was in Finland quite a few times.
 
Land of 1000+ lakes, great ski jumpings, drivers, and of course, the land of Stratovarius and Nightwish; Congratulations!
 
Originally Posted By: FordCapriDriver
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Independence from who? I'm not up on my world history.

From the 1300s to 1809 Finland was a part of Sweden.
From 1809 to 1917 it was a Grand Duchy and part of the Russian Empire, because there was a war in 1809 that Sweden lost.
Stalin tried to "take back" Finland in 1939 by staging a false attack on it's own territory, but they didn't succeed, although Finland lost 10% of it's territory.

Good to mention that was a very small force (numbers) that hold the Soviets....
And I think they where also not as heavily equipped as the Red army.

My respects.

...Granpa did a tour of "duty" in Siberia.
 
My father's family was Finnish and that was his first spoken language, although he claimed later in life to not remember a word of it.
Strangely enough, he had a passionate hatred of Finnish things and even changed his very ethnic given name to something very bland and generically WASPy. Dad didn't care to talk about his parents, but he did like to complain very bitterly about their reluctance to assimilate in the US and I heard him ask many times, "If Finland was so great, why didn't they stay in effing Finland?" Despite that, I am not 100% sure that his folks were actually born there...I have a cousin I should ask about that.
I have some desire to visit Finland, although I have to admit it's not at the top of my bucket list. My aunt did travel there fairly late in her life and she told a great story about getting lost while trying to find the family seat and getting directions from a rather reluctant bystander. She asked the guy's name and then noted that they had the same surname and were most likely related. The guy's truly tender response was,
"Oh, well, we'll see about that."
My aunt said she ended up sitting naked in a sauna with him and bunch of other relatives within a few days laughing about their exchange.

Any pesapallo fans here?
 
Originally Posted By: Finn

A Finn is of a kind who answers when he is not asked,
asks when he is not answered, does not answer when he is asked.


Reminds me of Kimi Raikkonen though he rarely speaks so he doesn't ask.
 
Cool. Learned something today.
My grandfather came from Finland. Lots and lots of Finns in northern Wisconsin Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
 
Much respect for Finns. Their defense against the Russians was pretty amazing. They didn't have much ammunition. They wrapped themselves up in sheets and skied into the Russians and killed them with knives.

In Falmouth for Orders Alan Villiers describes being a seaman on a wheat clipper sailing from Melbourne ,AU to Falmouth England in an ex- German merchant marine training ship. A full rigged clipper designed to be crewed by 100s of midshipmen. The crew for this trip was 40 odd Finns and Villiers.
 
Originally Posted By: andyd
Much respect for Finns. Their defense against the Russians was pretty amazing. They didn't have much ammunition. They wrapped themselves up in sheets and skied into the Russians and killed them with knives...


One of my uncles died in that war. My dad gave me a photo of the bunker he was in when he was killed.

On a more lighthearted note, do you know how to spot a Finnish extrovert? He looks down at your shoes when he's talking to you.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: andyd
Much respect for Finns. Their defense against the Russians was pretty amazing. They didn't have much ammunition. They wrapped themselves up in sheets and skied into the Russians and killed them with knives.


That one went little too far, finnish infantry had clumsy Mosin-Nagant m/1891 based rifles
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: ctrcbob
I bet the flags are flying high in Lantana Florida today. The largest Finnish population outside Finland.

Funny, you should mention this as I am a Finn and live in Lantana. Flags are flying high!
SISU
 
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