Paavo Susitaival
Paavo Susitaival | |
---|---|
Member of the Parliament of Finland | |
In office 1 September 1939 – 31 December 1940[nb 1][2] | |
Personal details | |
Born | (1896-02-09)9 February 1896 Helsinki, Finland |
Died | 27 December 1993(1993-12-27) (aged 97) Lappeenranta, Finland |
Political party | Patriotic People's Movement |
Lieutenant Colonel Paavo Susitaival (9 February 1896 – 27 December 1993), born Paavo Sivén, was a Finnish author, soldier and politician. Paavo Sivén and his brother, Bobi Sivén were prominent figures in the Finnish interwar Nationalist movement. Paavo had acquired his reputation smuggling volunteers to Germany to enlist in the 27. Imperial Jaeger Battalion; Bobi gained his by being the last alderman of Porajärvi municipality before the ratification of the Treaty of Tartu who shot himself rather than acknowledge the transfer of Porajärvi and Repola to the Soviet Union.[3][4]
Early life
Paavo Sivén adopted the name Susitaival ("wolf's path" in English) during the First World War to throw off the Czar's secret service. Later, during the Finnish Civil War he attempted to enlist in the Finnish Army, only to realize that he – or rather, one of his pseudonyms – had already been appointed Captain in the Army, while he under his real name was listed as a draft-dodger. After the war he continued as a career soldier. He changed his name permanently to Susitaival in protest against the Svecoman sentiment in the Finnish Army, after attending an Army Cadet School church services where the Swedish-speaking cadets would not take communion with Finnish-speaking cadets.[3]
Finnish parliament
Susitaival participated in the Rebellion of Mäntsälä in a minor role, for which he served time in prison. Representing the Finnish fascist party IKL, Susitaival was elected as a member of the Finnish parliament in 1939. His career in the parliament was short lived, as at the beginning of the Winter War he chose to apply for active duty, one of only three Finnish MPs to do so.[5][6]
Winter War
During the Winter War, Susitaival served as a Lieutenant Colonel, commanding Osasto Susi in the Battle of Suomussalmi. He also held various command positions in the Continuation War. Despite his leadership skills and charisma, his abrasive, demanding character and a personal feud with Marshal Mannerheim, among other prominent officers, was the cause of him never advancing beyond that rank.
Later life and death
After the war, Paavo Susitaival retired from the Army and lived as an author in Lappeenranta, where a street is named after him. In later life, his physical condition worsened but he never lost his mental acumen. In spite of being a heavy smoker (reputedly consuming at least one bag of pipe tobacco per day after the age of 14) and an avid coffee-drinker, he died at the age of 97. In his will, he requested that he should be buried with his officer's sword, in order that future archaeologists would know that his grave was that of a soldier.[3]
He summed up his life thus: "Three wars, two rebellions, four prison stints. Unfortunately, once in parliament as well."[3]
Awards
- Cross of Freedom 2nd class with Oak Leaves (1941)
- Cross of Freedom 2nd class (1940)
- Cross of Freedom 3rd class (1919)
- Cross of Freedom 4th class with swords (1918)
- Knight Cross of the Order of White Rose of Finland
- Jäger Activist Medal
- Commemorative Medal of the War of Freedom (1918)
- Commemorative Medal of Venäjänsaari (1918)
- Commemorative Medal of Winter War (1940)
- Winter War Lapland Cross (1940)
- Commemorative Medal of Continuation War (1940)
- Commemorative Medal of the 11th Division
- Iron Cross 2nd class (1941)
- Prussian Merit Cross for War Aid (1918)
- Prussian Red Cross Medal 3rd class (1919)
Sources
- L. J. Niinistö; "Paavo Susitaival 1896–1993. Aktivismi elämänasenteena", 1998.
Notes
- ^ Once Susitaival was officially released to serve in the armed forces, he was replaced in parliament by Eino Tuomivaara.[1]
References
- ^ "Eduskunta - kansanedustajat". Eduskunta.fi. Archived from the original on 18 October 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
- ^ "Paavo Susitaival".
- ^ a b c d L. J.Niinistö: Paavo Susitaival 1896–1993: Aktivismi elämänasenteena, 1998.
- ^ Paavo Susitaival: Aktivisti ei hellitä. 1981.
- ^ Martti Ahti: Mäntsälän kapina. 1990.
- ^ Mikko Uola: Sinimusta veljeskunta: Isänmaallinen Kansanliike 1932–1944. 1982.
- v
- t
- e
- Academic Karelia Society
- Blue Cross
- Blue-and-Blacks
- Finnish Realm Union
- Finnish-Socialist Workers' Party
- Finnish National Socialist Labor Organisation
- Front Soldier League
- Finnish People's Organisation
- Finnish Labor Front
- Labor Organisation of Brothers-in-Arms
- Lalli Alliance of Finland
- Lapua Movement
- Organisation of National Socialists
- National Socialists of Finland
- National Socialist Union of Finland
- National Trade Union Confederation of Finland
- NSDAP/AO Finnland
- Party of Finnish Labor
- Patriotic Citizens of Viitasaari
- Patriotic People's Movement
- Patriotic People's Party
- People's Community Society
- Rising Finland
- Stormers
- Vientirauha
- Atomwaffen Division Finland
- Blue-and-Black Movement
- Blue and White Front
- Finns Party
- Finnish People First
- Finnish People's Blue-Whites
- For Independence
- Freedom Alliance
- Kohti Vapautta!
- Nordic Resistance Movement
- Patriotic People's Movement
- Power Belongs to the People
- Suomen Sisu
- Soldiers of Odin
- Truth Party (Finland)
- Reino Ala-Kulju
- Vilho Annala
- Torsten Aminoff
- Hjalmar von Bonsdorff
- Severin Dobrovolsky
- Kai Donner
- Johan Christian Fabritius
- Petter Forsström
- C. A. J. Gadolin
- Herman Gummerus
- Yrjö von Grönhagen
- Bertel Gripenberg
- Reidar Hedman
- Vilho Helanen
- Gunnar von Hertzen
- Carl-Gustaf Herlitz
- Kalevi Heikkinen
- Antti Isotalo
- Y. W. Jalander
- Karl Jansson
- Kustaa Jussila
- Kaarlo Kares
- Y. P. I. Kaila
- Hans Kalm
- Arvi Kalsta
- Rauno Kallia
- Toivo Karanko
- Edvard Karvonen
- Aarne Kauhanen
- Juho Kaveheimo
- Olavi Karpalo
- Yrjö Kivenoja
- Juhani Konkka
- Vihtori Kosola
- Jussi Leino
- Gunnar Lindqvist
- Arvi Malmivaara
- Jussi Muilu
- Iisakki Nikkola
- Vietti Nykänen
- Thorvald Oljemark
- Johannes Öhquist
- Unto Parvilahti
- Martti Pihkala
- Otto Piisinen
- Boris Popper
- Niilo Rauvala
- Erkki Räikkönen
- Hilja Riipinen
- John Rosberg
- Yrjö Ruutu
- Yrjö Saarinen
- Antti Salamaa
- Bruno Salmiala
- Kaarlo Salovaara
- Jaakko Seise
- Elias Simojoki
- Teo Snellman
- Arne Somersalo
- Paavo Susitaival
- Paavo Talvela
- Eino Tuomivaara
- Örnulf Tigerstedt
- Jukka Tyrkkö
- Ensio Uoti
- Mauno Vannas
- Kurt Martti Wallenius
- Artturi Vuorimaa
- James Hirvisaari
- Esa Henrik Holappa [fi]
- Juha Kärkkäinen [fi]
- Jouni Lanamäki [fi]
- Seppo Lehto
- Junes Lokka
- Olavi Mäenpää
- Pekka Siitoin
- Ano Turtiainen
- Assassination of Heikki Ritavuori
- Murder of Onni Happonen
- Murder of Erik Mättö [fi]
- Murder of Yrjö Holm [fi]
- Mäntsälä rebellion
- Peasant March
- Ståhlberg kidnapping
- Vaasa riot
- Kursiivi printing house arson
- 1986 Oulu airplane hijacking attempt [fi]
- Jyväskylä library stabbing
- Helsinki Central Railway Station assault [fi]
- Assassination attempt of Pekka Kataja [fi]
- Kankaanpää terrorism arrests