Winter war tour and memorials
Sites of the Winter War in Kuhmo
| Battlegrounds | Mottis | Other locations |
| 1. Tyrävaara* | 1. Kankivaara | 1. Jämäs barracks* |
| 2. Vääräjoki | 2. Rasti | 2. Soldier`s grave, church, hospital, Tuupala |
| 3. Kiekinkoski | 3. Maunuvaara | 3. Kuhmoniemi school (field hospital) |
| 4. Kesseli | 4. Mämmelä | |
| 5. Vetko | 5. Sivakka | |
| 6. Kilpelänkangas* | 6. Klemetti | |
| 7. Laamasenvaara | 7. Luelahti, Western* | |
| 8. Löytövaara* | 8. Esikuntakukkula | |
| 9. Hotakka | 9. Luelahti, Eastern | |
| 10. Jyrkänkoska | 10. Kannas* | |
| 11. Reuhka | ||
| 12. Loso |
= Motti that was captured by Finnish forces, * = War memorial
The Mottis in Kuhmo during the Winter War
Motti: an enemy group surrounded from all sides and cut off from reinforcements.
Captured mottis:
- Luelahti eastern
- Luelahti Headquarters
- Reuhkavaara
- Löytövaara (Paloaho)
Mottis that remained under Soviet control:
- The great motti at Rasti. Includes area from Hotakka to Sivakka
- (including Kankivaara, Maunuvaara, Sivakka, Hyvölä and Lapinvaara)
- Luelahti western
- Kannas
- Loso
Winter War memorials in Kuhmo
The Jyrkänkoski war memorial |
Jyrkkä, eastern side of Jyrkänkoski | |
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Designer/Maker:
Raised by: Unveiling: Material: |
Teacher Yrjö Vuorio (d)
The Reserve organisations in Kuhmo 7.8.1960 Natural stone, slate, copper |
| Translation of the text: “The enemy was stopped here 7.12.1939”. Dedicated to Separate Battalion 14, where men from Kuhmo and Sotkamo fought during the war. | ||
Memorial of the long-range patrol Marttina |
Jämäs, Command post of Kuhmo Company of the Kainuu Frontier Guard | |
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Designer/Maker:
Raised by: Unveiling: Material: |
Graphic artist Juhani Vepsäläinen (d,m), artist Altti Heiskanen (m)
Men of long-range patrol Marttina 26.5.1990 and 20.6.1993 Natural stone, metal, barriers from the war |
| “Keep Finland free and independent”, “Headquarters long-range patrol Marttina in Kuhmo 25.5.1990” and “During the years 1941-1944 Long-Range Patrol Marttina performed 74 operations behind enemy lines. Their sacrifice to their country should be an obligation to future generations: brothers-in arms and lottas”. There are also the names of patrol members that didn’t return and the dates when they fell or were lost. | ||
The Kilpelänkangas war memorial |
northern side of the Saunajärventie road | |
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Designer/Maker:
Raised by: Unveiling: Material: |
Architect Birger Stenbäck (d)
Brothers-in arms, (officers of Infantry Regiment 65 etc) 10.8.1958 Natural stone, concrete, copper |
| Translation of the texts: “In memory of those who fell during the Winter War in Kuhmo 1939-1940. Here Finnish men defended steadfastly their fatherland. Let their actions obligate the future generations”, “The memorial was erected by comrades-in arms 10.8.1958”. | ||
The memorial of Kiekinkoski battles |
Tyrävaara, northern side of Hukkajärventie road | |
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Designer/Maker:
Raised by: Unveiling: Material: |
Teacher Yrjö Vuorio (d)
The Reserve organisations of Kuhmo 12.8.1962 Natural stone, metal |
| Translation of the texts: “During the Winter War 1939-1940 Battle Group Kekkonen stopped the Russian advance in this terrain. During the counter-attack they took back the lost territory all the way to the border. Honour – Fatherland”. | ||
The Laamasenvaara plaque |
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Raised by:
Unveiling: Material: |
Kuhmo department of Kainuu Frontier Guard Guild and Kuhmo Frontier Guard District
15.6.1996 Natural stone |
| Translation of the text: “The first battle of the Winter War in Kuhmo took place here, in the house of Ala-Laamanen 30.11.1939. Reserve soldier Väinö Tauriainen and 13-year-old Eino Malinen were killed”. | ||
The Luelahti memorial |
Southern side of Saunajärventie road | |
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Designer/Maker:
Raised by: Unveiling: Material: |
Master builder Arvo Rissanen (d)
The Finland-Soviet Union society 6.9.1970 Natural stone, red granite, slate |
| Translation of the text: “In memory of the Soviet soldiers that were killed during the war 1939-1940”. The text is in Finnish and Russian. | ||
The Mänttälä stone |
Löytövaara, northern side of Saunajärventie road | |
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Raised By:
Unveiling: Material: |
Comrades-in arms from Mänttälä
16.8.1970 Natural stone, copper |
| Teksti: “Mänttäläiset aseveljet Heikki Männistö 2.3.1940, Sulo Norojärvi 25.2.1940, Tauno Palonen 13.3.1940.” | ||
The Paloaho memorial |
Löytövaara, Paloaho | |
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Raised By:
Unveiling: Material: |
Ministry of the Interior, county administrative board
1985 Tank barrier stone, metal |
| Translation of the text: “Casualties of the war 1939-1940 rest here”. | ||
Soldier’s grave memorial (cross) |
Hankaniemi cemetery | |
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Raised by:
Unveiling: Material: |
Kiviveistämö Veljekset Soininen, Porokylä Nurmes
Summer 1950 Red Vehmaa granite |
| Translation of the text: “For Fatherland 1939-1940 1941-1944”. | ||
Memorial for the dead soldiers of Taivalkoski |
southern side of Lake Saunajärvi, Luelahti | |
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Designer/Maker:
Raised by: Unveiling: Material: |
Tuomo Horsma
The town of Kuhmo, the commune of Taivalkoski etc. 30.11.1997 Stone |
| In memory of the casualties from Taivalkoski in the wars 1939-1945. 27 soldiers from Taivalkoski died in the Kuhmo front. They fought in the 3rd Battalion of the 25th Infantry Regiment | ||
The Soviet memorial |
Saunajärvi, Niska | |
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Designer/Maker:
Raised by: Unveiling: Material: |
The Obelisk-centre
The Obelisk-centre 7.10.1997 Granite, marble |
| In memory of the Soviet soldiers that were killed during the Winter War. The roof was added in summer 1999. | ||
The veterans’ memorial |
Kuhmo town centre, the park between Kuhmo Arts Centre and Kontio school | |
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Designer/Maker:
Raised by: Unveiling: Material: |
Juhani Vepsäläinen (d), the machine shop of No-Pan Auto, Kuhmo (m)
Lions Club Kuhmo, Lions club Kuhmo Kuhmoniemi 6.8.1994 Steel plate, concrete |
| Translation of the text: “To veterans 1939-1945” | ||