The Lotta Svärd Organisation goes back to the early 1900 s, and the struggle that led to Finnish Independence, when various women’s organisations began to do voluntary work to support the emerging army. Initially, this meant providing food at meetings and during exercises of the Civil Guard, but soon operations expanded into supplying and maintaining equipment, medical care and fundraising. The various associations working with the Civil Guard were finally grouped together under the official name Lotta Svärd, and the founding meeting of a nationwide Lotta Svärd Organisation was held in Helsinki in 1921. According to its rules, the association was to help boost the nation’s commitment to self-defence and public morale, and to assist the Civil Guard organisation.
All those serving in the organisation were Lottas. The Lotta Svärd Organisation was run by a central board with a chairwoman and six members. The country was divided into districts, each with local or village sub-sections. From 1929 until it was disbanded in 1944, its chairwoman was Fanni Luukkonen. There were several operational units, such as catering, medical services, central office, collection and supply, and later, communications and a section for girls.
In peacetime, the organisation concentrated on training, fundraising, publishing and various recreational activities. The Lotta Svärd Organisation was commonly employed to provide catering at large national festivals and exhibitions.
In wartime, the Lottas worked at field and military hospitals, on hospital trains and ships, at evacuation centres for those killed in action, in veterinary, medicine, in catering, at Lotta canteens, in offices and communications, in air surveillance and meteorological services, and in equipment-supply work. About 300 Lottas died on active service. Lottas served with the army, the airforce and the navy. By the end of the war, there were some 240 000 Lottas. The Lotta Svärd Organisation was disbanded on November 23, 1944, according to the terms of the interim peace treaty. It was not until 1991, fifty years later, and to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Organisation that the Lotta Svärd received official government acknowledgement for its important contribution to the war effort.
Fanni Luukkonen, President of the Lotta Svärd organisation 1929-1944
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