- Collections
- Conference rooms
- Lotta Svärd
Birth of the organization - Activities and
development - Lotta insignia
- Equipment and
Collection Section - Catering Section
- Medical Section
- Office and
Communications Section - Searchlight Lottas
- Junior Lottas
- Lotta uniform
- The Syväranta estate
- The Lotta Svärd Foundation
Birth of the Lotta Svärd organization
The Lotta Svärd organization was formed while Finland was going through its struggle for independence. It was during this time that female associations started lending their support to voluntary national defence. At first this work chiefly meant catering in Civil Guard rehearsals and meetings, until activities extended to include maintenance, fund-raising and medical treatment. Since previous idols for this work were lacking, it developed colourful forms. Names that were in use also varied; "Civil Guard's female divisions" and "sewing circles" were both used. An association named "Civil Guard's hostesses" was established in Kuopio. As far as is known, Riihimäki's Lotta Svärd, an association that had been founded on November 19th 1918, was the first to use the name of Lotta Svärd. Even before the establishing of this association, general C.G. Mannerheim had praised the women of Finland in his speech at Senate Square in Helsinki on May 16th, 1918, for the work that they had done
"on the battlefield as sisters of charity or Lotta Svärds or labouring tenaciously at home..."
J.L. Runeberg's "Vänrikki Stoolin tarinat" was illustrated by
artist Albert Edelfelt (1854-1905).
Mannerheim had borrowed the fitting name Lotta Svärd for his speech from "The Tales of Ensign Stål", a collection of poems by J.L. Runeberg. In the poem "Lotta Svärd" private Svärd starts out for war along with his wife Lotta Svärd. Private Svärd is killed in battle, but his wife Lotta stays bravely on the front to keep a canteen and care for wounded soldiers. The poem deals with The Russo-Finnish War of 1808-1809 in a fictional way. However, as far as we know, Finnish women were already involved in this war by helping out soldiers.
The Lotta Svärd association entered the register of associations on September 9th, 1920. Finnish Civil Guards' Commander-in-Chief colonel Didrik van Essen's strong backing had a great influence the whole establishing process. However, the association's activities are not considered to have commenced until March 22nd -23rd, 1921, when the first meeting of district representatives was held at the Officers' Casino in Helsinki. At the time, Greta Krohn held the position of chairman of the executive committee.
Nationwide Lotta Svärd organization was divided into districts that corresponded with those of the Civil Guard organization.
Disbanding the Lotta Svärd organization
As peace was won, many Finnish organizations were targeted due to the 21st article in the Moscow armistice. It was stated in the article that Finland were to dissolve all fascist and semi-fascist organizations on Finnish territory. The Soviet-led Allied Control Commission in Helsinki dictated which organizations were considered fascist. All Civil Guards were disbanded on account of this on November 7th, 1944. However, contrary to the popular belief, the Lotta Svärd organization was not disbanded on that particular occasion; instead, this took place on November 23rd, 1944. This abolition was carried out by The Finnish Council of State, arguing that the reason for this decision was the Lotta Svärd organization's "all too close a relationship with the Civil Guards."
However, merely two weeks prior to the abolition, Lottas managed to establish a new organization entitled the Support Foundation of Finnish Women (today known as Lotta Svärd Foundation) and donate a portion of the organization's assets to its possession.
SOURCE: Lukkarinen, Vilho: Suomen Lotat. WSOY 1981.
The Lotta Svärd organization was formed while Finland was going through its struggle for independence. It was during this time that female associations started lending their support to voluntary national defence. At first this work chiefly meant catering in Civil Guard rehearsals and meetings, until activities extended to include maintenance, fund-raising and medical treatment. Since previous idols for this work were lacking, it developed colourful forms. Names that were in use also varied; "Civil Guard's female divisions" and "sewing circles" were both used. An association named "Civil Guard's hostesses" was established in Kuopio. As far as is known, Riihimäki's Lotta Svärd, an association that had been founded on November 19th 1918, was the first to use the name of Lotta Svärd. Even before the establishing of this association, general C.G. Mannerheim had praised the women of Finland in his speech at Senate Square in Helsinki on May 16th, 1918, for the work that they had done
"on the battlefield as sisters of charity or Lotta Svärds or labouring tenaciously at home..."
J.L. Runeberg's "Vänrikki Stoolin tarinat" was illustrated by
artist Albert Edelfelt (1854-1905).
Mannerheim had borrowed the fitting name Lotta Svärd for his speech from "The Tales of Ensign Stål", a collection of poems by J.L. Runeberg. In the poem "Lotta Svärd" private Svärd starts out for war along with his wife Lotta Svärd. Private Svärd is killed in battle, but his wife Lotta stays bravely on the front to keep a canteen and care for wounded soldiers. The poem deals with The Russo-Finnish War of 1808-1809 in a fictional way. However, as far as we know, Finnish women were already involved in this war by helping out soldiers.
The Lotta Svärd association entered the register of associations on September 9th, 1920. Finnish Civil Guards' Commander-in-Chief colonel Didrik van Essen's strong backing had a great influence the whole establishing process. However, the association's activities are not considered to have commenced until March 22nd -23rd, 1921, when the first meeting of district representatives was held at the Officers' Casino in Helsinki. At the time, Greta Krohn held the position of chairman of the executive committee.
Nationwide Lotta Svärd organization was divided into districts that corresponded with those of the Civil Guard organization.
Disbanding the Lotta Svärd organization
As peace was won, many Finnish organizations were targeted due to the 21st article in the Moscow armistice. It was stated in the article that Finland were to dissolve all fascist and semi-fascist organizations on Finnish territory. The Soviet-led Allied Control Commission in Helsinki dictated which organizations were considered fascist. All Civil Guards were disbanded on account of this on November 7th, 1944. However, contrary to the popular belief, the Lotta Svärd organization was not disbanded on that particular occasion; instead, this took place on November 23rd, 1944. This abolition was carried out by The Finnish Council of State, arguing that the reason for this decision was the Lotta Svärd organization's "all too close a relationship with the Civil Guards."
However, merely two weeks prior to the abolition, Lottas managed to establish a new organization entitled the Support Foundation of Finnish Women (today known as Lotta Svärd Foundation) and donate a portion of the organization's assets to its possession.
SOURCE: Lukkarinen, Vilho: Suomen Lotat. WSOY 1981.