- Collections
- Conference rooms
- Lotta Svärd
- The Syväranta estate
- The Lotta Svärd Foundation
The Lotta Svärd Foundation
In fall 1944, near the end of the Continuation War, the central committee of the Lotta Svärd organization established the Support Foundation of Finnish Women. The aim of the foundation was to assist and care for women and children that had suffered during the war. Fanni Luukkonen, Irma Turunen and Maja Genetz signed the charter of foundation. According to the present constitution, financial assistance can also be provided to train women to work in crisis situations and to cherish the Lotta Svärd tradition. As the organization achieved its 60th birthday in 2004, it was renamed as the Lotta Svärd Foundation.
Before the Lotta Svärd Organisation was disbanded in 1944, the local associations donated some of their funds and real estate to the newly established Foundation, though most of the funds had to be surrendered to the government. The Foundation used these funds for urgent welfare work, but also acquired real estate and set up commercial enterprises in order to augment its financial base. As post-war Finland was suffering from a shortage of houses, the Foundation built a state-subsidized apartment block in Helsinki at Mannerheimintie 93, that was used to house Lottas returning from the war as well as families.
Later, a special committee was set up to guide former Lottas into open-care or institutional rehabilitation programs. Many associations for war invalids and veterans, especially their women’s sections, have also received grants for rehabilitation equipment and furnishings. The foundation is also renting out apartments in Helsinki, Espoo and Tuusula.
The year 1994 marked the 50th anniversary of the activities of the Support Foundation of Finnish Women. To celebrate this anniversary and to honour the work of Lottas and to cherish the Lotta tradition, the Foundation built the Syväranta Lotta Museum at Tuusula. The new building was completed in 1995 and opened its doors for the public on Lotta's name day in 1996. Situated also at Tuusula's Syväranta is the "Swedish cabin", donated by Swedish Lottas and built right after the Winter War as a rest house for Lottas.
Business activity
After the war the State of Finland launched its plans for the reconstruction of northern Finland. At the same time the Support Foundation of Finnish Women was very much concerned for the livelihood of Lottas that had lost their homes because of the war. Maja Genetz and Tellervo Hakkarainen came up with an idea of an organization that would take care of catering at reconstruction sites. Commencing these activities would be easy, since former Catering Lottas with huge experience in large-scale catering could be hired for the job.
On November 2nd, 1944 a meeting was held wherein it was decided that Työmaahuolto R.A. was to be established to take care of catering. The newly founded association received donations from many different quarters. For an example, the Lotta Svärd organization donated two laundry ambulances and a Volvo truck for the association. Työmaahuolto R.A. started catering on working sites in northern Finland immediately
after the war.
In 1948 it was decided that Työmaahuolto R.A. was to be replaced by Työmaahuolto Ltd. The association's canteen activity had expanded and it was handed over to Työmaahuolto Ltd, whose majority of shares were held by the Support Foundation of Finnish Women. The company's activities soon spread to cover the entire country and it began to cater all the biggest events of Finland. Its services were used by companies such as Nokia, the state petrol company Neste, the state steel company Rautaruukki, Outokumpu, the Post Office and others. The company's biggest catering effort took place at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, as Työmaahuolto Ltd set up nine canteens and served approximately 75 000 diners daily.
Business expands
The activities of Työmaahuolto Ltd. expanded due to the resourcefulness of former Lottas. The White Lady, a restaurant located at Mannerheimintie 93, was one of the corporation's most acknowledged sister companies. The restaurant wasn't only noted for its high quality but also for the fact that it was, as far as is known, the first restaurant in Finland to allow women in without male company. Other sister companies included Tampere-based wholesale firm Suuros Oy and Ruova Oy, among others. New forms of business developed in the company to replace conventional catering, such as airplane catering and school meals. Honorary financial counsellor Tellervo Hakkarainen
held a lengthy post as the executive director of Työmaahuolto Ltd.
Humanitarian activity and selling of Työmaahuolto Ltd.
In 1977 the turnover of Työmaahuolto Ltd. including its sister companies was ca. 80 million Finnish Marks. There were 1 800 employees. Työmaahuolto Ltd. followed the principles of its owner in giving annual financial assistance to several organizations with similar ideals, including disabled war veterans and associations involved in voluntary national defence. In 1978 all business activity was sold to Oy Fazer Catering Ab (later known as Amica). Out of the sister companies, only Pyykkivakka Oy (later Lottavakka Oy) remained in the ownership of the Support Foundation of Finnish Women.
SOURCE: Kleemola Irja: Suomen Naisten Huoltosäätiö 1944-1994. SNHS 1994.
Lotta Svärd Foundation
Mannerheimintie 93
FI-00270 Helsinki
Tel: +358 (0)9 4770 2881
Fax: +358 (0)9 2413 964
E-mail: firstname.lastname@lottasaatio.fi
Executive director Tarja Björkling-Pakarinen
Office secretary Pirjo Kauhanen
Maintenance secretary Vanamo Määttä
Accounting manager Tiina Ilola
Chief accountant Leena Loponen
Office secretary Heli Viksten
In fall 1944, near the end of the Continuation War, the central committee of the Lotta Svärd organization established the Support Foundation of Finnish Women. The aim of the foundation was to assist and care for women and children that had suffered during the war. Fanni Luukkonen, Irma Turunen and Maja Genetz signed the charter of foundation. According to the present constitution, financial assistance can also be provided to train women to work in crisis situations and to cherish the Lotta Svärd tradition. As the organization achieved its 60th birthday in 2004, it was renamed as the Lotta Svärd Foundation.
Before the Lotta Svärd Organisation was disbanded in 1944, the local associations donated some of their funds and real estate to the newly established Foundation, though most of the funds had to be surrendered to the government. The Foundation used these funds for urgent welfare work, but also acquired real estate and set up commercial enterprises in order to augment its financial base. As post-war Finland was suffering from a shortage of houses, the Foundation built a state-subsidized apartment block in Helsinki at Mannerheimintie 93, that was used to house Lottas returning from the war as well as families.
Later, a special committee was set up to guide former Lottas into open-care or institutional rehabilitation programs. Many associations for war invalids and veterans, especially their women’s sections, have also received grants for rehabilitation equipment and furnishings. The foundation is also renting out apartments in Helsinki, Espoo and Tuusula.
The year 1994 marked the 50th anniversary of the activities of the Support Foundation of Finnish Women. To celebrate this anniversary and to honour the work of Lottas and to cherish the Lotta tradition, the Foundation built the Syväranta Lotta Museum at Tuusula. The new building was completed in 1995 and opened its doors for the public on Lotta's name day in 1996. Situated also at Tuusula's Syväranta is the "Swedish cabin", donated by Swedish Lottas and built right after the Winter War as a rest house for Lottas.
Business activity
After the war the State of Finland launched its plans for the reconstruction of northern Finland. At the same time the Support Foundation of Finnish Women was very much concerned for the livelihood of Lottas that had lost their homes because of the war. Maja Genetz and Tellervo Hakkarainen came up with an idea of an organization that would take care of catering at reconstruction sites. Commencing these activities would be easy, since former Catering Lottas with huge experience in large-scale catering could be hired for the job.
On November 2nd, 1944 a meeting was held wherein it was decided that Työmaahuolto R.A. was to be established to take care of catering. The newly founded association received donations from many different quarters. For an example, the Lotta Svärd organization donated two laundry ambulances and a Volvo truck for the association. Työmaahuolto R.A. started catering on working sites in northern Finland immediately
after the war.
In 1948 it was decided that Työmaahuolto R.A. was to be replaced by Työmaahuolto Ltd. The association's canteen activity had expanded and it was handed over to Työmaahuolto Ltd, whose majority of shares were held by the Support Foundation of Finnish Women. The company's activities soon spread to cover the entire country and it began to cater all the biggest events of Finland. Its services were used by companies such as Nokia, the state petrol company Neste, the state steel company Rautaruukki, Outokumpu, the Post Office and others. The company's biggest catering effort took place at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, as Työmaahuolto Ltd set up nine canteens and served approximately 75 000 diners daily.
Business expands
The activities of Työmaahuolto Ltd. expanded due to the resourcefulness of former Lottas. The White Lady, a restaurant located at Mannerheimintie 93, was one of the corporation's most acknowledged sister companies. The restaurant wasn't only noted for its high quality but also for the fact that it was, as far as is known, the first restaurant in Finland to allow women in without male company. Other sister companies included Tampere-based wholesale firm Suuros Oy and Ruova Oy, among others. New forms of business developed in the company to replace conventional catering, such as airplane catering and school meals. Honorary financial counsellor Tellervo Hakkarainen
held a lengthy post as the executive director of Työmaahuolto Ltd.
Humanitarian activity and selling of Työmaahuolto Ltd.
In 1977 the turnover of Työmaahuolto Ltd. including its sister companies was ca. 80 million Finnish Marks. There were 1 800 employees. Työmaahuolto Ltd. followed the principles of its owner in giving annual financial assistance to several organizations with similar ideals, including disabled war veterans and associations involved in voluntary national defence. In 1978 all business activity was sold to Oy Fazer Catering Ab (later known as Amica). Out of the sister companies, only Pyykkivakka Oy (later Lottavakka Oy) remained in the ownership of the Support Foundation of Finnish Women.
SOURCE: Kleemola Irja: Suomen Naisten Huoltosäätiö 1944-1994. SNHS 1994.
Lotta Svärd Foundation
Mannerheimintie 93
FI-00270 Helsinki
Tel: +358 (0)9 4770 2881
Fax: +358 (0)9 2413 964
E-mail: firstname.lastname@lottasaatio.fi
Executive director Tarja Björkling-Pakarinen
Office secretary Pirjo Kauhanen
Maintenance secretary Vanamo Määttä
Accounting manager Tiina Ilola
Chief accountant Leena Loponen
Office secretary Heli Viksten