Centenary of Metric System 6.2.1965

The legislative basis for the present system of local government in Finland was laid down between 1865 and 1873, when laws on rural municipalities and towns were enacted. Local authorities gained the right to levy taxes and they were given responsibilities regarding, relief to the poor and basic education of citizens. This stamp and cover were issued on 6.2.1965 to commemorate the Centenary of communal self-government in Finland. Pia gave me this FDC.

KJ Ståhlberg 22.3.1965

Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg (January 28, 1865 – September 22, 1952) was a Finnish jurist and academic, who played a central role in the drafting of the Constitution of Finland in 1919. He was the first President of Finland (1919–1925) and a nationalist liberal. After Finland gained its independence in December 1917, the Constitutional Committee drafted new proposals for a form of government of an independent Republic of Finland. As chairman of the council, Ståhlberg was involved in the drafting and re-drafting of constitutional proposals during 1918, when the impact of the Finnish Civil War, and debates between republicans and monarchists on the future constitution, all led to various proposals. His proposals would eventually be enacted as the Constitution of Finland in 1919. In 1918, Ståhlberg supported the idea of republic instead of the then-popular constitutional monarchy. Pia gave me this FDC that has great historical significance.

Centenary of communal self-government in Finland 6.2.1965

The legislative basis for the present system of local government in Finland was laid down between 1865 and 1873, when laws on rural municipalities and towns were enacted. Local authorities gained the right to levy taxes and they were given responsibilities regarding, relief to the poor and basic education of citizens. This stamp and cover were issued on 6.2.1965 to commemorate the Centenary of communal self-government in Finland. Pia gave me this FDC.

Rudolf Koivu, Finnish Artist and Painter 29.8.1970

Rudolf Koivu (1890 - 1946) was a Finnish graphic illustrator and painter, was one of Finland’s most famous illustrators. Koivu is best known for his illustrations of fairy tales and other children’s publications. which are enduringly and timelessly popular. The stamp sheet on the First Day Cover commemorating Rudolf Koivu was issued on 29.8.1970.

The stamps (from left to right and top to bottom) depict illustrations of

1. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (from the collection ”One Thousand and One Nights”.

2. Story of the Great Musician.

3. Story of the Giants, the Witches and the Daughter of the Sun.

4. The Golden Bird, Brothers Grimm fairy tales.

5. Lamb’s Brother, written by Rudolf Koivu.

6. The Snow Queen, written by Hans Christian Andersen.

My friend Pia gave me this card..

Turku Castle 4.5.1961

Turku Castle is a monument of Finnish history situated in the city of Turku in Finland. Together with Turku Cathedral, the castle is one of the oldest buildings still in use in Finland. Turku Castle is the largest surviving medieval building in Finland and one of the largest surviving medieval castles in Scandinavia. It stands as a national monument, on the banks of the Aura River, as it has done since the 14th century. The history of Turku Castle stretches back to the 1280s. The castle's heyday was in the mid 16^th century, during the rule of Duke Johan and Katarina Jagellonica. Among others, the Renaissance floor was built at that time.
Turku Castle was founded on an island on the estuary of Aurajoki River in the 1280s as the administrative castle of the Swedish Crown. The water level was three and half meters higher than now in those days, therefore, the castle was located on an island. The castle was originally built in the form of a rectangular fortified camp. The fortified camp became a closed castle in the early 14th century, and the castle was divided into a main castle and bailey. Under the Swedish Duke Johan between 1556 and 1563, Turku Castle was renovated into a handsome renaissance castle; this is when its main features became the size they are today. In the 1630s the bailey became the official residence for Pietari Brahe, the governor general of Finland. In the late 18th century, after the county governor and Higher Regional Court had moved from the castle to town, the castle underwent significant changes. The bailey became a prison and the main castle became a granary. The castle functioned as a prison until the 1890s after which the historical museum was placed in the bailey. Turku Castle was damaged by Soviet aircraft in the beginning days of the Continuation War 1941. Restoration of the castle to its former Renaissance glory had begun before the war and went on gradually after it, over the decades. The renovation was complete in 1987 and the castle was handed over on October 12, 1993 to the City of Turku which is entrusted with its operation for the Finnish state, its owner.The fully repaired castle was opened to the public in 1961. Turku Castle is a significant landmark at the mouth of Aurajoki River, and it is surrounded by the harbour and the small-scale industry and strorage areas that go with it. The Castle is part of the Finnish cultural and architectural heritage as an architectural monument, a museum and as premises for distinguished celebrations. The Castle has been rented to Turku City for the use of the Museum Centre of Turku. The castle is Finland's most visited museum, with attendance reaching 200,000 in some years. In addition, many of the larger rooms are used for municipal functions. My dear friend Pia gave me this cover postmarked 4.5.1961.

To honor Finnish national defense 50th anniversary 4.6.1968

This impressive First Day Cover sent to me by My Dear Friend Pia and the stamps on it were issued on 04.06.1968, to honor Finnish national defense 50th anniversary. The stamps on it feature the Jaeger monument, Vaasa, The War memorial cross, Hietaniemi Cemetery, Helsinki., and finally The Soldier.

Soon after Finland gained independence in December 1917, a nationalistic, middle-class militia known as the White Guards, which had been secretly established in 1904 and 1905 and which had remained underground since then disguised as athletic clubs and other groups, was officially proclaimed the army of the Finnish government under General Mannerheim. This so-called White Army was strengthened and trained by 1,100 officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) who had traveled clandestinely to Germany during World War I and had formed the Twenty-seventh Royal Prussian Jaeger Battalion. Returning to Finland, they brought back with them urgently needed small arms captured from the Russians. The White forces were swelled by new conscripts, officers of the former Finnish armed forces, Swedish volunteers, and Finnish officers who had served in the Swedish and in the Russian armies, in addition to the jaegers. After three months of bitter civil conflict, the White Army of about 70,000 troops defeated the Red Guards from the radical wing of the Finnish Social Democratic Party, in May 1918. Both sides suffered thousands of casualties. In four months, the White Guards had evolved from a strongly motivated, but ill-trained, militia into a battle-hardened, disciplined national armed force. Although numerically superior and reinforced by the Russian garrisons in Finland, the Red Guards were deficient in equipment, training, and leadership.
The Finnish Defence Forces are under the command of the Chief of Defence (currently General Ari Puheloinen), who is directly subordinate to the President of the Republic in matters related to the military command. Apart from the General Staff, the military branches are the Finnish Army (Maavoimat), the Finnish Navy (Merivoimat) and the Finnish Air Force (Ilmavoimat). The Border Guard (Rajavartiolaitos) (including the coast guard) is under the Ministry of the Interior but can be incorporated fully or in part into the defence forces when required by defence readiness.

Finland - Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim 4.6.1967

Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (4 June 1867 – 27 January 1951) was the Commander-in-Chief of Finland's Defence Forces during World War II, Marshal of Finland and a politician. He was Regent of Finland (1918–1919) and the sixth President of Finland (1944–1946).
The First Day Cover shown and the stamp on it were issued on 04.06.1967 on the Birth Centenary of Finland's Marshall Mannerheim. And the equestrian statue of the Marshall shown on the stamp is in Helsinki.

Mannerheim was born in the Grand Principality of Finland, a territory of Imperial Russia, into a family of Swedish-speaking nobles settled in Finland since the late 18th century. His paternal German ancestor Marhein had emigrated to Sweden during the 17th century. His maternal ancestry has its roots in Södermanland, Sweden.
He made a career in the Russian army, rising to general. He also had a prominent place in the ceremonies for Tsar Nicholas II’s coronation and later had several private meetings with the Russian Tsar. After the Bolshevik revolution, Finland declared its independence but was soon embroiled in a civil war along class lines. The workers overwhelmingly held a socialist ("Red") creed; whereas the bourgeois, farmers, and businessmen held a capitalist ("White") creed. Mannerheim was appointed to be the military chief of the Whites. Twenty years later, when Finland was at war with the Soviet Union from 1939–1944, Mannerheim was appointed commander of the country's armed forces. My Dear friend Pia sent me this topical First Day Cover, the stamps and the cards with the portraits of Mannerheim.