A week ago I read Sharon's touching post about tracing her fathers World War II footsteps in Europe.
That inspired me to publish my photos of one of our wartime museums -
The Lotta Museum in Tuusula. This impressive modern museum concentrates
totally in presenting how women - called lottas - helped in our Winter and Continuation wars,
both in the war zone and the home front.
The Lotta museum is located in a beautiful rural setting, about 40 km from Helsinki.
On the property there used to be a beautiful old villa that burned down in the 40's.
This beautiful building in old style was built in 1995 to host the Lotta Museum.
Women played an active role during our Winter and Continuation Wars.
The Lotta Organization was a women’s voluntary civil defence organization that operated
from 1921 to 1944. In wartime lottas carried out catering, medical and air surveillance duties
in the war zone. Their work was of utter importance.
The Lotta museum was impressive. It uses the latest digital technology, audio-video,
huge enlarged photos & all kind of relics from wartime.
One could easily spend there many hours examining the details.
As you may know Finland lost and we had to hand over big parts of Karelia
to The Soviet Union. There were about half a million Karelians that had to be settled
in other parts of Finland - both my mother’s and father’s families among them.
These Karelians who lost their homes were called evakko.
Evakko’s Song / Youtube presents touching old photos of people leaving their homes
around summer solstice 1941.
to The Soviet Union. There were about half a million Karelians that had to be settled
in other parts of Finland - both my mother’s and father’s families among them.
These Karelians who lost their homes were called evakko.
Evakko’s Song / Youtube presents touching old photos of people leaving their homes
around summer solstice 1941.
Now and then it is good to remember the history - and be grateful being able to live
in a free & independent country. The video underneath - Regional Anthem of Karelia -
shows modern young Finnish people & beautiful views, also of Imatra waterfall,
a city where I was born.
The anthem tells that Karelia has an abundance of song. And that is true:
Our national epic Kalevala (first published in 1849) is based on Karelian poems.
There used to be a lively folkloristic poem singing / keen chanting tradition among Karelians.
https://lyricstranslate.com/en/karjalaisten-laulu-regional-anthem-karelia-song-karelians-regional-anthem-karel.html
n our sweet Finland
Is there a land more dear
Than our beautiful Karelia
Great homeland of song!
The roaring rapids are singing
The wildwood are full of tunes
Wuthering of ancient trees
We have no wealth
Our land is not fertile
But we have an abundance of song
It grows without sowing
It won't be fucked by the Eastern frost
Or the cold spells of the North
Oppression can not bring it down
It won't be beaten by the hail
Oppression can not bring it down
It won't be beaten by the hail
When persecution
Afflicts our Finland
Then poor Karelia
turns Finland's sorrows into song
And when the happy dawn
Breaks upon Finland
Then a great joyful music
Will ring out from Karelia!
And when the happy dawn
Breaks upon Finland
Then a great joyful music
Will ring out from Karelia!
https://lyricstranslate.com/en/karjalaisten-laulu-regional-anthem-karelia-song-karelians-regional-anthem-karel.html
In our sweet Finland
Is there a land more dear
Than our beautiful Karelia
Great homeland of song!
The roaring rapids are singing
The wildwood are full of tunes
Wuthering of ancient trees
We have no wealth
Our land is not fertile
But we have an abundance of song
It grows without sowing
It won't be fucked by the Eastern frost
Or the cold spells of the North
Oppression can not bring it down
It won't be beaten by the hail
Oppression can not bring it down
It won't be beaten by the hail
When persecution
Afflicts our Finland
Then poor Karelia
turns Finland's sorrows into song
And when the happy dawn
Breaks upon Finland
Then a great joyful music
Will ring out from Karelia!
And when the happy dawn
Breaks upon Finland
Then a great joyful music
Will ring out from Karelia!
In our sweet Finland
Is there a land more dear
Than our beautiful Karelia
Great homeland of song!
The roaring rapids are singing
The wildwood are full of tunes
Wuthering of ancient trees
We have no wealth
Our land is not fertile
But we have an abundance of song
It grows without sowing
It won't be fucked by the Eastern frost
Or the cold spells of the North
Oppression can not bring it down
It won't be beaten by the hail
Oppression can not bring it down
It won't be beaten by the hail
When persecution
Afflicts our Finland
Then poor Karelia
turns Finland's sorrows into song
And when the happy dawn
Breaks upon Finland
Then a great joyful music
Will ring out from Karelia!
And when the happy dawn
Breaks upon Finland
Then a great joyful music
Will ring out from Karelia!
❤︎❤︎❤︎
// MAKROTEX, Kesäkuu - June
Osallistun melkein aina kukkakuvilla, ja niitäkin olisi vaikka kuinka.
Mutta kerrankin toisenlaisella postauksella. Minusta imatralaisen Osmo's Cosmosin
Karjalaisten laulun moderni tulkinta on upea - joten suosittelen!
// ALL SEASONS
❤︎❤︎❤︎
// MAKROTEX, Kesäkuu - June
Osallistun melkein aina kukkakuvilla, ja niitäkin olisi vaikka kuinka.
Mutta kerrankin toisenlaisella postauksella. Minusta imatralaisen Osmo's Cosmosin
Karjalaisten laulun moderni tulkinta on upea - joten suosittelen!
// ALL SEASONS
https://lyricstranslate.com/en/karjalaisten-laulu-regional-anthem-karelia-song-karelians-regional-anthem-karel.html
In our sweet Finland
Is there a land more dear
Than our beautiful Karelia
Great homeland of song!
The roaring rapids are singing
The wildwood are full of tunes
Wuthering of ancient trees
We have no wealth
Our land is not fertile
But we have an abundance of song
It grows without sowing
It won't be fucked by the Eastern frost
Or the cold spells of the North
Oppression can not bring it down
It won't be beaten by the hail
Oppression can not bring it down
It won't be beaten by the hail
When persecution
Afflicts our Finland
Then poor Karelia
turns Finland's sorrows into song
And when the happy dawn
Breaks upon Finland
Then a great joyful music
Will ring out from Karelia!
And when the happy dawn
Breaks upon Finland
Then a great joyful music
Will ring out from Karelia!
Dear Riitta,
VastaaPoistathat's history that touches you right away. The museum is really a magnificent building and the exhibition is very interesting.
I wish you from the bottom of my heart happy Whitsuntide and would like to send you
kind regards
moni
It is important to know one's history, of course you don't have to think about the possible tragedies all the time. Thank you for visiting moni ❤︎
PoistaRiitta - how wonderful that this museum should celebrate the critical role that these women played in wartime. I am always impressed with the new and innovative ways that curators are using today to draw us in and make us part of the experience. I cannot imagine being forced to evacuate from my own country - it seems your ancestors have done well to pass on their traditions. Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday and enjoy your week ahead!
VastaaPoistaThere are so many refugees all over the world even today. Take for instance Venezuela - four million people have left their home country, not exactly war but very difficult circumstances...
PoistaThanks for sharing and for the precious suggestion for a visit!
VastaaPoistaThis museum is really impressive and most modern I have ever seen. Worth visiting, around Lake Tuusula this too!
Poista...old men wage war and women are the unsung heroes! What a wonderful world this would be if women were in charge. Thanks Riitta for stopping by, enjoy your week.
VastaaPoistaI think I'll agree with you Tom :)
PoistaHello, what a pretty museum and building. A wonderful exhibit, I am thankful for our women heroes. Wishing you a happy day and a great new week!
VastaaPoistaIt is a pleasure to write and give reckognition to women, so often silenced and left back in the history.
PoistaThanks for teaching me something today.
VastaaPoistaThankyou Jackie ❤︎
PoistaMuy interesante riitta, me ha encantado conocer un poco de la historia de tu país. Feliz semana.
VastaaPoistaBesos Teresa ❤︎
PoistaThank you for sharing all of this with us.
VastaaPoistaUntil now, i did not know this part of the story . . . You have given us something beautiful and proud.
In my heart i am shaking hands with you - in gratitude -
I have received a Great Treasure from YOU today.
Thank you so much Maggid for your lovely words ❤︎
PoistaI agree...this is a beautiful place to show the women that made such a wonderful contribution! Beautiful mosaic! Love seeing the photos of each individual woman too!
VastaaPoistaRight after the war lottas were critizised a lot; bad mouths said that they led an immoral life at the warzone - can you imagine! Women's share is not just!
PoistaVery interesting. Happy mosaic Monday
VastaaPoistaMuch❤🕊❤love
Much love to you too Gillena ❤︎
PoistaMielenkiintoinen historiallinen museo!
VastaaPoistaLottamuseo on hieno paikka. Minullakin on äidin puoleinen suku evakkoja Karjalasta.
VastaaPoistaTutustumisen arvoinen paikka tuo Lottamuseo.
VastaaPoista(Lapsenlapsi sanoi pienenpänä rottamuseo)
Videolla laulun lisäksi myös hienot kuvat.
Miehen vanhemmat ovat Antreasta ja Kirvusta.
Enpä ole koskaan käynyt museossa, vaikka melkein naapurikunnassa onkin ja olen tehnyt käsi-ja taideteollisen julkaisuksi painetun opinnäytetyöni lottapuvuista :D Pitäisi varmaan vierailla!
VastaaPoistaMinäkin kävin tuolla lottamuseossa viime kesänä. Sr oli hyvin koskettava paikka. Kiitos kauniista kuvista ja mieltä liikuttaneesta tekstistä. Evakon jälkeläinen minäkin.
VastaaPoistaVarmaan mielenkiintoinen paikka!
VastaaPoista