Ida Maria at about age 22 or 23

Ida Maria, Tyyne’s mother, at about age 21 (1913)

The Soviet Government had seriously underestimated the Finnish "SISU" (which translates, in my experience, as "The heart and will to confront seemingly insurmountable odds") of the Finns and by the end of 1939, the Red Army had suffered a series of resounding and humiliating defeats. Though accurate Russian casualties numbers are not known, the best information available at the time yield figures of about 27,500 Red Army dead against a count of 2,700 Finnish dead and wounded.

Finland, however was in a fight she could not win, not without outside help and assistance. Although many nations were sympathetic to Finland’s position to defend herself, they did not provide the support she desperately needed in time. Had Norway and Sweden both joined Finland, the Soviet Union was not in a position to take on all three, but both Norway and Sweden felt that if they declared themselves as Neutral Countries, they would stay out of the war. That kind of thinking proved to be a fatal mistake that only prolonged their involvement in WW II. Finland’s gallant fight against overwhelming odds came to an end, when it finally surrendered to the Soviet Union and signed the Moscow Peace Treaty on March 12, 1940.

Adolf Hitler, never trusted Germany’s alliance with the Soviet Union, and on 22 June 1941, at dawn 3,400,000 Armed forces of Hitler’s Third Reich launched a surprise attack on the U.S.S.R., opposed by 4,700 defenders of the Red Army.

Once again, Finland would know the bitter taste of battle. But this time, she was not alone, she was backed up by five German Divisions on Finnish soil. Adolf Hitler, first allowed and in fact helped the Soviet Union to invade little Finland. This came about, with the signing of the Non-Aggression Treaty with the Soviet Union. Hitler, was well aware of what RUSSIA was doing to Finland and turned his back on the Finns and their struggle against the U.S.S.R., now he looked to Finland for assistance.

Even though Finland never signed a formal agreement with the Third Reich. Finland’s Marshal Mannerheim once again took to the battle field against Finland’s oppressive neighbor ( RUSSIA ), in the land mass between the Arctic Circle and the Gulf of Finland. This time, with 18 Divisions under his command, all determined and eager for revenge, after the defeat the Finns suffered in the bitter cold Winter of 1939-1940.

The Finns had not forgotten how Germany had looked the other way when Russia’s Red Army invaded their small country. Although Finland did not agree with or condone what Hitler was doing in Europe, she embraced the alliance with Germany, because it provided Finland with the opportunity to try and regain some of the territory lost to the Soviet Union by the imposed terms of the Moscow Peace Treaty in 1940.

Finland was forced to cede nearly all of Finnish Karelia (Finland’s industrial center, including Viipuri, Finland’s second largest city), even though large parts were still held by Finland’s army. Military troops and remaining civilians were hastily evacuated to inside the new border. 422,000 Karelians, 12% of Finland’s population, lost their homes.

Finland also had to cede a part of the Salla area, the Finnish part of the Kalastajansaarento Peninsula in the Barents Sea, and in the Gulf of Finland the Islands of Suursaari, Tytärsaari, Lavansaari (now Moshchny Island), Peninsaari (now Malyi Island) and Seiskari. Finally, the Hanko Peninsula was leased to the Soviet Union as a naval base for 30 years.

Additional demands were that any equipment and installation on the ceded territories were to be handed over. Thus Finland had to hand over 75 locomotives, 2,000 railroad cars, a number of cars, trucks and ships. The Enso industrial area, which was clearly on the Finnish side of the border, as it was drawn in the peace treaty, was also soon added to the Finnish losses of territory and equipment.

The Finns were shocked by the harsh peace terms. It seemed as if more territory was lost in the peace than in the war, and the loss was in many ways some of the highest valued parts of Finland.

Sympathy from the world opinion seemed to have been of little worth. A certain bitter disappointment became a common feature of the Finns’ view of other nations, not the least of Swedes, who had offered plenty of sympathy but did not fulfill their obligations of military support for Finland.

For better or for worse, the harsh terms made the Finns inclined to seek support from Nazis Germany and made many Finns regard revenge as justified. In the end, this might have been a necessary condition for Finland’s survival in the World War.

Tyyne’s three older brothers (Edvin, Veikko and Olavi) answered the call to arms and went into the Army, they were assigned to a Finnish, German SS Unit on the Russian front. They all managed to survive the many bitterly fought battles and engagements and returned home safely after the war.

The war years (1939-1945) brought new demands and hardship to millions of people like Ida Maria and her family. Ida Maria, already a devoted, hard-working wife and mother, became an even more creative homemaker. Like many women all over war torn Europe, she had to make do with what limited resources were available to her family. She was a living example of strength and courage for her family.

All of Tyyne’s brothers and sisters learned to be useful to the family by working in and around the farm. Tyyne was very strong for girls her age. During the crop harvest season she would often help her father. When other children her age would carry only one bucket full, Tyyne, would grab a bucket in each hand, she was always a hard worker. Tiina’s given name was Tyyne (In Finnish, it means peaceful or calm) a fitting name, because Tyyne was a very good natured, considerate child and was always ready to help any way she could. She was also a good student in school.

There was a time in the war when Tyyne and her younger brother Pauli were sent to live with relatives in Central Finland, out of Harm’s Way, because Helsinki and much of Southern Finland were under attack. They would return home every few weeks. Tyyne told me, years later, how she and her brother traveled in a crowded train full of soldiers and there was no place to sit, so they had to stand.

They also carried butter and cheese hidden under their coats, because food was in short supply in the Helsinki area. She remembered how her mother learned how to make flour from potatoes grown on the farm, because wheat flour was in short supply and very expensive to buy. No one complained, because they were grateful for any food they could get.

Tyyne had a lamb, Valle, that she had raised and whenever it heard Tyyne’s voice or saw her, it would come running to her. One day, the lamb was nowhere to be found. That evening, they had meat, a very special treat, for supper. When Tyyne asked where the meat had come from, no one would give her a straight answer. She then realized what had happened to Valle, and became very upset and could not eat any part of her dinner, although she was very hungry, just like the rest of her family.

One winter day when she was home, she and a friend were walking across an open field on their way home from a friend’s house, when airplanes appeared overhead. As the two small girls looked up at the sound of the engines, they were terrified to see the fighter planes bank into a dive and began making strafing passes. Tyyne was certain she was going to get shot, because she was wearing a bright red coat and she felt the pilots could easily spot her against the white background of the snow covered field. She scurried under the closest cover she could find, and fortunately the airplanes flew away.

There were many nights at home spent in the dark, because of an air raid in progress. The darkness was broken now and then by the bright flashes of bombs bursting in nearby Malmi and also from the Anti-Aircraft Guns and Search Lights. Even during the day, she could see the bombs dropping from the bombers flying over Malmi.

All the hardships she had endured as a child growing up in the midst of WW II, gave her a sense of compassion and caring. Her childhood experiences made her appreciate everything and she did not take anything for granted. She was grateful for what she had and very considerate of other people.

MAP # 2
HELSINKI CITY MAP/MALMI

Tyyne’s father, Juho Kasslin, was a truck driver by trade.
Juho, in his truck in the early 1930’s.

Malmi, Finland, about 1934. Ida Maria, with three of her eight brood.
(l–r) Older sister Vieno, Tyyne, Younger brother Pauli