Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim resigned as president of Finland due to illness. Unlike many Finnish politicians, who were recognised as war criminals, no such charges were levelled at Mannerheim.
Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim started his career in the Russian Army and proved himself as a well-educated and brilliant officer. It is noteworthy that although he was fluent in eight languages, he began to study Finnish only after Finland gained independence.
As a Russian officer, he participated in the Russo-Japanese and First World Wars, showed military talent and courage, and was awarded with numerous orders, including the St. George Cross. After the Russian Revolution, he went to Helsinki.
In 1918, he was appointed commander of the almost non-existent army there, but in a short time he managed to reorganise it and win the civil war as a result. He was appointed regent of the short-lived Kingdom of Finland, but after losing the presidential election he left political activities.
During the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-40, he was appointed commander-in-chief. He resisted the onslaught of the Red Army; in March 1940, he recommended that the Finnish government explore every avenue for peace.
During World War II, he became commander-in-chief again, on the condition that Finnish troops would not attack Leningrad. Unlike the political leadership of Finland, he did not sympathise with the Nazis. When Germany began to lose in 1944, he said, referring to the German ambassador:
“He once convinced us that with the help of Germany we will defeat Russia. That did not happen. Now Russia is strong and Finland is very weak. Now let him clean up the mess that he made himself".
On 4 August 1944, Mannerheim became president of Finland; on 19 September, he signed a peace treaty between Finland and the USSR. On 1 October, he declared war on Germany and expelled German troops from the country.
Mannerheim remains one of the greatest national heroes and statesmen in Finnish history. On 14 June, 2007, on the occasion of Mannerheim’s 140th birth anniversary, the "Cavalier Guard Mannerheim" memorial was erected in St. Petersburg.
Source: “Helsingin Sanomat” newspaper, March 1946
