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Order of the Lion of Finland

Honorary chivalry order

Honorary chivalry order

FieldValue
nameOrder of the Lion of Finland
native_name{{plainlist
native_name_langfi, sv
imageSuomen Leijonan Ritarikunnan suurristi.jpg
captionThe sash and the breast star of the order
awarded_byFinland
typeState order
established
countryFinland
house
religion
seatHouse of the Estates
ribbonRed
eligibilityFinnish nationals and foreigners
criteriaFor significant civilian or military merits
statusCurrently constituted
founderRisto Ryti
head_titleGrand Master
headAlexander Stubb
head2_titleChancellor
head2
head3_titleVice-Chancellor
head3
classes{{plainlist
website
first_inductionSeptember 28, 1942
last_induction
higherOrder of the Cross of Liberty
lowerCross of Merit for Finnish Physical Education and Sports
image2FIN Order of the Lion of Finland 5Class BAR.svg
image_size280
caption2Ribbon of the Order of the Lion of Finland
Note

the Order of the Lion of Finland

  • Suomen Leijonan ritarikunta
  • Finlands Lejons orden }}
  • Grand Cross
  • First Class Commander
  • Commander
  • First Class Knight
  • Knight}} | post-nominals =

The Order of the Lion of Finland (; ) is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty and the Order of the White Rose of Finland. The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The orders are administered by boards consisting of a chancellor, a vice-chancellor and at least four members. The orders of the White Rose of Finland and the Lion of Finland have a joint board. The President of Finland wears the Star of the Order of the Lion of Finland.

History

The Order of the Lion of Finland was established on September 11, 1942. At that time, Finland was waging the Continuation War. Wartime diplomacy included a heightened need to decorate, particularly foreigners from aligned countries, chiefly Germany. The existing Finnish orders, the Order of the Cross of Liberty and the Order of the White Rose of Finland, could not keep up with the decorations and their highest grades were in danger to become inflated due to too many holders. The Order of the Lion of Finland was thus established to allow the continuation of decorating foreigners with high ranks in Finnish orders, although the Order of the Lion of Finland can also be awarded to Finnish nationals. The new order also allowed for more flexible decorations, taking in account the rank and achievements of the recipients.

In January 1998 President Martti Ahtisaari was criticized by some NGOs, politicians and notable cultural figures because he awarded Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland to Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo, the Forest Minister of Indonesia, and to Sukanto Tanoto, the main owner of the Indonesian RGM Company, a parent company of the April Company. The April Company was criticized by non-governmental organisations for destroying rainforests, and Indonesia itself was criticized heavily for human right violations, especially in East Timor. Ahtisaari's party chairman Erkki Tuomioja said that giving the medals was questionable, since he feared the act may tarnish the public image of Finnish human rights policy. Students of the arts had demonstrations in Helsinki against the decision to give medals. Artist and author Leena Krohn returned their Pro Finlandia medals to protest the Indonesian decorations.

Finnish Olympic and Paralympic medalists are awarded Knight or Knight, First Class, with clasps.

Ambassadors accredited to Helsinki leaving their post are given the Grand Cross provided that their country also awards medals reciprocally.

Classes

The classes of the Order of the Lion of Finland are:

  • [[File:FIN Order of the Lion of Finland 1Class BAR.svg|85px]] Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of Finland
  • [[File:FIN Order of the Lion of Finland 2Class BAR.svg|85px]] Commander, First Class, of the Order of the Lion of Finland
  • [[File:FIN Order of the Lion of Finland 3Class BAR.svg|85px]] Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland
  • [[File:FIN Order of the Lion of Finland Pro-Finlandia BAR.png|85px]] Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland (awarded to artists and writers)
  • [[File:FIN Order of the Lion of Finland 4Class BAR.svg|85px]] Knight, First Class, of the Order of the Lion of Finland
  • [[File:FIN Order of the Lion of Finland 5Class BAR.svg|85px]] Knight of the Order of the Lion of Finland
  • [[File:FIN Order of the Lion of Finland 5Class BAR.svg|85px]] Cross of Merit of the Order of the Lion of Finland

Recipients

  • FIN Risto Ryti (1942)
  • FIN Aimo Cajander (1942)
  • FIN Harri Holma (1942)
  • FIN (1942)
  • FIN Lauri Malmberg (1942)
  • FIN Oskari Mantere (1942)
  • SWE Karl Ivan Westman (1942)
  • HUN , with swords (1942)
  • GER Herbert Backe (1942)
  • GER (1942)
  • ROM Noti Constantinide (1942)
  • ITA Vincenzo Cicconardi (1942)
  • FIN Heikki Renvall (1942)
  • FIN Aarno Yrjö-Koskinen (1942)
  • BUL Nicolas Petzeff (1943)
  • HUN Alfréd Nickl (1943)
  • FIN Antti Tulenheimo (1943)
  • ROM Constantin Pantazi, with swords (1943)
  • ROM , with swords (1943)
  • ROM Ilie Șteflea, with swords (1943)
  • FRA Hubert Guerin (1943)
  • ROM Gheorghe Davidescu (1943)
  • ROM (1943)
  • GER Karl Fiehler (1943)
  • GER Hartmann Lauterbacher (1943)
  • GER Artur Axmann (1943)
  • GER Alexander von Dörnberg (1943)
  • ROM Octav Ullea (1943)
  • SWE Gösta Bagge (1943)
  • GER Emil Wiehl (1943)
  • TUR Agâh Aksel (1943)
  • GER Werner Lorenz (1943)
  • HUN (1943)
  • FIN G. A. Gripenberg (1943)
  • FIN Onni Talas (1943)
  • HUN Jenő Szinyei Merse (1944)
  • HUN Ferenc Szombathelyi, with swords (1944)
  • HUN Lajos Csatay, with swords (1944)
  • SWE (1944)
  • SWE Axel Rappe (1944)
  • GER Karl Weisenberger, with swords (1944)
  • FIN Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, with swords (1944)
  • FIN Leo Ehrnrooth (1944)
  • FIN Ernst von Born (1944)
  • FIN Paavo Hynninen (1944)
  • FIN Gustaf Idman (1944)
  • FIN , with swords (1945)
  • FIN Woldemar Hägglund, with swords (1945)
  • FIN , with swords (1945)
  • FIN Hugo Österman, with swords (1945)
  • SWE Vilhelm Assarsson (1945)
  • ESP José de Palafox, 3rd Duke of Zaragoza (1945)
  • SWE Helge Söderbom (1946)
  • FIN (1946)
  • FIN Max von Bonsdorff (1946)
  • FIN (1946)
  • FIN Berndt Grönblom (1946)
  • FIN (1946)
  • FIN Juho Kusti Paasikivi (1946)
  • FIN (1946)
  • FIN Eliel Saarinen (1946)
  • FIN Eero Rydman (1946)
  • FIN (1946)
  • FIN (1946)
  • FIN Albert von Hellens (1946)
  • FIN (1946)
  • FIN (1947)
  • FIN (1947)
  • FIN (1947)
  • FIN (1947)
  • POL Zygmunt Modzelewski (1948)
  • POL Hilary Minc (1948)
  • FIN (1948)
  • FIN (1948)
  • FIN Iivari Toivanen (1948)
  • CSK Josef Pavlovský (1949)
  • FRA (1949)
  • POL Jan Wasilewski (1949)
  • FIN Rainer von Fieandt (1949)
  • DEN Hans Fuglsang-Damgaard (1949)
  • SWE Armas Järnefelt (1949)
  • SWE Gustaf Nobel (1949)
  • FIN Emil Aaltonen (1949)
  • FIN (1949)
  • FIN Hjalmar Granfelt (1949)
  • FIN Oskari Wilho Louhivuori (1949)
  • ARG (1949)
  • FRA François Coulet (1950)
  • FIN Archbishop Herman (1950)
  • FIN (1950)
  • FIN (1950)
  • URS (1951)
  • FIN Wilhelm Wahlforss (1951)
  • FIN (1951)
  • FIN (1952)
  • FIN (1952)
  • FIN Erik von Frenckell (1952)
  • FIN Vilho Ebeling (1952)
  • FIN (1952)
  • FIN (1952)
  • FIN Kyösti Haataja (1953)
  • NOR Torbjörn Seippel (1953)
  • FIN (1953)
  • FIN Mikko Louhivaara (1953)
  • FIN Pekka Myrberg (1953)
  • FIN Juho Niukkanen (1953)
  • FIN Artturi Ilmari Virtanen (1953)
  • FIN Aarne Wuorimaa (1953)
  • FIN Bruno Kivikoski (1954)
  • SWE Marcus Wallenberg Jr. (1954)
  • FIN (1954)
  • FIN Kaarlo Heiskanen (1954)
  • FIN (1954)
  • FIN (1954)
  • FIN (1954)
  • FIN (1954)
  • YUG (1955)
  • FRA (1955)
  • SWE (1955)
  • ITA Arturo Toscanini (1955)
  • FIN (1955)
  • FIN (1955)
  • FIN Urho Kekkonen (1956)
  • SWE (1956)
  • SWE Torsten Friis (1956)
  • SWE (1956)
  • SWE Hugo Cederschiöld (1956)
  • SWE (1956)
  • SWE Gustaf Dyrssen (1956)
  • FIN Onni Okkonen (1956)
  • FIN Veikko Antero Koskenniemi (1956)
  • CSK (1957)
  • FIN (1957)
  • FIN Eduard Palin (1957)
  • FIN Tony Kakko (2018)
  • CAN Tanya Rautava (2023)
  • FIN Janne Parantainen (2024){{cite web |access-date=10 January 2026 |access-date=10 January 2026 |access-date=10 January 2026
  • USA Christopher G. Cavoli (2025)

References

Works cited

References

  1. "Ritarikuntien organisaatio". Ritarikunnat - Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ja Suomen Leijonan ritarikunnat.
  2. "Asetus Suomen Leijonan ritarikunnan perustamisesta". Ritarikunnat - Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ja Suomen Leijonan ritarikunnat.
  3. Verkkola, Tuija. (6 December 2003). "Kolmen ritarikunnan vuoropuhelu". Helsingin Sanomat.
  4. Matikkala, Antti. (2018). "Ritarikunnat isänmaan palveluksessa". Kylkirauta.
  5. Kjellberg, Helena. (15 January 1998). "Mielenosoitus: Kunniamerkit takaisin Indonesiasta". Helsingin Sanomat.
  6. Iivonen, Jyrki. (21 March 2000). "Ahtisaari saanee vastaehdokkaan UPM:n hallitus- vaaliin". Helsingin Sanomat.
  7. Kjellberg, Helena. (16 January 1998). "Ahtisaari: Kunniamerkkien myöntäminen Indonesiaan perusteltua". Helsingin Sanomat.
  8. Mattila, Pasi. (6 December 2018). "Melkein 4 000 suomalaista saa itsenäisyyspäivänä kunniamerkin – keräsimme kuvakatalogin merkeistä, joita voi nähdä linnan juhlien vieraiden rintapielissä". Aamulehti.
  9. (April 30, 1948). "Messuvaltuuskunta Poznanista palannut".
  10. (January 10, 1949). "Tshekkoslovakian lähettiläs Suomessa vaihtuu". Helsingin Sanomat.
  11. (April 30, 1949). "Aikakauslehdentoimittajat ministeri Helon kutsuilla". Helsingin Sanomat.
  12. (May 14, 1949). "Puolan lähettilään jäähyväiset". Helsingin Sanomat.
  13. (April 6, 1950). "Ministeri Coulet'n jäähyväisaudienssi". Helsingin Sanomat.
  14. (July 2, 1953). "Suomen Leijonan suurristi ministeri Seippelille". Helsingin Sanomat.
  15. (January 12, 1955). "Ministeri Zore jäähyväisaudienssilla tasavallan presidentin luona". Helsingin Sanomat.
  16. (July 17, 1955). "Suomen Leijonan suurristi Ranskan lähettiläälle". Helsingin Sanomat.
  17. (October 4, 1956). "Kunniamerkkejä". Helsingin Sanomat.
  18. (February 23, 1957). "Suomen Leijonan suurristi ministeri Langerille". Helsingin Sanomat.
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