Finnish WW2 Generals & Admirals

by Mikko H.

The below list includes all Finnish generals and admirals who served in one capacity or another during the Second World War. They are listed in order of seniority by the last wartime rank. Note that many of these officers received further promotions after the war. If two officers were promoted to the same rank on the same day, they are presented in alphabetical order.

I define the end of war as the end of Continuation War on 4 September 1944. (If the time frame is extended to the end of WWII in Europe – or in Pacific, for that matter – the only change would be Einar Nikolai MÄKINEN, who was promoted to Kenraaliluutnantti on 8 January 1945.)

Two-letter abbreviation of branch (see below) * last wartime rank * name with years of birth and death * date of promotion to the last wartime rank

Notes:

MV = ground forces (maavoimat) officer

RT = naval forces coast artillery (rannikkotykistö) officer

LV = naval forces fleet (laivasto) officer

IV = air force (ilmavoimat) officer

SK = Civil Guard (Suojeluskunta) officer (note that a great many officers served in the Civil Guard before and some also during the war – term SK is used of those officers who served in the Civil Guard during the war)

* = officer was in reserve at the start of the war in 1939

** = officer was in reserve at the start of the war in 1939 and served only in political, diplomatic and/or ceremonial duties during the war

+ = officer retired during the war

Marshals

MV Suomen marsalkka Carl Gustaf Emil MANNERHEIM (1867–1951) 4 June 1942

Full Generals

MV Jalkaväenkenraali Paul Martin WETZER** (1868–1954) 16 May 1928

MV Jalkaväenkenraali Karl Fredrik WILKAMA** (1876–1947) 16 May 1928

MV Ratsuväenkenraali Ernst LINDER*+ (1868–1943) 25 March 1940

MV Jalkaväenkenraali Axel Erik HEINRICHS (1890–1965) 3 October 1941

MV tykistönkenraali Vilho Petter NENONEN (1883–1960) 3 October 1941

MV Jalkaväenkenraali Karl Rudolf WALDEN** (1878–1946) 3 June 1942

Lieutenant-Generals

MV Kenraaliluutnantti Oscar Paul ENCKELL** (1878–1960) 18 September 1924

MV Kenraaliluutnantti Johannes “Hannes” Ferdinand IGNATIUS** (1871–1941) 16 May 1928

MV Kenraaliluutnantti Aarne SIHVO (1889–1963) 14 August 1930

MV Kenraaliluutnantti Hugo Viktor ÖSTERMAN (1892–1975) 16 May 1935

SK Kenraaliluutnantti Kaarlo Lauri Torvald MALMBERG (1888–1948) 16 May 1936

MV Kenraaliluutnantti Karl Lennart OESCH (1892–1978) 6 December 1936

MV Kenraaliluutnantti Harald ÖHQUIST (1891–1971) 6 December 1936

MV Kenraaliluutnantti Edvard Fritjof HANELL (1894–1947) 11 April 1940

RT Kenraaliluutnantti Väinö Lahja Richard VALVE (1895–1995) 9 April 1941

IV Kenraaliluutnantti Jarl Frithiof LUNDQVIST (1896–1965) 3 October 1941

MV Kenraaliluutnantti Viljo Einar TUOMPO (1893–1957) 11 December 1941

MV Kenraaliluutnantti Johan Woldemar HÄGGLUND (1893–1963) 16 January 1942

MV Kenraaliluutnantti Taavetti LAATIKAINEN (1886–1954) 16 January 1942

MV Kenraaliluutnantti Unio Bernhard SARLIN (1893–1981) 16 January 1942

MV Kenraaliluutnantti Paavo Juho TALVELA* (1897–1973) 16 January 1942

MV Kenraaliluutnantti Aksel Fredrik AIRO (1898–1985) 3 June 1942

MV Kenraaliluutnantti Leonard “Lennart” August Mathias GRANDELL (1894–1967) 3 July 1942

MV Kenraaliluutnantti Hjalmar Fridolf SIILASVUO (1892–1947) 3 July 1942

Major-Generals and Rear-Admirals

LV Kontra-amiraali Hjalmar VON BONSDORFF** (1869–1945) 18 July 1919

MV Kenraalimajuri Kurt Martti WALLENIUS*+ (1893–1984) 14 August 1930

MV Kenraalimajuri Georg Fredrik PALMROTH+ (1881–1951) 9 December 1932

MV Kenraalimajuri Juho Henrik HEISKANEN (1889–1950) 6 December 1934

MV Kenraalimajuri Kaarle Heikki KEKONI** (1893–1953) 26 February 1937

MV Kenraalimajuri Väinö Vilhelm SVANSTRÖM (1884–1966) 16 May 1938

MV Kenraalimajuri Oiva Oskar OLENIUS (1890–1968) 28 August 1940

MV Kenraalimajuri Harry Uno ALFTHAN (1884–1955) 6 June 1941

MV Kenraalimajuri Woldemar OINONEN (1891–1963) 9 June 1941

MV Kenraalimajuri Aarne Leopold BLICK (1894–1964) 3 October 1941

MV Kenraalimajuri Ernst Ruben LAGUS (1896–1959) 3 October 1941

MV/SK Kenraalimajuri Ilmari Armas-Eino MARTOLA (1896–1986) 3 October 1941

MV Kenraalimajuri Einar Nikolai MÄKINEN (1895–1964) 3 October 1941

MV Kenraalimajuri Aaro Olavi PAJARI (1897–1949) 3 October 1941

MV Kenraalimajuri Antero Johannes SVENSSON (1892–1946) 18 December 1941

MV Kenraalimajuri Einar August VIHMA (1893–1944) 18 December 1941

MV Kenraalimajuri Hannu Esa HANNUKSELA (1893–1942) 31 December 1941

MV Kenraalimajuri Selim Engelbert ISAKSON (1892–1960) 31 December 1941

MV Kenraalimajuri Erkki Johannes RAAPPANA (1893–1962) 31 December 1941

MV Kenraalimajuri Kustaa Anders TAPOLA (1895–1971) 31 December 1941

MV Kenraalimajuri Claes Bertel Napoleon WINELL (1892–1943) 31 December 1941

MV Kenraalimajuri Gustaf Verner GUSTAFSSON (1890–1959) 24 April 1942

MV Kenraalimajuri Kaarlo Ilmari VILJANEN (1893–1942) 24 April 1942 (posthumous)

MV Kenraalimajuri Kaarlo Aleksanteri HEISKANEN (1894–1962) 26 April 1942

MV Kenraalimajuri Paavo Johannes PAALU (1895–1971) 26 April 1942

MV Kenraalimajuri Niilo Viktor HERSALO (1895–1979) 26 April 1942

MV Kenraalimajuri Väinö Henrik PALOJÄRVI (1894–1955) 26 April 1942

MV Kenraalimajuri Aarne SNELLMAN (1894–1942) 26 April 1942 (deathbed promotion)

MV Kenraalimajuri Johannes “Jussi” SIHVO (1891–1949) 3 June 1942

MV Kenraalimajuri Johan Viktor ARAJUURI (1894–1961) 3 July 1942

MV Kenraalimajuri Frans Uno FAGERNÄS (1894–1980) 16 November 1942

RT Kenraalimajuri Eino Iisakki JÄRVINEN (1896–1955) 4 June 1943

LV Kontra-amiraali Eero Akseli RAHOLA (1897–1975) 4 June 1943

LV Kontra-amiraali Svante August SUNDMAN (1895–1969) 4 June 1943

MV Kenraalimajuri Harald Vilhelm ROOS (1895–1969) 24 July 1943

MV Kenraalimajuri Pietari Aleksanteri AUTTI (1893–1959) 31 December 1943

MV Kenraalimajuri Viktor Alonzo SUNDMAN (1895–1960) 31 December 1943

MV Kenraalimajuri Antti KÄÄRIÄINEN (1891–1967) 12 March 1944

MV Kenraalimajuri Lars Rafael MELANDER (1896–1962) 12 March 1944

MV Kenraalimajuri Leo Aleksander EKBERG (1894–1966) 4 June 1944

Specialists

MV Lääkintäkenraalimajuri Väinö Felix LINDÉN+ (1889–1987) 9 December 1932

MV Lääkintäkenraalimajuri Eino Emil Waldemar SUOLAHTI* (1879–1951) 25 May 1940

MV Kenttäpiispa Julius Johannes BJÖRKLUND (1888–1962) 11 July 1941