Order of the Cross of Liberty


The Order of the Cross of Liberty is one of three official state orders in Finland, along with the Order of the White Rose of Finland and the Order of the Lion of Finland.
The awards of the Order of the Cross of Liberty can be granted for both civil and military merits. They are usually conferred on the Flag Day of the Finnish Defence Forces and on Finland's Independence Day but may also be awarded on other occasions as needed.
With the exception of the Mannerheim Cross, the class of an award to be conferred depends on the recipient's military rank or an equivalent civilian status. Crosses of Liberty are primarily awarded to officers, while Medals of Liberty are given to non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel. The Cross of Liberty is awarded for military merits with swords and for civil merits without swords. To recognize exceptional performance on the front line or leadership during wartime, the Cross of Liberty may be conferred upon a soldier adorned with oak leaves. The Medal of Liberty is awarded to military personnel, while the Cross of Liberty Medal of Merit is granted to civilians. During wartime, the Cross of Liberty with swords or the Medal of Liberty may also be awarded to civilians.
The Mannerheim Cross is also the highest Finnish military award for gallantry and can be awarded in two classes.

Organisation

The President of Finland is the Grand Master of the Order of the White Rose of Finland and of the Order of the Lion of Finland, and usually of the Order of the Cross of Liberty as well, Grand Mastership of which is attached to the position of Commander-in-chief. All of these 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.

History

The Order of the Cross of Liberty was founded on March 4, 1918, upon the initiative of Regent of Finland Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim. He had commissioned the artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela to design awards and other insignia for the White Army towards the end of February 1918.
The designs by Gallen-Kallela were confirmed by the Finnish Senate at the foundation of the order in seven classes: grand cross, cross of liberty and the medal of liberty. Since the Order of the Cross of Liberty was initially established to reward wartime merits, Regent Mannerheim decided to cease awarding these decorations on the first anniversary of the Finnish Civil War's outbreak, January 28, 1919 and the order was in essence defunct from that day on.
The outbreak of war in 1939 between Finland and the Soviet Union highlighted the need to reward soldiers and civilians during wartime. Immediately after the beginning of the Winter War, Mannerheim, who had been appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Defense Forces, initiated the reinstatement of the Cross of Liberty and the Medals of Liberty. President Kyösti Kallio issued a decree on December 8, 1939, concerning the awarding of the Crosses and Medals of Liberty. This decree largely followed the provisions established earlier in 1918. The most significant change was that the President authorized the Commander-in-Chief to confer all Crosses and Medals of Liberty. The Order of Cross of Liberty was made a permanent order on 16 December 1940.
A decree issued on 18 August 1944 enabled the decorations to be awarded in peacetime. In the same decree, Mannerheim was designated as Grand Master for life, after which the title would move to the serving Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Defence Forces.
Decorations of the order were awarded in great numbers during the World War II, partly due to Marshal Mannerheim having issued an order that wounded soldiers were to be awarded for their sacrifice, and Finland has no separate decoration for wounded. The Cross of Liberty is usually reserved for commissioned officers, with the Medal of Liberty being awarded for soldiers of junior rank and NCOs.
The Cross of Liberty has a red ribbon when it is granted in wartime and a yellow ribbon when it is awarded in peacetime.

List of awards of the Order of the Cross of Liberty

Special awards

In total the order has 55 distinct insignia. Due to the numerous ways of awarding it has been called "the most complex order in Europe".

Notable recipients

Grand Crosses
1st Class with a Star
1st Class
2nd Class
3rd Class
Other or unknown classes

Institutions

The statutes allow the order to be conferred collectively. The following have been awarded: