Researching Finnish Winter War casualty - Urho Vienonen

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TJames
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Researching Finnish Winter War casualty - Urho Vienonen

#1

Post by TJames » 12 Jun 2015, 23:19

Good Evening!

I am doing some research on the Finnish Army during the Second World War (1939-40) and wondered if anybody could help in pointing me in the right direction for finding information about Finnish individuals who died in the winter war. I am looking for any information related to Urho Vienonen who was killed, from what i have researched so far there doesn't seem to be much information available on cemeteries and war dead. Could anybody help in pointing me in the right direction??

Many Thanks

TJames

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Re: Researching Finnish Winter War casualty - Urho Vienonen

#2

Post by MacLindh » 18 Jul 2015, 23:01

I searched from the national archives page of Urho Vienonen. There was none with that name died because of any reason. Then I searched with the surname only and found four dead with that surname but the first names were different! Do you have any details of the Urho Vienonen and are you sure that he died in Winter war? There was seven when I extended the search for the whole war time. There is private Urho Johannes Vienonen who died on 22.12.1943. So he died during the Continuation War (1941-1944)from our point of view. He belonged to 10th company of Infantry Regiment 35 and died in Seesjärvi. He didn't have children and is buried in his birth county Ypäjä.

This site includes all the war casualty of Finland. So your Urho Vienonen should be there. You can search him using the next link: http://kronos.narc.fi/menehtyneet/index.php

You just put the surname to the first box in the top left corner (sukunimi) and limiting dates on two top right lines (kuolinaika välillä) in for, DD MM YYYY. Then you will get all the Vienonen's died between the dates. This link takes you direcly to this Urho Vienonen : http://kronos.narc.fi/menehtyneet/index ... raportti=1

There is a card of every soldier served in the Finnish army available in national archives. That card usually includes the reason of the death and also in some cases the conditions in which it happened.

MacLindh


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John Hilly
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Re: Researching Finnish Winter War casualty - Urho Vienonen

#3

Post by John Hilly » 19 Jul 2015, 15:08

Funny I can't find a relative of mine from that data base, who perished during the Winter War and is buried in Military graveyard (Sankarihautausmaa) in Tampere.
His name is Otto Kallio.

With best, J-P :milwink:
"Die Blechtrommel trommelt noch!"

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TJames
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Re: Researching Finnish Winter War casualty - Urho Vienonen

#4

Post by TJames » 06 Aug 2015, 17:39

Hi J-P

Thanks very much for that, I now know that he is Urho J Vienonen that died in 1943. There is a possibility that I could be going to Helsinki soon, is the archives there? I was thinking I could maybe visit there and speak to some people to see what I can find. I will definitely look for the service card/records. Hopefully I will be lucky!

Thanks!

TJames

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Re: Researching Finnish Winter War casualty - Urho Vienonen

#5

Post by JTV » 06 Aug 2015, 19:22

TJames wrote:
Thanks very much for that, I now know that he is Urho J Vienonen that died in 1943. There is a possibility that I could be going to Helsinki soon, is the archives there? I was thinking I could maybe visit there and speak to some people to see what I can find. I will definitely look for the service card/records. Hopefully I will be lucky!
Yes, Finnish National Archives is right middle of Helsinki. Exact street address is Rauhankatu 17. Opening hours:
- 1st of January - 31st of May and 1st of September - 31st of December: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 9 AM - 4 PM, Wednesdays 9 AM - 8 PM.
- 1st of June - 31st of August: MONDAY - FRIDAY 9 AM - 4 PM.

Website: http://www.arkisto.fi/en/frontpage

Unfortunately materials belonging to former Military Archives (it was made part of National Archives year 2008) are in other end of the city. Hence you cannot just walk in the archives and to see the particular documents right away. They bring materials from from former military archives to Rauhankatu once a day (delivery arrives typically around 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM). You could try contacting the archives beforehand and see if they can get you the documents ready for your visit. Normally one has to order the materials in Rauhankatu and wait for them to arrive - if one orders the materials before 10 AM, they usually arrive that day. If one orders them after 10 PM, they typically arrive next day.

The most important service document is kantakortti (master card), which contains whole service history often marked at least partially with military abbreviations (hence even those understanding Finnish may need help for understanding all of it). But when you ask for personal documents in sort of situation ask for them to get everyhing - one never knows what the attached documents may contain. They can also copy the documents for you. If you are not about to visit Helsinki, you can also order copies of his service documents and they should be able to mail them to you. You can contanct the archive with email-address: arkisto[@]narc.fi (just remove brackets [ ] from the address)

Jarkko

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TJames
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Re: Researching Finnish Winter War casualty - Urho Vienonen

#6

Post by TJames » 08 Aug 2015, 15:01

Hi Jarkko

Thanks for the info, ive just emailed them and so hopefully I'll get a reply in the week. I've explained to them that I can't make a visit to the archives as I'm in the UK but hopefully they can still help with information! Do you know if they can send photo copies of documents?

Thanks

TJames

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Re: Researching Finnish Winter War casualty - Urho Vienonen

#7

Post by Mangrove » 08 Aug 2015, 19:34

TJames wrote:Do you know if they can send photo copies of documents?
Yes, but with a cost. If you need copies of large amount of public documents, it is usually cheaper to hire someone by the hour to copy and sent them to you in digital format.
The National Archives Service - Price List

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TJames
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Re: Researching Finnish Winter War casualty - Urho Vienonen

#8

Post by TJames » 11 Aug 2015, 19:05

Thanks, yeah I've spoken to them and it's cost around €15 so not to bad. Hopefully the documents will be on there way soon, not sure yet what there gonna send although I asked anything related to civil and military documents/records. Do you have an Idea what the military records consist of? We are hoping it will have his relatives names or a personal description. Think I'm gonna need a Finnish dictionary soon though haha

Many thanks

TJames

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Re: Researching Finnish Winter War casualty - Urho Vienonen

#9

Post by Mangrove » 12 Aug 2015, 05:28

TJames wrote:Do you have an Idea what the military records consist of? We are hoping it will have his relatives names or a personal description.
The military records do contain the name and address of next of kin (usually father or mother), his height and weight at the time of the conscription, occupation, education history etc. If the person was killed in action, it might also contain a list of items in his possession (to be returned to his relatives) and in case of a person missing in action, description of the action when he was last seen.

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TJames
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Re: Researching Finnish Winter War casualty - Urho Vienonen

#10

Post by TJames » 18 Aug 2015, 17:52

Hi!

I have just got some records from the achrives in Helsinki, been going through them and translating them. But I came across these abriviations for the what he was awarded, can't make out what it means really. Anybody have any ideas?

Cheers

Tom
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TJames
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Re: Researching Finnish Winter War casualty - Urho Vienonen

#12

Post by TJames » 18 Aug 2015, 18:45

Thanks for that!! I have this also that I can't seem to translate, any ideas?
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Aleksander P
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Re: Researching Finnish Winter War casualty - Urho Vienonen

#13

Post by Aleksander P » 18 Aug 2015, 19:00

TJames wrote:Thanks for that!! I have this also that I can't seem to translate, any ideas?
Behavior and punishments: Good. [signed] Lieutenant A. Lampola (?) - Good. [signed] Sergeant Major A. Hakka.

Remarks: Fell on 20.12.43 at Saarijärvi, Suurlahti. [signed] Sergeant Major of the company; Sergeant Major A. Hakka.

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Re: Researching Finnish Winter War casualty - Urho Vienonen

#14

Post by TJames » 18 Aug 2015, 19:28

Thanks for that!!! One last thing, had one last question about what this might mean in the Lääkärintarkastuskorrti part of the document. The hand writing is unclear but might make sense to s Finnish speaking person

Many thanks again!!

TJames
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Aleksander P
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Re: Researching Finnish Winter War casualty - Urho Vienonen

#15

Post by Aleksander P » 18 Aug 2015, 19:50

The writing on the bottom is the info of the date and place where he was killed, like previously seen. Usually these cards have that info over and over again if the person was KIA.

Lääkärintarkistuskortti means "doctors inspection card" and it has info from the doctors inspection during drafting - the text on the upper right corner seems to be from that: "Distribution and B-card. Sent 2.10.41."

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