Gustaf Mannerheim

Gustaf Mannerheim was born on June 4, 1867 in Askainen, Finland as Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim. He was married to Anastasia Arapova.

In 1887 Mannerheim began his 30-year service in the Russian Army: he entered the Cavalry School in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Had two daughters with his Russian wife, Anastasia Arapova-Mannerheim: Anastasie (b. 1893) and Sophie (b. 1895).

Mannerheim was born in the Duchy of Finland, then a part of Russia. His native language was Swedish. In 1896 Mannerheim was appointed official personal guard to Tsar Nicholas II at his coronation. At that time he married a Russian princess and had two daughters.

Honors and other positions: Knight (1902), Officer (1910), Grand Cross (1939), the Legion of Honour (France), Order of St. Anna, 2nd degree (Russian Empire) (1906), Order of St. Stanislaus, 2nd class (Russian Empire/Poland) (1906), Order of St. Vladimir, 4th degree (Russian Empire) (1906), Knight 4th class, the Order of St. George (Russian Empire) (1914), Commander Grand Cross, with Swords, the Order of the Cross of Liberty (Finland) (1918), Commander Grand Cross, the Order of the Sword (Sweden) (1918), Knight of the Order of the Seraphim (Sweden) (1919), Knight of the Order of the Elephant (Denmark) (1919), Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers, Grand Cordon (Japan), Iron Cross, 2nd and 1st class (1918) with 1939 bars (1942) and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (1942) with Oak Leaves (1944) (Germany), Knight Grand Cross, the Order of the British Empire (GBE) United Kingdom (1938), Commander Grand Cross with Swords and Diamonds, the Order of the Cross of Liberty (Finland) (1940), Knight of the Mannerheim Cross, 1st and 2nd class, the Order of the Cross of Liberty (Finland) (1941), Order of Merit of Hungary, Grand Cross with the Holy Crown of St. Stephen (Kingdom of Hungary) (1941), Order of Michael the Brave, 1st class (Romania) (1941), Commander Grand Cross, with Collar, Swords and Diamonds, of the Order of the White Rose (Finland) (1944), Commander Grand Cross, with Swords and Diamonds, of the Order of the Lion of Finland (Finland) (1944), Honorary Doctor of Philosophy (University of Helsinki) (1919), Honorary Commander-in-Chief, Suojeluskunta (1919-1944), Honorary President, General Mannerheim's Child Welfare Association (1920-1951), Chairman of the Union Bank of Finland (1920-1931), Chairman of the Finnish Red Cross (1922-1951), Honorary Colonel, Uusimaa Dragoon Regiment (1928), Chairman of the Incorporated Bank of Helsinki (1931-1935) and Honorary Chairman, Finnish Boy Scouts (1936).

In 1903, Mannerheim was promoted to Col.-Commander of Imperial Russian Guards in St. Petersburg, Russia. The promotion was initiated by Gen. Alexei Brusilov.

Was the leader of the Finnish White Guards during the Finnish Civil War in 1918.

Was longtime personal friend of Hermann Göring. Mannerheim and Goering were hunting partners during the 1930s and 1940s - they specialized in killing deer.

Was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal on 19 May 1933. On 4 June 1942, his 75th birthday he was awarded by the Finnish Government with the title Marshal of Finland. He's the only person to have the rank and the title.

Led the defense of Finland against the Soviet Union from November 1939 to September 1944.

He declined to let Finnish forces play a larger role in the siege of Leningrad in the late summer of 1941. This was partly to show Finland's war aims were not the same as Germany's, and also due large losses suffered by Finnish forces and their lack of long-range artillery and attack aircraft.

Was visited by Adolf Hitler on his 75th birthday in 1942. Hitler, who respected Mannerheim and Finnish soldiers, honored Marshall Mannerheim by awarding him the Grand Cross of the Order of the German Eagle in Gold.

President of Finland 4 August 1944 - 8 March 1946. Was the oldest president on election (77), and his term was the shortest. Baron, Commander-in-Chief of Finland's Defence Forces, Marshal of Finland, Regent of Finland (1918-1919) and the sixth President of Finland (1944-1946).

Pictured on 2 US postage stamps (4¢, 8¢) in the Champions of Liberty Series, issued 26 October 1960.

In 2004 Mannerheim was voted for greatest Finnish person ever.

According to Arvopaperi magazine from September 2012, Mannerheim owned 9.5% of Nokia's stocks in early 1900's, but sold them relatively soon. Nokia was then manufacturing wellington boots.