Lauri Törni with the Finnish Army in Karelia mid 1944, he would go on to serve in the German and US militaries

by MARTINELECA

14 comments

  3. When you hate communism so much that you join 3 armies to fight it.

  4. A restless child who found his calling during his military service. A true model soldier, did what he had to do against his enemies as well as he knew until the end, no matter what, until the end.

    A damn fine man, may he rest in peace. Let’s hope no one in current day Finland needs to go out and repeat his actions.

  5. Previousely Törni had served as an SS-Untersturmführer (2nd Lieutenant) in the Finnish Waffen SS Battalion in 1941 for 7 weeks of training and he returned in July. After the Moscow armistice in 1944, Törni went back to Germany in January 1945 with the intent of supporting the Finnish resistance movement. Unfortunately for Törni, there were no ships left heading for Finland, so he decided to join a German unit in Schwerin to continue to fight the Soviets. He led his unit to flee westwards and surrendered to the British, being placed into a British POW camp in Lübeck, which he subsequently escaped from in June 1945. He then returned to Finland.

    I couldn’t find sources on this, however it is stated that he fought together with Jalo Korpela who was member of the Finnish SS company “Kalevala”, ment to be the 41st SS Division Kalevala which never materialised. Therefore, I’d guess Törni likely joined the Finnish SS company Kalevala as well, but don’t quote me on that.

    https://preview.redd.it/7tjb6jcv8tze1.jpeg?width=361&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ad651449cc57ac31ea5e2bafc79d1c9406904432

    It’s been stated that Törni didn’t know of the political implications of being member of the SS. He had also expressed regret in swearing his loyalty even in death to Hitler and the SS.

  7. Also received a cross of mannerheim (2nd class), iron cross (2nd class), distinguished flying cross, legion of merit and a bronze star. Quite impressive.

  9. Everybody listen Sabaton – Soldier of 3 armies

  11. I respect our veterans but I strongly dislike Törni. Defending your homeland is one thing, but fighting in more and more wars because you like killing that much is completely other thing.

  13. When you love nazism so much you commit war crimes for the fascists in three different wars, lose each and every one and die in the third.

  14. Imagine going from Captain back to being a private ten years later…

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