Kuhmo Military Cemetery

In this cemetery, 278 heroes are buried in the Hankaniemi cemetery, so-called old cemetery. In the Winter War, 110 soldiers from Kuhmo were killed. Seventy-five soldiers were killed in the fighting in and around Kuhmo, and thirty-five on other fronts. In addition, one civilian was killed in the fighting in Kuhmo. In the Continuation War, 168 soldiers from Kuhmo were killed.
The war hero funeral of the Winter War was held at the Hankaniemi cemetery on April 21, 1940. The deceased were buried in a large communal grave covered with spruce twigs. Two more deceased were still buried on May 19, 1940. Those who later died of their wounds during the Winter War were buried in the hero's grave. In the summer of 1950, the heroes’ gravesite was elevated above the rest of the grounds, with small reclining headstones on each grave and a large granite cross as a monument for the whole gravesite. The Heroes’ cross for the fallen heroes of the Winter War and the Continuation War was erected by the municipality of Kuhmo and the parish. The cross was unveiled on May 24, 1951. The memorial was designed by sculptor Jarmo Aalto and manufactured by Kiviveistämö Veljekset Soininen.

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Source

• Text: Visit Kuhmo
• Photos: Lassi Piirainen (1, 2), Kuhmo Winter War Museum (3)
• https://visitkuhmo.fi/en/traditions-stories/military-history-in-kuhmo/kuhmo-military-cemetery/