the first shots rang out on the karelian isthmus on Thursday morning 30. November at 6.50.

Pentti Poutanen on the farm, the Fortress lamminsalo in the winter war ignition is immediately visible from the first day. This war was a shock and also surprise, although the character had been in the air for months.

– the Whole autumn had been oppressive for a while and then all of a sudden, it was discovered that the village was cleared by the menfolk of. Only the elderly, women and we, the adolescent was left, Poutanen recalls.

Even if lamminsalo of the village of lake Ladoga in the northwest corner was a trip to what was then the border ten miles, war heard and be seen immediately. Located near elise the danger of the junction station was the target of those bombings.

to – day I saw the Russian aircraft välkähtelevä the bright sky, the night came to bombing. Our house, the windows rattled, though the journey of elise danger to the station was about ten miles.

the War brought the small village of the everyday life of the aircraft and a bomb in addition to the evacuees and death news.

That time when you saw the stranger approaching our home, we feared that will die nuutinen. In a small village when someone died, it’s us young people too feel like a family member would have left, Poutanen recalls.

in the future headquarters in the city of peace was the end of the siren to howl

Pentti Poutanen current home town of Mikkeli was a Thursday morning, still seemingly calm. The people working were a little cold in the affairs of the city in the usual way. Then the peace is shattered.

At 12:27 began the sirens howling, and people were perplexed that what this means is, the historian Pia Puntanen tell.

in Mikkeli was prepared frantically to start a war, but it happened largely public knowledge. Already in the summer Mannerheim had decided that in the event of war the headquarters are placed in Mikkeli.

the Soviet union was presented in September in the Baltic countries the requirement of a military base on the establishment of these area. Call a similar conference came to Finland 5. October.

– as Soon as the next day of the start of communication of the construction of the headquarters in Mikkeli. They were completed already in mid-October, Pia Puntanen tell.

Soldiers and state leaders were preparing for a war of opportunity, but citizens war outbreak may have come up as a surprise.

Maybe not able to think how quickly the war spread to distant Europe, even if in the press and on the radio was told. On the other hand, the men had left the extra training in October, and the civilian population was evacuated to the countryside.

the Headquarters moved to Mikkeli yläkansak oulu for the fourth war day 3. December. School was out already in October, when the men were called to the extra exercise.

Pentti made of wood and preserved the village desanteilta

the Fortress lamminsalo in everyday life to continue the war in the shade. Evacuees from wandering through the village, the council, the machines were visible in the airspace and the bombing of the sounds from the village all the time.

Poutanen pientilan have mom take care of cattle and used to run everyday life, father and 17-year-old Pentti did full days halkometsään ace. In the evening the young men participated in nightly patrols.

We young people had gathered in the patrols, whose task was to make observations of possible desanteista. We walk the roads and we get the possible traces of the strangers passing, Pentti Poutanen says.

Mikkeli devastating bombings of the winter war, the bombing of traces of Mikkeli mikonkatu at.SA-picture

the headquarters of the city in west virginia to experience the horrors of war on epiphany, 5. January 1940. The council planes bombed the center of the core block in the middle of the day for two hours.

the Epiphany, the bombing killed 30 people and destroyed more than 60 buildings. The bombing surprised the mikkeli equal. City of protection of acquired anti-aircraft weapons could not get the action right.

the Bombing was surprised by the Mikkeli city dwellers, who were the war started weeks, accustomed to the siren of “unnecessary” alarms.

more Than 40 punakonetta made five separate attacks. The destruction was extensive and a big part of the mikkeli equal moved to the countryside to safety. Also the headquarters of decentralization was mainly in the neighborhood of country estates.

Mikkeliä was bombed during the winter war another 20. February and 2., 5. and 11. march. The devastating bombing 5. march killed 34 people.

Finnish incomprehensible fought against overwhelming odds ended 105 the war of the day after 13. march. The winter war miracle had happened, but the peace negotiations came lamminsalo the harsh news.

– the Village had two radio and there was listed the gulf of Finland from their managers name, which you have to surrender to the Soviet union. The disappointment was hard.

Poutas had ten days to collect the property and move to relatives During the new border in the Finnish side.

We got two horses to take the goods, animals and even animal feed during the ten days. The old limit of the confidence evacuees were given time only a few hours, Pentti Poutanen recalls.

evacuees journey took humppila, the Somerolle and eventually the beach strait to evacuate elise in danger near Pentti Poutanen neighborhood.SA-picture

Poutanen family of evacuees, the journey continued with a group of relatives soon to continue towards the western Finland.

– the Rest of the family went to the passenger train, I travel to the livestock, agricultural machinery, more furniture and animal feed with the suit. Travel was slow and took several days.

Poutasesta were temporarily evacuated Humppila and in somero, until the relieving letter came to Mikkeli direction.

the Letter was told how much the settlement order includes arable land and how much forest, but the buildings were mere lines. Found out that it was the so-called cold mode, Pentti Poutanen says.

Poutasesta time to build the beach of the strait of Tuusmäen village to the sauna building where the family lived the first few months.

– Have cleared the first fields to give the animals food and livelihoods for ourselves.

in the Summer of 1941 Poutasesta moved to many other evacuees of the way back to their farms. Rugged return was in front of the Soviet offensive at the time of three years later.

Pentti Poutanen has visited the birthplace several times, the last daughter, and this with children.

– Leukaperät had two weeks sick, so much had to explain things, Poutanen grins.

97 -year-old Poutanen has lived a colorful and eventful life. The current home in a private nursing home is located in Mikkeli the city centre. In the window that opens the view to the lake Saimaa. Thoughts of pause are often lamminsalo of on the farm.

– If I here even though I wake up at night so to me always comes to mind, how was there childhood home. There is the most dearest memories. We lived a modest life. As someone wise has said – it’s not poor who has little, but it, which is missing a lot, Poutanen says.

Poutanen second life is also a karelian cancel.

– Joy to the surface, although be alive under any circumstances.

Pentti Poutanen at home in Mikkeli.Jaana Polamo / YleTilaa Yle newsletters!

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