The Winter War Monument will be a field clad with natural stones erected in the memory of every soldier died in the battles around Suomussalmi. Memorial stones will be set to all soldiers – Finnish and Soviets (Russian, Ukrainian and of other nationalities). For every dead soldier there will be erected a memorial stone. About 20 000 memorial stones will be set. Total area of the Memorial will be around 30 000-40 000 square meters. The main goal of the project – development of the military history tourism in the participating countries.

Scientific work planned is to define tourists routes based on the historical facts about events that took place around Suomussalmi. Historians from the Russian Academy of Science are gathering information about 44th and 163rd divisions. Scientists from Joensu and Petrozavodsk Universities are gathering the information about the fate of civilians from Suomussalmi commune during the 1939-1940 Winter War. The information database that will be created will be used for further development of military history tourism and coöperation of historians from both countries. The scientific part of the project will be the first objective attempt of Russian historians to study the history of the Winter War in this region.

Project realization time: 1.07.2002—30.06.2004

Total cost of the project: 324 752 Euro. Financing:

• "Interreg IIIA Karelia": 50%
• Community Suomussalmi: 30%
• Kainuu regional workforce and employment center: 20%

Program main partners and participants

• The History faculty of the Petrozavodsk State University. Gathering the information about the civilian prisoners of war from Suomussalmi commune and their fate during and after 1939-1940 Winter War and their return to Finland in the summer 1940
• The History section of the Institute of Language, History and Literature of the Karelian Center of the Russian Academy of Science. Gathering the information about the history of the 44th and 163rd divisions and the lists of the Red Army soldiers fallen around Suomussalmi
• Post-Diploma Teachers' Training Institute of the Republic of Karelia. Pavel Razinov is the general project coördinator and Russian side project coördinator
• Karelian State Museum of Local Lore and Petrozavodsk Military History Museum. Gathering of historical information
• "Karjalan Sanomat" and "Karelia" newspapers, Petrozavodsk. Informing of the Karelian and Russian public about the project realization. Publication of the project materials
• Joensuu University, Finland, Jussi Kämäräinen. Gathering the information about the civilian prisoners of war from Suomussalmi commune and their fate during and after 1939-1940 Winter War and their return to Finland in the summer 1940
• Finnish Military Museum, Helsinki. Consulting services withing the project framework
• Military History Institute, Helsinki. Expertise on war history issues
• "Kainuun Sanomat" newspaper, Finland, Mauno Hyyryläinen. Informing of Finnish public about the project realization. Publication of the project materials
• National Library of Republic of Karelia

Partners