Finland: A very fine Second World War group of 5 medals to Ms. A. Lampinen comprising; Order of the Lion of Finland, Officer grade; Order of the Lion of Finland, Knight grade; Medal for Women on the Home Front; Veteran’s Lotta Svard Medal; Association of Agricultural Centres Medal, named on the reverse to A. Lampinen, 15.6.1979. Mounted loose for wear.
Condition: Nearly extremely fine
The Order of the Lion of Finland was established on September 11, 1942. At that time, Finland was waging the Continuation War. Wartime diplomacy included a heightened need to decorate particularly foreigners from aligned countries, chiefly Germany. The existing Finnish orders – the Order of the Cross of Liberty and the Order of the White Rose of Finland – could not keep up with the decorations and their highest grades were in danger to become inflated due to too many holders. The Order of the Lion of Finland was thus established to allow the continuation of decorating foreigners with high ranks in Finnish orders although the Order of the Lion of Finland can also be awarded to Finnish nationals. The new order also allowed for more flexible decorations, taking in account the rank and achievements of the recipients.
