[Stellan Bojerud (RIP)]

For many years Mannerheim was "too big" for Finland. He was kept aside from official life.

In 1931 the Chairman of the Senate P.E. Svinhufvud (which translated means Pig´s head) who in 1918 had made Mannerheim C-in-C was elected President of Finland.

He took office on 1st March 1931 and the next day he offered Mannerheim to be Chairman of the Defence Comittée (and also C-in-C in case of war). This became effective on 10th June 1931.

On 19th May 1933 - 15 years after the Victory in the independence/civil war - Mannerheim was promoted Field Marshal (which required new legislation since that grade did not exist in the Finnish Army).

Mannerheim had in 1892 married Anastasie Agapova (20) daugther of MjGen Nikolaj Agapov. They had two daughters. They soon separated although formally divorcing several years later.

Countess Anastasie Mannerheim neé Agapova died in Paris 31st December 1936. It rose attention that he signed her obituary despite having been divorced for many years. He also went to the Ortodox Church in Helsinki and kneeling bade for her soul.

He was once asked if the measure of luck is constant during life. He answered:

"Perhaps - but only until you are sixty. Thereafter you grow more and more alone. Your friends and relatives die away and you cannot congregate with young people like you used to do".

Of death he said:

"It is difficult to realize that one day everything has come to an end. But on the other side it is difficuilt to understand in what shape a continuation could follow".

To add to his caracter it could be said that he had an attraction for ladies. Gentlemen prefere blonds - but Mannerheim was more interested in red-haired and well-designed Countesses.

Photo: Field Marshal Mannerheim on his daily ride tour through Helsinki (I think this pic is taken just before outbreak of WW 2).

Edited: Wow! Now I see it. The horse is Kate. She was a "passage-walker" (is that the expression). See picture.