Order of the White Rose of Finland

Order of the White Rose of Finland

*Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunta*

*Finlands Vita Ros’ orden*
Order of the White Rose of Finland; Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunta; Finlands Vita Ros’ orden;
	Grand Cross of the White Rose of Finland
Awarded by Finland
Type	State order
Established	January 28, 1919; 106 years ago
Country	Finland
Seat	House of the Estates
Ribbon	Ultramarine
Motto	Isänmaan hyväksi ('For the Good of the Fatherland')
Eligibility	Finnish nationals and foreigners
Criteria	Distinguished service to the fatherland
Status	Currently constituted
Founder	Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
Grand Master	Alexander Stubb
Chancellor	Timo Laitinen [fi]
Vice-Chancellor	Anita Lehikoinen [fi]
Classes	Grand Cross; First Class Commander; Commander; First Class Knight; Knight;
Website	ritarikunnat.fi/language/en
Statistics
First induction	February 12, 1919
Precedence
Next (higher)	None
Next (lower)	Order of the Cross of Liberty
	; Ribbon of the Order of the White Rose of Finland; ;

The Order of the White Rose of Finland (Finnish: Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunta; Swedish: Finlands Vita Ros’ orden) is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, and the Order of the Lion of Finland. The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The orders are administered by boards consisting of a chancellor, a vice-chancellor and at least four members. The orders of the White Rose of Finland and the Lion of Finland have a joint board.

History

The Order of the White Rose of Finland was established by Gustaf Mannerheim in his capacity as regent (temporary head of state) on January 28, 1919.^[4]^[5] The name comes from the victory of the White side in the Finnish Civil War 1918 and from the heraldic rose, of which there are nine argent ones on the coat of arms of Finland.^[6] The order's rules and regulations were confirmed on May 16, 1919,^[7] and its present rules date from June 1, 1940. The revised scale of ranks was confirmed most recently in 1985. The original decorations were designed by Akseli Gallen-Kallela. The swastikas of the collar were replaced by fir crosses in 1963, designed by heraldic artist Gustaf von Numers. The honour can be granted for military as well as civilian merit.

Insignia

The ribbon for all classes is ultramarine, as it is found in the flag of Finland, although officially the statutes do not define the color of the ribbon beyond it being "dark blue".^[8] The motto of the order appears on the medallion and is Isänmaan hyväksi (Finnish for 'For the Good of the Fatherland').^[2]^[9]

The President of Finland wears the Grand Cross of the White Rose of Finland with Collar (a neck chain). The Collar is worn four centimetres from either side and hangs at equal distances at the front and back. The Grand Cross and Commander marks are awarded with a breast star.

Classes

The classes of the order of the White Rose of Finland are:

Grand Cross of the White Rose of Finland with Collar
Grand Cross of the White Rose of Finland
First Class Commander of the White Rose of Finland
Commander of the White Rose of Finland
First Class Knight of the White Rose of Finland
Knight (Chevalier) of the White Rose of Finland
Cross of Merit of the White Rose of Finland
First Class Medal of the White Rose of Finland with golden cross
First Class Medal of the White Rose of Finland
Medal of the White Rose of Finland

Recipients

Generally the Grand Cross with Collar is awarded only to foreign heads of state, e.g. to King Fuad I of Egypt (1935), Charles de Gaulle (1962), Josip Broz Tito (1963) and King Birendra of Nepal (1988). In the case of royals, consorts may be awarded with it. Heirs apparent of Nordic monarchies have also been awarded.^[10] The Grand Master may however in principle award it at his pleasure.^[11] During World War II Hermann Göring and Joachim von Ribbentrop were exceptionally given the Grand Cross with Collar because Adolf Hitler would not receive orders.^[12]

Prime ministers of Finland customarily receive the Grand Cross. Certain leftist politicians refused the cross or did not wear it, and the transient term in office of Anneli Jäätteenmäki did not lead to the president awarding the cross.^[13] The Grand Cross is also given to presidents of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Administrative Court, the Archbishop of Turku and Finland, and the Chancellor of the order.^[14]

Recipients list

Selected recipients of the Order of the White Rose of Finland
Year	Commander	Notes
1919	Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim	Regent of Finland (1918–1919) Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Defence Forces (1918, 1939–1946) President of Finland (1944–1946)
1926	Ernesto Burzagli
1930	Tomáš Masaryk	President of Czechoslovakia
1931	Miklós Horthy	Regent of Hungary
1934	Shaul Tchernichovsky
1934	Gladys Wright	"for her contribution to improving relations between Britain and Finland."^[15]
1939	Walther von Brauchitsch
1941	Dean Driscoll	for services "toward relieving the civilian population of wartorn Finland".^[16]
	Hermann Göring	politician, military leader
	Eduard Dietl
	Josef Veltjens
1942	Joachim von Ribbentrop
	Hirohito	Emperor of Japan^[17]
	Ion Antonescu
1944	Norman Cameron Moore	^[18]
1947	Earl Wagner Twitchell
1951	Bernard Aabel	in 1948 Aabel became the Assistant Military Attaché in Helsinki, Finland^[19]
1955	Sir Thomas Beecham	^[20]
1956	Kliment Voroshilov	^[21]^[22]
1960	Jarl Lindfors
1961	Maggie Gripenberg	^[23]
1962	Charles de Gaulle	^[17]
1963	Josip Broz Tito
1963	Koča Popović
1967	Gamal Abdel Nasser	^[24]
	Zoltán Kodály
	Greta Kukkonen	first wife of actor Gregory Peck
	Colonel Wayne J. Moe	US Army Attaché
1969	Anne, Princess Royal
1971	Olli Mannermaa
1971	Arthur Lydiard
1974	Carl XVI Gustaf	King of Sweden^[17]
1976	Leonid Brezhnev	^[17]
1978	Dmitriy Ustinov	Marshal of the Soviet Union
1983	Leo Kyntäjä
1983	Walter Werronen
1984	Arthur J. Collingsworth
1988	Ensio Seppänen
1988	Birendra Bir Bikram Shah	late king of Nepal^[17]
1991	Margareta Steinby	^[25]
1996	Bhumibol Adulyadej	King of Thailand
2003	"Andrew Wilkinson"
2004	Elwin Svenson	Executive Director – International Programs, FEMBA/GAP programs, UCLA Anderson School of Management^[26] "for assisting the expansion of Finnish start-up companies through the UCLA Anderson's Global Access Program."^[26]
	Kalervo Kummola	Knight of the Order of White Rose of Finland, ice hockey executive, businessman, and politician^[27]
	Dáithí O'Ceallaigh
	Viktor Pylypenko	historian
2005	Kostiantyn Tyshchenko	philologist, linguist
2006	Erkki Oja	^[28]
2007	James Cathey
2007	Rada Borić	^[29]^[30]
2008	Timothy Rodd Purcell	Chairman of Finland Australia Chamber of Commerce
	Jim Gilleran	Managing Director – Finnforest USA
	Simon Beresford-Wylie	Chief Executive Officer, Nokia Siemens Networks
2009	Mart Laar
	Nursultan Nazarbayev	President of Kazakhstan^[31]
	Bashar al-Assad	^[32]
2010	Rajendra Kumar Pachauri
2011	Henry Tirri	Former executive vice president and CTO of Nokia. Henry was a tenured professor of computer science at the University of Helsinki. Henry holds a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Helsinki, Finland and an honorary doctorate from University of Tampere, Finland.
2011	Bob Foster	Professor, Director – GAP, UCLA Anderson School of Management^[33] "in recognition of his efforts, through the GAP program, to help Finnish technology companies expand into markets abroad, including the United States"^[34] and their advancement "further in corporate development."^[33]
2012	Sauli Niinistö	President of Finland (2012–2024)
2012	Armi Kuusela	Miss Universe 1952
2015	Anna-Maja Henriksson	^[35]
2015	Tapani Jyrki Tarvainen	^[36] Chevalier (Knight) of the White Rose of Finland
2016	Pauline Kiltinen	Cross of Merit of the Order of the White Rose for the promotion of Finnish culture including the commissioning Rockland the Opera^[37]
2017	Helena Yli-Renko	^[38]
2021	David Yoken	^[39]
2022	Hanna Vehkamäki
2022	Sanna Marin
2024	Alexander Stubb	President of Finland (2024–)
2024	Alar Karis	President of Estonia (2021–)
2025	Frederik X	King of Denmark (2024-)
2025	Volodymyr Zelenskyy	President of Ukraine (2019–), Grand Cross with Collar^[40]

Special honors

Grand Cross with Collar, Jewels and Swords was awarded only once, to Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim 4 June 1944.
Grand Cross with Jewels, to three Finns: Senator Otto Stenroth 1938, Foreign Minister Carl Enckell 1946 and Jean Sibelius 1950.^[41]
Grand Cross with Swords has been awarded to three Finnish Lieutenant Generals: Hjalmar Siilasvuo, Edvard Hanell and Aksel Airo. The decoration has also been awarded to a number of foreign high officers, such as the German Colonel General Eduard Dietl.^[41]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Ritarikuntien organisaatio". Ritarikunnat - Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ja Suomen Leijonan ritarikunnat (in Finnish). Retrieved March 20, 2025.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunnan ohjesääntö". Ritarikunnat - Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ja Suomen Leijonan ritarikunnat (PDF) (in Finnish). October 9, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
^ Matikkala 2017, pp. 47–49, 497.
^ "Finnish Orders and Where to Find Them". Tallinn Museum of Orders of Knighthood. December 6, 2017. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
^ "The Order of the White Rose of Finland". Presidentti.fi. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
^ Matikkala 2017, pp. 22, 25, 31.
^ Matikkala 2017, p. 52.
^ Matikkala 2017, pp. 44–45.
^ "History". Ritarikunnat - Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ja Suomen Leijonan ritarikunnat. October 9, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
^ Matikkala 2017, pp. 107–108.
^ Tetri, Juha E. (March 13, 1994). "Kunniamerkeissä syytä pitäytyä tarkkuuteen". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). p. A 19.
^ Matikkala 2017, pp. 151–152, 156.
^ Hämäläinen, Unto (December 11, 2016). "Pätkäpääministerit jäävät ilman suurristiä – presidentin vahva asema näkyy palkitsemisessa". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved September 22, 2022.
^ Matikkala 2017, pp. 114–115.
^ Matthew, H. C. G.; Harrison, B.; Goldman, L., eds. (23 September 2004). "The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. ref:odnb/93577. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/93577. Retrieved 10 May 2023. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^ "Letter transmitting Order of White Rose", www.ancestry.com, accessed 22 Sep 2015 [1]
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunnan suurristin ketjuineen ulkomaalaiset saajat". Ritarikunnat (in Finnish). October 9, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
^ For services to the Finnish Government as Naval Adviser 1934-39
^ "Brian Aabel".
^ Lucas, John (2008). Thomas Beecham : an obsession with music. Woodbridge, UK: Boydell. p. 330. ISBN 978-1843834021.
^ "Фото".
^ "ФотоСоюз Президент Финляндии Паасикиви вручает орден К. Е. Ворошилову" (in Russian). Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
^ Ambegaokar, Saga Mirjam Vuori (2004). "Gripenberg, Maggie". In Cohen, Selma Jeanne (ed.). International Encyclopedia of Dance (1st paperback ed.). New York, New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-195-17369-7. – via Oxford University Press's Reference Online (subscription required)
^ "Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunnan suurristin ketjuineen ulkomaalaiset saajat - Ritarikunnat" (in Finnish). October 9, 2020. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
^ "Eva Margareta STEINBY". Archived from the original on November 15, 2014.
^ ^a ^b Carrillo, Sandybeth, "Vice chancellor emeritus receives recognition overseas: Finland awards Svenson for work with international Anderson program", Daily Bruin, UCLA, 2005 January 10.
^ Koski, Juha (November 27, 2017). "Vuoden 2017 Yritysjohtaja on Harri Sjoholm Elinkeinovaikuttaja Kalervo Kummola". Tampere Chamber of Commerce (in Finnish). Archived from the original on January 12, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
^ Hasani, Ilire; Hoffmann, Robert. "Oja Erkki". Academy of Europe. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
^ "Meet Rada Boric, Croatia". Nobel Women's Initiative. November 25, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
^ "Radi Borić uručeno finsko odlikovanje". Suomi ulkomailla: Kroatia (in Croatian). Retrieved April 1, 2024.
^ "Nursultan Nazarbayev was awarded the highest award - the Order of the "Finnish White Rose and the Finnish Lion"". e-history.kz (in Russian). Retrieved June 28, 2022.
^ "IS: Syyrian sotarikoksista syytetyllä presidentillä Suomen korkein kunniamerkki". Savon Sanomat (in Finnish). September 20, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
^ ^a ^b Bensley, Lucas (January 12, 2012). "From 'professor' to knighted 'sir': UCLA's Bob Foster is honored by Finland". Daily Bruin. pp. 1, 4. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
^ Press release, UCLA Anderson School of Management, 2011 December 20.
^ "Itsenäisyyspäivän kunniamerkit". Turun Sanomat. December 2, 2015.
^ "6.12.2015 annetut kunniamerkit". January 6, 2021.
^ "Kiltinens are well deserving of many honors received". The Mining Journal. January 15, 2016.
^ "Muistokirjoitus | Helena Yli-Renko 1972–2021". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). April 29, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
^ "Turun ammattikorkeakoulun henkilökunnalle myönnetty kunniamerkkejä". Turun Ammattikorkeakoulu (in Finnish). Archived from the original on January 12, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
^ Антоновська, Ольга (March 19, 2025). "Зеленський отримав орден Білої Троянди від глави Фінляндії". novyny.live (in Ukrainian).
^ ^a ^b Tetri, Juha E. (2003). Kunniamerkkikirja (in Finnish) (3. täyd. ed.). Ajatus. p. 52. ISBN 978-951-20-6404-5.

Works cited

Matikkala, Antti (2017). Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ja Suomen Leijonan ritarikunnat (in Finnish). Helsinki: Edita. ISBN 978-951-37-7005-1.

External links

The Orders of the White Rose of Finland and the Lion of Finland

[organisaatio-1] "Ritarikuntien organisaatio". Ritarikunnat - Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ja Suomen Leijonan ritarikunnat (in Finnish). Retrieved March 20, 2025.

[ohjesääntö-2] "Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunnan ohjesääntö". Ritarikunnat - Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ja Suomen Leijonan ritarikunnat (PDF) (in Finnish). October 9, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2022.

[FOOTNOTEMatikkala201747–49,_497-3] Matikkala 2017, pp. 47–49, 497.

[4] "Finnish Orders and Where to Find Them". Tallinn Museum of Orders of Knighthood. December 6, 2017. Retrieved January 23, 2022.

[5] "The Order of the White Rose of Finland". Presidentti.fi. Retrieved January 23, 2022.

[FOOTNOTEMatikkala201722,_25,_31-6] Matikkala 2017, pp. 22, 25, 31.

[FOOTNOTEMatikkala201752-7] Matikkala 2017, p. 52.

[FOOTNOTEMatikkala201744–45-8] Matikkala 2017, pp. 44–45.

[9] "History". Ritarikunnat - Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ja Suomen Leijonan ritarikunnat. October 9, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2022.

[FOOTNOTEMatikkala2017107–108-10] Matikkala 2017, pp. 107–108.

[11] Tetri, Juha E. (March 13, 1994). "Kunniamerkeissä syytä pitäytyä tarkkuuteen". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). p. A 19.

[FOOTNOTEMatikkala2017151–152,_156-12] Matikkala 2017, pp. 151–152, 156.

[13] Hämäläinen, Unto (December 11, 2016). "Pätkäpääministerit jäävät ilman suurristiä – presidentin vahva asema näkyy palkitsemisessa". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved September 22, 2022.

[FOOTNOTEMatikkala2017114–115-14] Matikkala 2017, pp. 114–115.

[15] Matthew, H. C. G.; Harrison, B.; Goldman, L., eds. (23 September 2004). "The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. ref:odnb/93577. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/93577. Retrieved 10 May 2023. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[16] "Letter transmitting Order of White Rose", www.ancestry.com, accessed 22 Sep 2015 [1]

[:0-17] "Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunnan suurristin ketjuineen ulkomaalaiset saajat". Ritarikunnat (in Finnish). October 9, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2023.

[18] For services to the Finnish Government as Naval Adviser 1934-39

[19] "Brian Aabel".

[20] Lucas, John (2008). Thomas Beecham : an obsession with music. Woodbridge, UK: Boydell. p. 330. ISBN 978-1843834021.

[21] "Фото".

[22] "ФотоСоюз Президент Финляндии Паасикиви вручает орден К. Е. Ворошилову" (in Russian). Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved May 23, 2019.

[23] Ambegaokar, Saga Mirjam Vuori (2004). "Gripenberg, Maggie". In Cohen, Selma Jeanne (ed.). International Encyclopedia of Dance (1st paperback ed.). New York, New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-195-17369-7. – via Oxford University Press's Reference Online (subscription required)

[24] "Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunnan suurristin ketjuineen ulkomaalaiset saajat - Ritarikunnat" (in Finnish). October 9, 2020. Retrieved September 25, 2023.

[25] "Eva Margareta STEINBY". Archived from the original on November 15, 2014.

[Carrillo-26] Carrillo, Sandybeth, "Vice chancellor emeritus receives recognition overseas: Finland awards Svenson for work with international Anderson program", Daily Bruin, UCLA, 2005 January 10.

[27] Koski, Juha (November 27, 2017). "Vuoden 2017 Yritysjohtaja on Harri Sjoholm Elinkeinovaikuttaja Kalervo Kummola". Tampere Chamber of Commerce (in Finnish). Archived from the original on January 12, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2023.

[28] Hasani, Ilire; Hoffmann, Robert. "Oja Erkki". Academy of Europe. Retrieved July 25, 2017.

[29] "Meet Rada Boric, Croatia". Nobel Women's Initiative. November 25, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2024.

[30] "Radi Borić uručeno finsko odlikovanje". Suomi ulkomailla: Kroatia (in Croatian). Retrieved April 1, 2024.

[31] "Nursultan Nazarbayev was awarded the highest award - the Order of the "Finnish White Rose and the Finnish Lion"". e-history.kz (in Russian). Retrieved June 28, 2022.

[32] "IS: Syyrian sotarikoksista syytetyllä presidentillä Suomen korkein kunniamerkki". Savon Sanomat (in Finnish). September 20, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2023.

[Bensley-33] Bensley, Lucas (January 12, 2012). "From 'professor' to knighted 'sir': UCLA's Bob Foster is honored by Finland". Daily Bruin. pp. 1, 4. Retrieved June 7, 2023.

[34] Press release, UCLA Anderson School of Management, 2011 December 20.

[35] "Itsenäisyyspäivän kunniamerkit". Turun Sanomat. December 2, 2015.

[36] "6.12.2015 annetut kunniamerkit". January 6, 2021.

[37] "Kiltinens are well deserving of many honors received". The Mining Journal. January 15, 2016.

[38] "Muistokirjoitus | Helena Yli-Renko 1972–2021". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). April 29, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2023.

[39] "Turun ammattikorkeakoulun henkilökunnalle myönnetty kunniamerkkejä". Turun Ammattikorkeakoulu (in Finnish). Archived from the original on January 12, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2023.

[40] Антоновська, Ольга (March 19, 2025). "Зеленський отримав орден Білої Троянди від глави Фінляндії". novyny.live (in Ukrainian).

[tetri1-41] Tetri, Juha E. (2003). Kunniamerkkikirja (in Finnish) (3. täyd. ed.). Ajatus. p. 52. ISBN 978-951-20-6404-5.

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