Finns in Michigan Feedback

I've been getting some really good feedback regarding Finns in Michigan. Some is complimentary, some is content/ideological critique and one is a correction. I'm especially thankful for the correction because despite my rather hairy facial appearance (still got the winter growth) I'm human and as the old saying goes humans are known to make mistakes. I like to know when I've got something factually wrong. I'm going to channel Kwai Chang Caine from that great 1970s TV show, Kung Fu, put away pride, and write that I've made a mistake.


In an email, a person pointed out that I had misidentified a member of the noteworthy Mannerheim family of Finland. I identified a Mannerheim visiting Calumet in 1904 as the Mannerheim that later became President of Finland...not so.


The person who notified me about the correction was kind enough to write:

"I would like to point out one case of mistaken identity. On page 10, I read 'Carl Gustav Mannerheim, future leader of the Finns versus the Soviets in the famous Winter War and eventual president of Finland, sought exile in Calumet.' I knew that this could not be so, because he was in Russia during this time, as well as before and after. In 1887 Carl Gustav Mannerheim entered cavalry school in St. Petersburg and left two years later with the rank of second lieutenant. Two years later he was given a position with the Chevalier Guards (the Czarina’s squadron). The Chevalier guards went to Moscow in 1896 for the coronation of Nicholas II, and Mannerheim was chosen to be one of four officers who lined the steps leading to the thrones during the service. In 1893 he was promoted Lieutenant of the Guards, and to Second Captain in 1899."


"When the Russo-Japanese war broke out in 1904 Mannerheim asked for and received a transfer to an outfit that was being sent to the front. He returned to Russia a colonel, with three decorations. Later he was chosen to lead a fact-finding tour to Central Asia and China in 1906-08. Upon return from Asia he was stationed in Poland, where he was promoted to general. He returned to Finland in December 1917."


"There was a Carl Mannerheim who visited Calumet, but it was not the Baron Carl Gustav. Count Carl Mannerheim Sr. had seven children of whom four were boys. According to a custom of that time at least three of them carried the first name of Carl, their father’s first name: they were Carl, the Count (only the eldest son could inherit the title of Count) , Carl Gustav Emil, the future Marshall, and Carl Fridolf Johan. The Count aggravated Bobrikov with his passive resistance and was exiled. He died in Stockholm in 1915. I can find no reference to his having visited in the U.S. so it must not have played a significant part in his life."


My sources are: OTAVAN SUURI ENSYKLOPEDIA; MANNERHEIM, THE YEARS OF PREPARATION by J.E.O. Screen; SOTAMARSALKKA MANNERHEIM, by Herman Gummerus; and MANNERHEIM, MARSHALL OF FINLAND by Stig Jägerskiöld.


Thank you emailer for the correction.