Lotta Svärd monument unveiled in Tampere Cathedral Park

The Lotta Svärd monument consists of two natural stone boulders. The larger stone depicts the uniforms of a Lotta and a Little Lotta, the years 1921–1944 marking the founding and dissolution of the Lotta Svärd organization, as well as Finland’s national flower, the lily of the valley. The smaller boulder bears the figure of a child holding a place for a candle. The Finnish phrase Läpi harmaan kiven translates as through the grey stone and describes the act of overcoming extreme obstacles. 

– The monument pays respect to the work carried out by the Lottas and Finnish women and preserves the Lotta legacy, which remains highly relevant across generations. The Lottas’ contribution was invaluable in building and defending an independent Finland—work that allows us to live in freedom in what is by many measures the best country in the world. The Lottas deserve great gratitude and recognition among the veterans of our wars, says Sofia Vikman, Member of Parliament and Chair of the Pirkanmaa Lotta Heritage Association.

The Lotta organization was a globally pioneering voluntary national defense organization for women, active from 1921 to 1944. At its peak it had around 240,000 members, including nearly 50,000 Little Lottas aged 8–17. Through training, the organization succeeded in creating an operationally capable structure suited to the exceptional conditions of wartime. The work of the Lottas laid the foundation for successful national defense efforts.

Artist Anne Koskinen describes her work:

– The Lotta Svärd monument is titled Läpi harmaan kiven. The hand-carved images on the stone remind us of the Lottas’ perseverance in wartime, while also carrying a spark of hope. The child figure of the memorial invites people to light a candle as a symbol of hope and as a tribute to the perseverance of Finnish women in defending an independent Finland.

The initiative for the monument originated from a council motion by Sofia Vikman (National Coalition Party), Chair of the Pirkanmaa Lotta Heritage Association. In 2022, the City Council decided to erect the memorial. The City of Tampere’s Public Art Steering Group appointed the Tampere Art Museum to prepare the project. Three Finnish artists were invited to submit proposals, with the theme to follow the Little Lottas’ golden rule: “Respect the past, believe in the future.” The proposal by sculptor Anne Koskinen was selected. The northern part of Cathedral Park, now chosen as the memorial site, is in the process of being named Lotta Svärd Park.

The project has been funded by the City of Tampere with €60,000 and the Pirkanmaa Lotta Heritage Association with €85,000. The most significant supporters of the funds raised by the association have been the National Defence Support Foundation and the Lotta Svärd Foundation.