Military decorations

of the Order of the Cross of Liberty

Abbr. Name & awarded to

Picture

  Vapaudenristin suurristi jalokivien kera

Grand Cross of Cross of Liberty with diamonds

+ Awarded only one to marshal C.G.E. Mannerheim in March 1940

# Awarded 1939-40: 1
# Awarded 1941-45: 

VR SR Vapaudenristin suurristi

Grand Cross of Cross of Liberty

+ Awarded to:
  - heads of states
  - Lieutenant Generals and higher

# Awarded 1939-40: 3
# Awarded 1941-45: 12
# Awarded in total: 15


VR 1 rt, tlk 1. luokan vapaudenristi rintatähden ja tammenlehvän kera

Cross of Liberty 1st Class with breast star and oakleave *)

+ Awarded to:
  - Colonels and higher

# Awarded 1939-40: 
# Awarded 1941-45: 22
# Awarded in total: 22


VR 1 rt 1. luokan vapaudenristi rintatähden kera

Cross of Liberty 1st Class with breast star

+ Awarded to:
  - Colonels and higher

# Awarded 1939-40: 7
# Awarded 1941-45: 38
# Awarded in total: 45


VR 1 tlk 1. luokan vapaudenristi  tammenlehvän kera

Cross of Liberty 1st Class with oakleave *)

+ Awarded to:
  - Colonels and higher

# Awarded 1939-40: 
# Awarded 1941-45: 67
# Awarded in total: 67

VR 1 1. luokan vapaudenristi

Cross of Liberty 1st Class

+ Awarded to:
  - Colonels and higher

# Awarded 1939-40: 56
# Awarded 1941-45: 242
# Awarded in total: 298

VR 2 tlk 2. luokan vapaudenristi  tammenlehvän kera

Cross of Liberty 2nd Class with oakleave *)

+ Awarded to:
  - Captains and higher

# Awarded 1939-40: 
# Awarded 1941-45: 209
# Awarded in total: 209

VR 2 2. luokan vapaudenristi

Cross of Liberty 2nd Class

+ Awarded to:
  - Captains and higher

# Awarded 1939-40: 167
# Awarded 1941-45: 1 160
# Awarded in total: 1 327

VR 3 tlk 3. luokan vapaudenristi  tammenlehvän kera

Cross of Liberty 3rd Class with oakleave *)

+ Awarded to:
  - Men
  - NCOs
  - Officers

# Awarded 1939-40: 
# Awarded 1941-45: 1 390
# Awarded in total: 1 390

VR 3 3. luokan vapaudenristi

Cross of Liberty 3rd Class

+ Awarded to:
  - Men
  - NCOs
  - Officers

# Awarded 1939-40: 1 004
# Awarded 1941-45: 9 539
# Awarded in total: 10 543

VR 4 tlk 4. luokan vapaudenristi  tammenlehvän kera

Cross of Liberty 4th Class with oakleave *)

+ Awarded to:
  - Men
  - NCOs
  - Officers

# Awarded 1939-40: 
# Awarded 1941-45: 8 359
# Awarded in total: 8 359

VR 4 4. luokan vapaudenristi

Cross of Liberty 4th Class

+ Awarded to:
  - Men
  - NCOs
  - Officers

# Awarded 1939-40: 14 971
# Awarded 1941-45: 47 959
# Awarded in total: 62 930

VM 1 1. luokan vapaudenmitali

Medal of Liberty 1st Class

+ Awarded to:
  - Men
  - NCOs

# Awarded 1939-40: 11 590
# Awarded 1941-45: 70 611
# Awarded in total: 82 201

VM 2 2. luokan vapaudenmitali

Medal of Liberty 2nd Class

+ Awarded to:
  - Men
  - NCOs

# Awarded 1939-40: 115 044
# Awarded 1941-45: 239 622
# Awarded in total: 354 666

*) Oakleave can be awarded only as an additional decoration to an earlier awarded cross. Only for military personnel.

These decorations may also be granted of civil merits with following differences:

Crosses:

  • Yellow ribbon with red stripes
  • Without swords (few exceptions)
  • Without oakleave (okaleave can be granted only with swords)
  • 3rd and 4th class crosses are enameled blue (black parts)

Medals:

  • VR am 1 (Vapaudenristin 1. luokan ansiomitali / Medal for merit of Cross of Liberty 1st Class) instead of VM 1
  • VR am 2 (Vapaudenristin 2. luokan ansiomitali / Medal for merit of Cross of Liberty 2nd Class) instead of VM 2

Special decorations of the Order of the Cross of Liberty

Abbr. Name & awarded to #

Picture

MR 1 1. luokan Mannerheim-risti

Mannerheim Cross 1st Class

+ After VR SR in order of rank. Awarded to
  - Marshal of Finland C.G.E. Mannerheim on Oct 7, 1941
  - General of Infantry A.E. Heinrichs on Dec 31, 1944

2
MR 2 2. luokan Mannerheim-risti
(kahdesti myönnetty marsalkansauvojen kera)

Mannerheim Cross 2nd Class
(with marshal's batons when awarded twice)

+ After VR 1 rt in order of rank

191
VM 1 rkn 1. luokan vapaudenmitali ruusukenauhassa

Medal of Liberty 1st Class rosette

+ After VR 1 in order of rank. Awarded to Marshal of Finland C.G.E. Mannerheim. Highest decoration to an officer who has already been awarded with all possible decorations by his rank.

1
VR kult am Vapaudenristin kultainen ansiomitali

Golden medal for merit of Cross of Liberty

+ After VM 1 rkn in order of rank. Awarded to General W. Erfurt on Jun 13, 1944

1
VR surur Vapaudenristin sururisti

Mourning Cross of the Cross of Liberty

VR 4 (military) with black ribbon.

+ After VR kult am in order of rank. Given to the next of kin of a fallen in defence forces.

 
VR surum Vapaudenristin surumitali

Mourning Medal of the Cross of Liberty

VM 1 with black ribbon.

+ After VR surur in order of rank. Given to the next of kin of a fallen in work for war industry or national defence.

 

Sources: Kunniamerkkikirja by Juha E Tetri    /   Vapaudenristin ritarikunta - Isänmaan puolesta
Images: Petri Johansson. Copyright © 2006 by Petri Johansson

  
  
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