Finnish Cross of Freedom, frachny version

The original Finnish award is in excellent collector's condition. Bronze, gilding. The design of the order was developed in 1918 by the famous Finnish artist and heraldist Akseli Gallen-Kallela. The composition is based on the symbol of the Cross of St. George. On the front side, a swastika is superimposed on its rays. In the center of the convergence of the rays is a heraldic rose, one of the elements of the national coat of arms of the country. The reverse is smooth. Guarantee of authenticity.

The Order of the Cross of Freedom (Finnish Vapaudenristin ritarikunta) was a Finnish state award from March 4, 1918 to January 28, 1919, and then from December 8, 1939 to the present. The Order of the Cross of Freedom was established on March 4, 1918, during the Finnish Civil War. This award was awarded to military personnel, medical staff and civilians, regardless of nationality, who fought on the side of the Finnish government against the troops of the Finnish Red Army and Russian troops still remaining in the country.

On January 28, 1919, the master of the Order of the Cross of Freedom, General Mannerheim, decided that there was no need for such an award, and abolished it, although the headquarters of the German Baltic Division continued to award its veterans until 1935.

The order celebrated its rebirth on December 8, 1939, at the beginning of the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-1940. On August 18, 1944, the Finnish Government decided to transfer the Order of the Cross of Freedom to the category of permanent official awards.

The crosses of classes I and II were covered with white enamel. The military grades of the crosses of the III and IV classes were distinguished by a black enamel coating, the civilian grades by a blue one. The swastika was gilded on all the orders. The only exception is the IV Class Cross with a silver-plated swastika. The rose on the crosses of classes I and II is enameled. The Grade III Cross is made of gold—plated metal, and the Grade IV Cross is silver-plated. If the award was given to medical staff, then a small red cross was superimposed on the rose. The date of manufacture was put on the reverses of the orders issued in 1918, 1939 and 1941. The upper beam of the cross was fastened with a kind of "clasp" made in the form of a gilded (Class IV — silvered) metal wreath made of oak leaves. On the awards of the military degree, inside the wreath there were images of "fighting" hands with raised swords — a symbol of Finnish Karelia. The hand on the right side strikes with a straight European sword, the hand on the opposite side attacks with a curved blade of the Asian — Mongolian and Ottoman —type. The Grand Cross was awarded with a five-pointed silver star with crossed swords on the chest behind the central medallion. A large Cross was worn on a 10.2 cm wide shoulder sling. The First class cross was worn on a neck ribbon. Orders of other degrees on the breast bands.

The ribbons of the orders of the military degree were red with two white stripes, the civilian degree — yellow with red stripes. The Order of Freedom of the First class could be awarded with a breast star. Orders of Freedom of the military degree could be awarded with Oak Leaves for bravery and bravery shown on the battlefield. This applies only to awards issued in 1941.