Paavo Susitaival

Paavo Susitaival in 1935

Lieutenant Colonel Paavo Susitaival (9 February 1896 in Helsinki – 27 December 1993), born Paavo Sivén, was a Finnish author, soldier and politician. Paavo Sivén and his brother, Bobi Sivén were prominent figures in the Finnish interwar Nationalist movement. Paavo had acquired his reputation smuggling volunteers to Germany to enlist in the 27. Imperial Jaeger Battalion; Bobi gained his by being the last alderman of Porajärvi municipality before the ratification of the Treaty of Tartu who shot himself rather than acknowledge the cessation of Porajärvi and Repola to the Soviet Union.

Early life

Paavo Sivén adopted the name Susitaival ("wolf's path" in English) during the First World War to throw off the Czar's secret service. Later, during the Finnish Civil War he attempted to enlist in the Finnish Army, only to realize that he – or rather, one of his pseudonyms – had already been appointed Captain in the Army, while he under his real name was listed as a draft-dodger. After the war, continued as a career soldier. He changed his name permanently to Susitaival in protest against the Svecoman sentiment in the Finnish Army, after attending an Army Cadet School church services where the Swedish-speaking cadets would not take communion with Finnish-speaking cadets.

Finnish parliament

Susitaival participated in the Rebellion of Mäntsälä in a minor role. Representing the Finnish fascist party IKL, Susitaival was elected as a member of the Finnish parliament in 1939. His career in the parliament was short lived, as at the beginning of the Winter War he chose to apply for active duty, one of only three Finnish MPs to do so.

Winter War

During the Winter War Susitaival served as a Lieutenant Colonel, commanding Osasto Susi in the Battle of Suomussalmi. He also held various command positions in the Continuation War. Despite his leadership skills and charisma, his abrasive, demanding character and a personal feud with Marshal Mannerheim, among other prominent officers, was the cause of him never advancing beyond that rank.

Later life and death

After the war, Paavo Susitaival retired from the Army and lived as an author in Lappeenranta, where a street is named after him. In later life, his physical condition worsened but he never lost his mental acumen. In spite of being a heavy smoker (reputedly consuming at least one bag of pipe tobacco per day after the age of 14) and an avid coffee-drinker, he died at the age of 97. In his will, he requested that he should be buried with his officer's sword, in order that future archaeologists would know that his grave was that of a soldier.

References

• L. J. Niinistö; "Paavo Susitaival 1896–1993. Aktivismi elämänasenteena", 1998.