Suuret Suomalaiset

Suuret Suomalaiset (Great Finns) is a Finnish copycat-version of the 100 Greatest Britons programme on the BBC. Made by the national broadcaster YLE over October to December 2004. People got the chance to vote for the person whom they considered the greatest Finn.

Contents

1 The Winner 2 Top Ten 3 11 - 100 4 External links 5 Other Great People

The Winner

At the final stage of voting the people had the chance to vote for three leading candidates: Risto Ryti, C.G.E. Mannerheim, and Urho Kekkonen. The winner was baron C.G.E. Mannerheim, a war hero, Marshal of Finland, and former president.

Top Ten

1. C.G.E. Mannerheim (president of Finland, 1944-1946, and Marshal of Finland)
2. Risto Ryti (president of Finland, 1940-1944)
3. Urho Kekkonen (president of Finland, 1956-1981)
4. Adolf Ehrnrooth (infantry general, a figurehead for the Finnish veteran community)
5. Tarja Halonen (current president of Finland, 2000- )
6. Arvo Ylppö (famed pediatrician)
7. Mikael Agricola (Protestant reformer and creator of the written Finnish language)
8. Jean Sibelius (world-famous composer)
9. Aleksis Kivi (author of the first significant Finnish novel, Seitsemän veljestä / Seven Brothers)
10. Elias Lönnrot (creator of the Finnish national epic Kalevala)

Urho Kekkonen

Mikael Agricola

Tarja Halonen

Adolf Ehrnrooth

11 - 100

11. Matti Nykänen (4 times olympic gold medalist)
12. Väinö Myllyrinne (Tallest Finn ever, 248 cm)
13. Ville Valo (vocalist, songwriter)
14. Lalli (peasant who killed Bishop Henry)
15. Väinö Linna (writer, author of The Unknown Soldier)
16. Linus Torvalds (developer of Linux, idealist)
17. Pertti "Spede" Pasanen (film director, humorist)
18. Pentti Linkola (environmental philosopher)
19. Tove Jansson (writer of Moomin books)
20. Veikko Hursti (helper of underpriviledged)
21. Paavo Nurmi (9 times olympic gold medalist)
22. Minna Canth (writer and social activist)
23. J.K. Paasikivi (7th President of Finland)
24. J.V. Snellman (statesman, philosopher, father of Finnish mark)
25. Hertta Kuusinen (communist politician)
26. Arto Saari (skateboarder)
27. Miina Sillanpää (politician, first female minister)
28. Väinö Tanner (politian, former Prime Minister)
29. Lucina Hagman (pioneer of woman issues, founder of Martta organization)
30. Cristfried Ganander (18th century dictionary creator)
31. Mika Waltari (writer, author of The Egyptian)
32. Mika Häkkinen (F1 driver, 2 times World Champion)
33. Alvar Aalto (modertist designer)
34. Eugen Schauman (nationalist, assassin)
35. Tapio Rautavaara (singer, sportsman)
36. Eino Leino (poet, journalist)
37. Jaakko Pöyry (industrialist)
38. Otto Ville Kuusinen (communist politician, poet)
39. Juice Leskinen (song writer, singer)
40. Anders Chydenius (economist, statesman)
41. Uno Cygnaeus (founder of Finnish education system)
42. Jari Litmanen (sportsman, soccerplayer)
43. Katri Helena Kalaoja (singer)
44. Fanni Luukkonen (longtime leader of Lotta Svärd
45. Anneli Jäätteenmäki (first female Prime Minister)
46. Karl Fazer (industrialist)
47. K.J. Ståhlberg (1st President of Finland)
48. Mauno Koivisto (9th President of Finland)
49. Helene Schjerfbeck (painter)
50. Reino Helismaa (song writer, scriptwriter, humorist)
51. Jorma Ollila (CEO of Nokia)
52. Lauri Törni (infantry captain)
53. Georg Henrik von Wright (philosopher, painter)
54. Arndt Pekurinen (pacifist)
55. Tauno Palo (actor)
56. Akseli Gallen-Kallela (painter, illustrator of Kalevala)
57. J.L. Runeberg (national poet of Finland)
58. Kyösti Kallio (4th President of Finland)
59. Paavo Ruotsalainen (farmer, lay preacher)
60. Lars Levi Laestadius (leader of Laestadian movement, author)
61. Lasse Virén (4 times olympic gold medalist)
62. Helvi Sipilä (deputy UN Secretary General)
63. Yrjö Kallinen (pacifist, disarmament-orientated minister)
64. Artturi Ilmari Virtanen (Finnish Nobel laureate in chemistry)
65. Nils-Aslak Valkeapää (forerunner of Finnish Sami culture)
66. Armi Kuusela (first-ever winner of Miss Universe)
67. P.E. Svinhufvud (3rd President of Finland)
68. Aki Kaurismäki (film director)
69. Kalle Päätalo (writer, novelist)
70. Paavo Lipponen (former Prime Minister of Finland)
71. Aurora Karamzin (social activist, founder of Finnish Deaconess Institution)
72. Sakari Topelius (fairy tale writer, historian)
73. Alli Vaittinen-Kuikka (nurse of defeated fish tapeworm)
74. Simo Häyhä (soldier in WW2, sniper)
75. Jaakko Ilkka (peasant rebellion leader)
76. Arto Javanainen (ice hockey player, most goals in SM-Liiga)
77. Leena Palotie (gene researcher)
78. Karita Mattila (soprano)
79. Veikko Hakulinen (cross country skier, 3 olympic gold medals)
80. Helle Kannila (founder of Finnish library system)
81. Olavi Virta (singer, entertainer)
82. Hannu Salama (controversial novelist)
83. Irwin Goodman (singer)
84. Laila Kinnunen (singer)
85. Arvi Lind (legendary news anchor)
86. Kirsti Paakkanen (saved Marimekko, designer)
87. Larin Paraske (oral poet)
88. Mathilda Wrede (helped prisoners rehabilitate)
89. Erno Paasilinna (novelist)
90. Antti Tuisku (singer, teen idol)
91. Annikki Tähti (singer)
92. Elisabeth Rehn (former defence minister, top official of the UN)
93. Esa Saarinen (philosopher)
94. Maiju Gebhard (inventor of the dish draining closet)
95. Kalevi Sorsa (prime minister 1972-1987)
96. A.F. Airo (Mannerheim's aide and consult, second in command)
97. Lauri Ylönen (singer of The Rasmus)
98. Raimo Helminen (ice hockey player, 330 games with the national team)
99. Armi Ratia (founder of Marimekko)
100. Veikko Sinisalo (actor)

External links

• Suuret Suomalaiset
• A PDF poster of the 100 candidates (773 kb)

Other Great People

• 100 Greatest Britons
• Unsere Besten
• The Greatest Canadian
• De Grootste Nederlander
• Great South Africans