Harald Öhquist
Encyclopedia
Harald Öhquist was a Finnish Lieutenant General
during the World War II
.
Öhquist joined the Jaeger Movement
in 1915 and trained and fought in the Royal Prussian 27th Jäger Battalion. During the Finnish Civil War
he was promoted as Major
, and Öhquist lead the White Guard
battalion in the battle of Viipuri. In 1930, he was promoted as Major General
, and three years he was the Commander of the Army on the Karelian Isthmus
.
During the Winter War
, Öhquist was the Commander of the II Corps
on the Karelian Isthmus. Öhquist had cold relations with Mannerheim, who did not provide responsible task after the war. In the begin of the Continuation War
, he was the Finnish Contact Officer with the Nazi Germany
in Berlin
. Between 1942 and 1944, Öhquist commanded a military group on the Karelian Isthmus, and later he was the Supervisor of the Military Training.
In 1949 Öhquist published the book of the Winter War named "The Winter War from my point of view" . Two years later he resigned from the army.
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
during the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Öhquist joined the Jaeger Movement
Finnish Jäger troops
The Jäger Movement were volunteers from Finland trained in Germany as Jägers during World War I. Supported by Germany to enable a Finnish sovereign state, it was one of many means by which Germany intended to weaken Russia and to cause Russia's loss of western provinces and...
in 1915 and trained and fought in the Royal Prussian 27th Jäger Battalion. During the Finnish Civil War
Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national, political and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The Civil War concerned control and leadership of The Grand Duchy of Finland as it achieved independence from Russia after the October Revolution in Petrograd...
he was promoted as Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
, and Öhquist lead the White Guard
White Guard (Finland)
The White Guard was a voluntary militia that emerged victorious over the socialist Red Guard as part of the Whites in the Finnish Civil War of 1918...
battalion in the battle of Viipuri. In 1930, he was promoted as Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
, and three years he was the Commander of the Army on the Karelian Isthmus
Karelian Isthmus
The Karelian Isthmus is the approximately 45–110 km wide stretch of land, situated between the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga in northwestern Russia, to the north of the River Neva . Its northwestern boundary is the relatively narrow area between the Bay of Vyborg and Lake Ladoga...
.
During the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
, Öhquist was the Commander of the II Corps
Finnish II Corps (Winter War)
The II Corps was a unit of the Finnish Army during the Winter War.The II Corps with the III Corps formed the Army of the Isthmus...
on the Karelian Isthmus. Öhquist had cold relations with Mannerheim, who did not provide responsible task after the war. In the begin of the Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
, he was the Finnish Contact Officer with the Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. Between 1942 and 1944, Öhquist commanded a military group on the Karelian Isthmus, and later he was the Supervisor of the Military Training.
In 1949 Öhquist published the book of the Winter War named "The Winter War from my point of view" . Two years later he resigned from the army.