Johan Woldemar Hägglund (August 10, 1893 – February 12, 1963) was a Major General in the Finnish Army in the Second World War

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...

, and an early volunteer in the Finnish Jäger troops

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 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...

 1918.

Early years

Hägglund went to school in Viipuri and studied civil engineering for four terms at the Helsinki University of Technology

Helsinki University of Technology

Aalto University School of Science and Technology , was the temporary name for Helsinki University of Technology during the process of forming the Aalto University...

. in 1915 he was one of the first young men who volunteered to go to Germany to learn military skills to fight later for the independence of Finland from the Russian Empire. They joined Finnish 27th Jäger Battalion

Finnish 27th Jäger Battalion

The Finnish 27th Jäger Battalion was an elite light infantry unit in German Army 1915–1918 which consisted mainly of volunteers of Finnish Jäger troops....

 Königlich Preussisches Jägerbataillon Nr. 27. He gained his battle experience in the First World War on the Eastern front of Germany in battles at Lielupe River and the Gulf of Riga. Towards the end of his training Hägglund also studied in Sweden.

Civil war

Hägglund returned to Finland on November 17, 1917 and as a group leader smuggling explosives and weapons, which he hid in Viipuri. He trained local troops, and was in charge of the first organised military unit, which led a campaign to Karelia

Karelia

Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...

 January 22, 1918. In the last battle of the war, the battle of Viipuri, he was the assistant to Aarne Sihvo.

Between the world wars

During the 1920's and 30's, Hägglund remained in the army and spent some years in Sweden studying in the Military academy. He eventually married and had three children, of which his youngest son Gustav Hägglund

Gustav Hägglund

Johan Edvin Birger Gustav Hägglund is a retired Finnish general. He was the Chief of Defence 1994—2001, and Chairman of the European Union Military Committee 2001–2004....

 (b. 1938) became a general and Chief of Defence.

Second world war

In the winter war, Hägglund was the commander of Finnish IV Corps

Finnish IV Corps (Winter War)

The IV Corps was a formation of the Finnish Army during the Winter War against the Soviet Union. It defended the area north of Lake Ladoga against Soviet attacks. It was commanded by Major General Juho Heiskanen and from 4 December 1939 by Major General Woldemar Hägglund...

. Commanding during the Battle of Kollaa

Battle of Kollaa

The Battle of Kollaa was fought from December 7, 1939 - March 13, 1940 in the Ladoga's Karelia, Finland as a part of the Winter War.Despite having far fewer troops than the Soviets, the Finnish forces repelled the Red Army because the Soviets were only prepared to proceed along roads...

 during the Winter War, General Hägglund is remembered for the quote "Will Kollaa hold? (Kestääkö Kollaa?)" which Lieutenant Aarne Juutilainen

Aarne Juutilainen

Aarne Edward Juutilainen , nicknamed "The Terror of Morocco", was a Finnish army captain who served in the French Foreign Legion in Morocco between 1930 and 1935. After returning to Finland, he served in the Finnish army and became a national hero in the Battle of Kollaa during the Winter War with...

answered: "Yes it will hold, unless we are told to run."

Further reading

• Eeva-Kaisa Ahtiainen, Woldemar Hägglund – Kollaan kenraali. ISBN 978-951-1-21280-5 Otava