Aaro Pajari

Aaro Olavi Pajari (17 July 1897 – 14 October 1949) was a major general in the Finnish Army. During World War II, he became one of the four double recipients of the Mannerheim Cross 2nd Class.

Colonel Pajari in front of Tolvajärvi's headquarters. SA-kuvat His greatest achievement was the Finnish victory at the Battle of Tolvajärvi in the Winter War, where his small Finnish force smashed a far larger Soviet army. Pajari went on to serve throughout the Winter, Continuation, and Lapland wars, becoming famous for his success in leading small unit, and guerrilla style operations.

Early life Aaro Pajari was born in 1897 to politician and teacher Olli Pajari and Maria Helena Laatunen. In 1917 he joined the White Guard and participated in the Finnish Civil War as a company commander. Pajari was wounded in the battles of Oulu and Heinola. After the civil war Pajari remained in the military and took part in the Aunus expedition.

In 1924–1926 he attended the War College. He subsequently served as district commander of the Civil Guard in Tampere. In 1933, during a Social Democratic party congress held in the city, he ordered Civil Guard members to remove red banners from flagpoles on Hämeenkatu street. He was punished for this by the Supreme Court of War with twenty days of house arrest, but was widely appreciated in other circles.

At the Lapland War General Major Pajari commanded the 3rd division during the conquest of Tornio from Nazi Germany in early October 1944. The operation, in which Detachment Pajari made a daring landing behind German lines, contributed significantly to sparing the cities of Tornio and Kemi from major destruction. Pajari subsequently captured Rovaniemi as well.

In October 1944 Marshal Mannerheim personally presented Pajari with his second Mannerheim Cross — but Pajari refused to accept it unless his regimental commanders were awarded corresponding decorations. Mannerheim agreed, but after handing over the cross he ordered General Hugo Österman to arrest Pajari on the instructions of the Soviet Control Commission, which alleged that Pajari had ordered the execution of prisoners of war during the conquest of Suursaari. Pajari was held for nearly two months before the Control Commission agreed to release him, and the allegations of executions were never pursued further.

Pajari's Boys Pajari had achieved a legendary reputation. He was a controversial and colourful personality who was criticized by many colleagues, but he was appreciated by his men. There was an exceptionally strong bond between Pajari and his men. Even during the war, men began to call themselves "the Sons of Pajari".

These sons included Finlayson's social director and member of parliament Eero Kivelä, Tampere Mayor Erkki Lindfors, and a teacher & the chairman of Tampere City Council, Lauri Santamäki. After the wars, Lindfors and Santamäki created the Tampere Arms Shaft, which had a major impact on the development of Tampere.

Death Pajari suffered from heart ailments and died of a heart attack on a business trip to Ostrobothnia in 1949. He is buried in the Kalevala Cemetery in Tampere. The memorial stone for Pajari, designed by Unto Ojonen, was erected in Asikkala 6 March 1977.