Finnish War Museum considers adding significant wartime rifle find from Asikkala to collections

The Finnish War Museum is considering whether to add a significant find of wartime rifles discovered in Asikkala to its collections. History enthusiasts unearthed a large weapons cache on Sunday in the village of Viitailan. The stash, found in a forest hill, contained a total of 209 rifles identified as infantry rifles m/28-30, often referred to as “pystykorviksi.”

According to the research director of the War Museum, Anssi Saari, further investigations can be conducted based on the serial numbers of these weapons using archival sources. However, the condition of the rifles is notably poor, with decayed stocks and extensive rust.

Over 200 rifles were unearthed, prompting responses from both police and the military. Saari noted that discoveries of weapons caches have occurred sporadically in Finland over the years. The museum’s collections already include numerous items from previously located caches, which also contain communication materials alongside the firearms.

The covert hiding of weapons was commonplace across Finland after the Continuation War, aimed at maintaining the potential for guerrilla warfare in case the Soviet Union succeeded in occupying the country. Among the historical finds in the museum’s collections is a special rifle discovered in Enonkoski, which former President Mauno Koivisto identified as one he used during the war, based on the patterned cleaning cloth associated with it.