Memorial stone to the Finnish volunteer regiment "Boys of the North"
Memorial site
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Located in Alūksne, at Jāņkalna Street 52, near the Alūksne narrow-gauge railway station.
On February 23, 2019, to mark the centenary of the Latvian War of Independence, at the initiative of the Independence Struggle Traditions Association (Finland), a special memorial site was created to honor the Finnish volunteers who fell for Latvia's independence, where a special boulder and an information plaque testify to the historical events. The memorial stone traveled to Alūksne from Finland - the Salpa Line, which was built in 1940-1944 to protect Finland's Eastern border. The 1,200 km long Salpa Line is one of the most notable defense lines of independent Finland, as well as one of the strongest and best-preserved defense structures of this type in Europe after World War II.
The stone brought to Alūksne symbolizes the struggle of two peoples - the Finns and the Latvians - for their independence. The Finnish volunteer regiment "Boys of the North" went to help the Latvians protect the freedom of the new Latvian state. On February 21, 1919, the "Boys of the North" participated in fierce battles in the vicinity of Alūksne (Marienburg). After a five-hour battle near the Alūksne railway station, the Finns took Alūksne. In this battle, 23 Finnish volunteers lost their lives and many were wounded.
Used sources and references:
Tuomo Juntunen. Marnienburg 21. 2. 1919. Pirkkala 2019, p. 64.
A memorial site for Finnish soldiers has been opened in Alūksne. Alūksne Municipality Gazette. March 6, 2019. No. 3 (111).
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