March 22, 1942: Heinrich Himmler's trip to Lapland, Finland

Heinrich Himmler visited Finland three times in total. Another one of these visits took place in March 1942. Himmler arrived in Rovaniemi on March 22, 1942, aboard a Junkers Ju 52 transport plane. During his stay, he met with Colonel Eduard Dietl and lodged at Hotel Pohjanhov. The following day, he flew to Parkkina in Petsamo to meet General Ferdinand Schörner. Schörner briefed Himmler about the war situation in the Petsamo area, likely including details about the exploitation of the Kolosjoki nickel mine. Safeguarding the Petsamo nickel mine had become a critical task for the German forces in the region.

Schörner’s headquarters were situated in Parkkina. He was one of Hitler’s favored generals, but in Finland, he is primarily remembered for his cruelty and strict discipline toward German troops. His military career earned him various “honorary appointments,” such as “The Legend of the Thousand Logs,” “Bloodhound,” “Kurinmaa Gendarmi,” “Wild Ferdinand,” “Bloody Ferdinand,” and “Petsamo’s Horror.”

In the parking lot, Himmler donned an ordinary military overcoat without visible insignia, presumably for security reasons. He also wore a fur cap as headgear. As a brief moment of relaxation, Himmler engaged in Bavarian hockey, a favorite pastime among Germans, alongside the sports enthusiast Schörner.