# Last German troops leave Finland (27 April 1945)

URL: https://allhistories.com/finland/timeline/1945-last-german-troops-leave-finland
Location: Kilpisjärvi, Enontekiö
Themes: Key Events

On 27 April 1945 the last German troops left Kilpisjärvi in Enontekiö, and Finnish soldiers raised the flag at the three-country cairn. The date is commemorated as National Veterans' Day in Finland. The end of the Lapland War left northern Finland in ruins but free of foreign troops, except the Soviet base at Porkkala. Reconstruction of Lapland took years.

## Why it matters
It marked the end of Finland's participation in the Second World War.

Ruler at the Time: [Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim](https://allhistories.com/finland/rulers/carl-gustaf-emil-mannerheim)

Prime Minister of Finland: Juho Kusti Paasikivi (National Coalition Party)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Lapland War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lapland_War)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica — Finland](https://www.britannica.com/place/Finland)
- [Wikipedia — Finland in WWII (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland_in_World_War_II)