© Handout
The museum director estimates that cleaning the wagon will cost thousands of euros. LEAF PICTURE / HANDOUT
The Mannerheim saloon car on display at Mikkeli railway station was crushed on the night between Wednesday and Thursday, says Matti Karttunen, Museum Director of the City of Mikkeli, to STT. He does not know the exact time of the act.
– The security company noticed it before eight on Thursday morning and informed the museum about it. After eight, the situation was being noted.
According to Karttunen, the graffiti on the side of the wagon is almost half of the wagon’s track-side facade.
– It’s really big, probably two meters high graffiti tuft and a few meters long. Truly provocatively put on, Karttunen describes.
At least Länsi-Savo and Yle previously reported that the saloon car was crammed.
Diligently used by Mannerheim during the war years
According to Karttunen, the case is serious and sad, as it is a valuable cultural heritage site.
The saloon wagon, completed in 1930, has become known especially for being used by Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim during the Winter and Continuation Wars.
According to Karttunen, Mannerheim used the saloon car diligently. During the wars, Mannerheim traveled in a wagon for about 80,000 miles.
– Whenever he made longer trips, for example conference trips to Helsinki or inspection trips to different fronts, the train went there and the saloon car was connected to the train.
The saloon car played a key role in Mannerheim’s 75th anniversary in 1942, when Nazi German leader Adolf Hitler visited Finland. Negotiations between Hitler and Mannerheim took place in a saloon car in Immola, Imatra.
The wagon was used by Mannerheim from 1939 to 1946, ie after the war years during Mannerheim’s presidency.
Spray paint absorbed into porous wood panels
According to Karttunen, cleaning stains from the side of a saloon car is not simple.
– The outer lining of the trolley consists of wood panels, which are actually quite porous material. When spray paint is sprayed, it is absorbed quite deep into that material. Yes, quite a bit of damage has now been done.
At Mikkeli station, the wagon standing under the canopy is exposed to weather conditions, which naturally causes wear in the outer lining of the wagon, Karttunen says.
– We had plans for a major overhaul of the wagon next summer.
However, according to Karttunen, urgent action is now needed to succeed until next summer.
– If cleaned stains cannot be removed, then cover with a new paint surface.
According to Karttunen, cleaning the wagon will cost thousands of euros. Cleaning work will begin next week.
– All windows that protect the windows have to be replaced and repainted.
Karttunen has been the museum director of Mikkeli for 15 years, and no similar vandalism has occurred to the salon car during that time.
Police have no suspects so far
The police in Eastern Finland are investigating the matter as a serious act of harm, says Criminal Constable Kimmo Sikanen to STT.
Police currently have no information on the perpetrator or perpetrators of the graffiti.
The investigation is still in its infancy. Sikanen cannot say whether the work has a surveillance camera image or eyewitness observations.
– If some have observations, then I think they will definitely be in contact with the police. I don’t know if there have been any contacts yet, Sikanen says.
According to the Criminal Code, aggravated damage may arise, for example, if the damage causes significant damage to property of special historical or cultural value.
The penalty for aggravated damage is four months to four years in prison.