FESAC : Heikki Pohjolainen has passed.

vendredi 24 décembre 2021, par Jean-Jacques BUIGNE fondateur de l’UFA

In his 81st year, our friend Heikki, a great Finnish collector, joined arms collectors’ paradise on December 22, 2021. He was born on December 17, 1940 and has dedicated his life to the preservation of military and gunsmith heritage.

This atypical character, with a big heart, is one of the founders of FESAC. And, on two occasions, 1999 and 2014, when the foundation’s annual congress was held in Finland, he opened wide the doors to his extraordinary collection. It was a monument to his success and to what collectors can gather, against all odds.

After Jari, Finnish representative of FESAC, he is the second Finnish friend who has passed away since the 2014 congress.

Une « rafale » de MG42, quand on aime, on ne compte pas !
A « burst » of MG42. What else ?

Being admitted to enter the collection of Heikki was a real privilege for all the representatives of FESAC, because since around 1950, Heikki had collected thousands of often very rare weapons, which it would be futile to try to enumerate here. For the representatives of FESAC, who are nevertheless all good collectors, it was a real pleasure to visit this exceptional collection and to see on first hand some pieces that we had until then seen only in photos. Finnish law being fairly liberal, all of these weapons, including artillery pieces, were in firing condition and in perfect working order. They were of course also all declared to the authorities and small arms were stored safely and dry in a huge air-conditioned room, equipped with armored doors and alarm systems.

Heikki lors du meeting de la Tour du Pin en 2004.
Heikki during a meeting at Tour du Pin in 2004.

While walking in the company of Heikki in the ground surrounding his treasure room, being intrigued by the presence of several tens of Russian anti-tank guns of 47mm model 1937, we allowed ourselves to ask him the reason of this accumulation : « I wanted to have one of each year of manufacture and for each manufacturer », he replied with disarming simplicity !

« Its disappearance is a great loss for the entire collecting community and for all those who seek to preserve heritage. »

Stephen Petroni, président de la Fesac examine avec des gants, un rare pistolet « Gabett- Fairfax. »
Photo souvenir du congrès en Finlande ou nous avions été reçus par le premier ministre en personne. Article.
Derrière un rarissime fusil semi-automatique VG1-5 et un fusil VG1 du Volksturmm, on distingue un impressionnant alignement de MP44.
Une série de pistolets mitrailleurs à couper le souffle, dont certaines version de de PPSh41 qui n’existent nulle part dans le monde si ce n’est dans quelques rares musées russes !
Il ne manque que les navires de guerre pour monter ces canons de marine.
Canons de campagne.

FESAC : those who have left us

|