First re: Bill Kennedy, a minor;-) correction: Finland was NEVER occupied during nor after the WWII, neither by the nazis nor by the Soviet.

Koskenniemi wrote the libretto to Finlandia shortly after the Winter War (Dec 1939 - Mar -40). Finland had just survived a massive offence by the Soviet Union, and was forced to cede a considerable amount of territory ('the ceded Karelia') and relocate the +400.000 people (c. 10 % of all) that had lived there. That - added the fact that Finland had to do it on her own; practically no help from outside - is what explains the mood of the text.

Yes, I'd much rather hear Finlandia - if any, in that respect I second Spaw - as our anthem. It is a fine piece of composition alltogether, emotional, but not especially military by nature and can be played as short or full version, or sung, to suit any occasion. I think most Finns agree that it does sound "finnish".

On the other hand, I find very little finnishness in J. L. Runeberg's (poet) and F. Pacius' (composer, originally a German who came to teach music in Helsinki) "Maamme" (=our land, written and sung originally in Swedish 'O, fosterland'). It's simply boring! Also it is quite commonly believed here that our Friedrich chap didn't really bother to compose it at all, he simply took an (boring) old Bavarian drinking song that he thought might fit into the rhyme ... The Estonians have the same melody in their anthem ("Mu isamaa" 'my father's land') as well.

And finally a quiz question: What was Biafra's (now part of Nigeria) national anthem during her short period of indepence some 30 y's ago? (Finlandia)

cheers AKS