Finnish

Noun

käpykaarti

1. (during the Finnish Civil War in 1918) The group of Reds who hid themselves in the forest (literally: the "Cone Guard").
2. (during the Continuation War in 1941—1944) The group of (Finnish) deserters who hid themselves in the forest (literally: the "Cone Guard").

Usage notes

• The term originated in the Finnish Civil War, after which hundreds of Reds hid themselves in the forests in order to avoid being prosecuted for war crimes. The term is used also when referring to the Finnish deserters in the Continuation War, who also hid themselves in the forest — for the same purpose.

Synonyms

• (a Red during the Civil War; a deserter during the Continuation War): metsäkaarti

Declension

See also

• metsäkaartilainen
• käpykaartilainen