Simola Bombing: Revisiting a Forgotten Massacre

In the village of Simola, just outside Lappeenranta, a water tower stands with scars etched deep into its structure—a stark reminder of the brutal bombing campaign that occurred between June 19 and 20, 1944. By the end of those harrowing days, a tragic toll had been exacted: at least 130 lives, half of them innocent civilians, were lost to the chaos of war.

The Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Offensive

The lifting of the Siege of Leningrad in February 1944 allowed Soviet forces to regroup and strengthen their position against Finland. The Finnish High Command, acutely aware of this shift, initiated a series of redeployments to the strategically vital Karelian Isthmus.

As winter gave way to spring, the Soviets launched a relentless bombing raid on Helsinki, aimed at shattering Finnish morale. Thanks to the vigilance of Anti-Aircraft and Civil Defense units, the majority of the city was spared from destruction. However, the Finnish government understood that negotiations with the Soviets were essential to their survival and, through Stockholm, reached out to open dialogue for peace.

In March, Finnish envoys Carl Enckell and Juho Paasikivi journeyed to Moscow for discussions with Soviet leaders Molotov and Dekanozov. The talks, however, yielded no agreement, and Stalin ordered the Stavka, the Soviet military command, to devise a major offensive to decisively remove Finland from the conflict.

By June, the Leningrad Front had amassed considerable strength, ready to strike. The Offensive commenced on June 9, unleashing a storm of artillery, aircraft, and naval support against Finnish defenses. The resistance soon faltered, and despite fierce fighting, two of Finland’s defensive lines were breached. This marked the beginning of a dire chapter for Finland in World War II.

Why was Simola bombed?

As the Soviet advance surged across the Isthmus, the Red Air Force aimed to obstruct reinforcements reaching Finnish lines. Rail junctions across southern Finland became prime targets, and despite the valiant efforts of Finnish anti-aircraft defenses, waves of bombers often overwhelmed them.

On June 19, as Soviet forces approached Viipuri, 47 Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers from the 58th and 140th Bomber Aviation Regiments took flight with orders to bomb the Simola station. This rail yard, featuring seven tracks, was a critical logistical hub. When the aircraft arrived, the station was crowded with evacuees, military personnel, and prisoners; a communication failure meant that warning of the bombers never reached Simola, leading to widespread panic as bombs began to fall. Over the course of two days, three raids inflicted devastating damage. Historian Heikki Kauranne notes that 15 homes were destroyed and 23 buildings damaged, while the railway suffered extensive losses, including 2 locomotives and 63 carriages.

The most heartbreaking loss was in human lives. Official reports vary, but the figures indicate around 142 dead and 150 wounded. The most catastrophic incident occurred at a local store where approximately 40 individuals had sought refuge in the basement when a direct hit from a 500-kilogram bomb collapsed their sanctuary. This tragedy would resonate as one of the deadliest bombing assaults during Finland’s wartime experience.

To add a perplexing twist to this story, the railyard was repaired swiftly, minimizing disruption to military operations—the bombings failed in their primary objective.

Remembrance

In the immediate aftermath, the Finnish government tightly controlled information regarding the bombings, fearing it would incite panic and defeatism among the populace. It wasn’t until after the war that the extent of the destruction and loss became known.

The enduring symbol of this tragedy, the battered red brick water tower, has been preserved as a memorial to those lives lost that day, featuring a plaque that commemorates the victims.

Scattered across local cemeteries are several mass graves, where some of the deceased were mere infants. Among them is a particularly poignant memorial in Lappeenranta, resting place for 61 unidentified souls.

In a tragic twist, during the bombing, a train at the station was carrying the remains of some of Finland’s bravest—among them Lauri Vilhelm Nissinen, a Knight of the Mannerheim Cross. Nissinen’s life was cut short when, in a tragic air battle, he collided with a fellow pilot’s downed aircraft. As their remains were transported home, a bomb struck the train, and the bodies were never recovered.

Sources

Two devastating bombings killed up to 360 Finns in the railway yards in the summer of 1944. This incident was shrouded in silence during the war years in Finland.
Lappeenranta / Simola aerial bombardment*
The bombing of Simola in June 1944
Simola’s water tower tells the story of the 1944 bombing
7808 Anti-aircraft regiment 3, 9.6.1944 – 3.12.1944
70 years since the great bombing of Simola: “Yes, it was a sad-looking roof.”