Skip to the content

Rehabilitation of special groups, i.e. people who have served in certain war-time assignments in Finnish wars

  • Previously, people who had served in the specific assignments related to Finnish wars mentioned below had the opportunity to apply for special group rehabilitation. Application to these services has now ended completely. Unfortunately, new recipients of special group rehabilitation can no longer be admitted under any grounds. This matter is governed by the act on rehabilitation provided to those who have served in specific assignments during Finnish wars > (Laki eräissä Suomen sotiin liittyneissä tehtävissä palvelleiden kuntoutuksesta).

  • Those covered by the rehabilitation right

    1. Persons without IDs: Persons who would have received one of the IDs intended for front-line veterans (front-line soldier ID, front-line service ID or front-line ID), if they had applied for their ID within the given deadline, i.e. by the end of 1994. The application period for this service ended on 31 December 2004.
    2. Foreign voluntary front-line soldiers: Persons who served during the wars in 1939–1945 as foreign volunteers, participating in the actual operations of war with the Finnish Defence Forces, and who live in Finland or within the area covered by the Soviet Union. The application period for this service ended on 31 December 2004.
    3. Deminers: Persons who participated in minesweeping or the removal of blockades in naval squadrons of the Finnish Navy or the removal of land mines in northern Finland in the employ of the Defence Forces in 1945–1952. The application period for this service ended on 31 December 2004.
    4. Those who served in health care: Persons who served as nurses in Defence Forces’ facilities during the wars in 1939–1945. The application period for this service ended on 31 December 2004.
    5. Conscripts: Persons who served in Defence Forces’ training centres under the Conscription Act during the wars in 1939–1945. The application period for this service ended on 31 December 2004.
    6. Drovers: Persons who served in cattle evacuation assignments during the wars in 1939–1945. The application period for this service ended on 31 December 2006.
    7. Victims of partisan attacks: Persons who were victims of partisan attacks during the wars in 1939–1945. The application period for this service ended on 31 December 2006.

  • Conditions for rehabilitation

    Rehabilitation can be granted to applicants deemed to be in need of rehabilitation. A residential rehabilitation period can also be shared with a spouse, at the discretion of the State Treasury. Rehabilitation payment commitments are granted within the scope of the appropriation reserved for the purpose by the Parliament annually.

    Right for rehabilitation have

    • those who already have received a certificate of service from the War Archive; note! The certificate can no longer be applied for at the War Archive.
    • those who served as foreign volunteers and
    • those who received a lump sum compensation from the State Treasury due to the Soviet Union’s partisan attacks.

    Those who participated in cattle evacuation assignments or were victims of the Soviet Union’s partisan attacks and had not applied for a lump sum compensation had to apply for the right for rehabilitation from the State Treasury by 31 December 2006. Rehabilitation rights will not be granted after this date.

    Those who have been granted a certificate from the War Archive or a decision from the State Treasury on a rehabilitation right (victims of the Soviet Union’s partisan attacks, participants in cattle evacuation assignments) are entitled to residential, intensive outpatient, and outpatient rehabilitation. The rehabilitation corresponds to front-line veteran rehabilitation (Act 1184/1988).

  • Rehabilitation Application

    Those who have been granted the rehabilitation right can apply for the rehabilitation by submitting the attached rehabilitation application to the State Treasury. A medical certificate must be attached to the application. The costs of acquiring the medical certificate are not reimbursed.

    Special groups rehabilitation application (in Finnish) >

    In addition to the State Treasury, rehabilitation application forms are available at health centers and municipal service points responsible for war veteran rehabilitation.

  • Limitations of the right for rehabilitation

    Rehabilitation under this Act cannot be granted to those entitled to rehabilitation under

    • the Act on front-line veteran rehabilitation (1184/1988),
    • the Military Injuries Act (404/1948),
    • the Motor Insurance Act (460/2016),
    • the Workers’ Compensation Act (459/2015),
    • the Act on occupational accidents and diseases of agricultural entrepreneurs (873/2015), or
    • a similar previous act.