Finnish Folk Song - Säkkijärven polkka

Ok, I didn’t die, don’t worry... (hope Pomerodia’s videos will be back) Also, happy Finnish Independence National Day 🇫🇮! ’’Säkkijärven polkka’’ (“the Säkkijärvi polka“ in English), also called the “Karelian-Finnish Polka,“ is a well-known folk tune from Finland, very popular with Finnish accordionists. It was especially popularized by Viljo “Vili“ Vesterinen (1907–1961). The tune was first recorded in Säkkijärvi (now Kondratyevo in the Leningrad Oblast, Russia), and the lyrics sometimes sung with the tune state that while Säkkijärvi itself might have been lost (ceded to the Soviet Union in 1940), the Finns at least still had the polka. During the Continuation War, the Finnish Army discovered that the retreating Soviets had scattered radio-controlled mines throughout the re-captured city of Viipuri. These mines were set off when a three-note chord was played on the frequency the radio was tuned to, causing three tuning forks (of which each mine had a unique combination) to vibrate at once. Once the Army and Yleisradio experts discovered how the mines worked, an Yleisradio mobile transmitter was brought to Viipuri, and Vesterinen’s recording of the polka was played on the same frequencies the mines used. The song was played continuously for about 1,500 times in the beginning of September 1941, after which alternative equipment was used to continue the radio jamming operation until 2 February 1942. UMF community discord link: