Editing Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (section)

===Visit by Adolf Hitler===
[[File:Hitler Mannerheim Ryti.jpg|thumb|right|Discussion with Hitler, [[Field Marshal (Finland)|Marshal]] Mannerheim and President [[Risto Ryti|Ryti]]. Hitler visited Mannerheim on his 75th birthday.]]

Mannerheim's 75th birthday, 4 June 1942, was a national celebration. The government granted him the unique title of [[Marshal of Finland]] (''Suomen Marsalkka'' in Finnish, ''Marskalk av Finland'' in Swedish). So far he is the only person to receive the title. A surprise birthday visit by Hitler occurred on the day as he wished to visit the "brave Finns (''die tapferen Finnen'')" and their leader Mannerheim.<ref name="Virkkunen" />{{sfnp|Turtola|1994}} Mannerheim did not want to meet him at his headquarters or in Helsinki, as then it would seem like an official state visit. The meeting took place near [[Imatra]], in south-eastern Finland, and was arranged in secrecy.<ref name="Virkkunen"/> From [[Immola Airfield]], Hitler, accompanied by President Ryti, was driven to where [[Baron]] Mannerheim was waiting at a railway siding. A speech from Hitler was followed by a birthday meal and negotiations between him and Mannerheim. Overall, Hitler spent about five hours in Finland; he reportedly asked the Finns to step up military operations against the Soviets, but apparently made no specific demands.<ref name="Virkkunen"/>

During the visit, an engineer of the Finnish broadcasting company [[Yle]]isradio, Thor Damen, succeeded in recording the first eleven minutes of [[Hitler and Mannerheim recording|Hitler's and Mannerheim's private conversation]]. This had to be done secretly, as Hitler never allowed off-guard recordings. Damen was assigned to record the official birthday speeches and Mannerheim's response and therefore placed microphones in some of the railway cars. However, Mannerheim and his guests chose to go to a car that did not have a microphone in it. Damen acted quickly, pushing a microphone through one of the car windows onto a net shelf just above where Hitler and Mannerheim were sitting. After eleven minutes of Hitler's and Mannerheim's private conversation, Hitler's [[SS-Begleitkommando des Führers|SS bodyguards]] spotted the cords coming out of the window and realized that the Finnish engineer was recording the conversation. They gestured to him to stop recording immediately, and he complied. The SS bodyguards demanded that the tape be destroyed, but Yleisradio was allowed to keep the reel after promising to keep it in a sealed container. It was given to [[Kustaa Vilkuna]], head of the state censors' office, and in 1957 returned to Yleisradio. It was released to the public a few years later. It is the only known recording of Hitler speaking outside of a formal occasion.<ref>[http://www.hs.fi/english/article/1076153999513 Helsingin Sanomat International Web-Edition] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819064409/http://www.hs.fi/english/article/1076153999513 |date=19 August 2014 }} – "Conversation secretly recorded in Finland helped a German actor prepare for Hitler role" Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 15 September 2004 in Finnish.</ref><ref>Recording available Yle's [http://www.yle.fi/elavaarkisto/?s=s&g=1&ag=3&t=22&a=376 web-archive]</ref>

There is an unsubstantiated story that while conversing with Hitler, Mannerheim lit a cigar. Mannerheim expected that Hitler would ask Finland for more help against the [[Soviet Union]], which Mannerheim was unwilling to give. When Mannerheim lit up, all in attendance gasped, for [[Anti-tobacco movement in Nazi Germany|Hitler's aversion to smoking]] was well known. Nevertheless, Hitler continued the conversation calmly, with no comment. By this test, Mannerheim could judge if Hitler was speaking from a position of strength or weakness. He refused Hitler, knowing that Hitler was in a weak position, and could not dictate to him.<ref name=Virkkunen />{{sfnp|Turtola|1994}}

Shortly thereafter, Mannerheim returned the visit, traveling to Hitler's headquarters in East Prussia.{{sfnp|Mannerheim|1953|pages=454–455}}