Battle of Hyvinkää

The Battle of Hyvinkää was fought during the Finnish Civil War on 19-21 April 1918, when troops from the German Baltic Sea Division marching from Helsinki conquered the locality from the Reds who had held it for three months. The Germans attacked Hyvinkää from three different directions; from the direction of Klaukkala and Nurmijärvi via the Hanko railway line and along the Tuusula highway and main line. The main defense positions of the Reds were along the Hanko track in Hyvinkäänkylä, after which fierce battles took place in the station area. After the well-taken invasion, a bloody follow-up began, with whites executing about 150 red or suspects during May.

Battle of Hyvinkää
Part of the Finnish Civil War
Oskari Koivula, commander of the Hyvinkää Red Guard (front) and Emil Ylén (left) in 1918
Date 19–21 April 1918 Location Hyvinkää, Finland Result German victory
Belligerents
German Empire	Finnish Reds
Commanders and leaders
Konrad Wolf	Oskari Koivula Topias Harju Jalmari Ranta
Strength
c. 3,000 Germans	300–500 in the combat units
Casualties and losses
21 Germans killed	c. 50 killed or executed

See also

• Battle of Helsinki

Sources

• Kronlund, Jarl (1986). Tiede ja ase Vol 44. Hyvinkää itsenäisyyssodassa. Helsinki: Suomen Sotatieteellinen Seura. pp. 154–205. ISSN 0358-8882.
• Ylitalo, Essi (2011). "Innokas punikki". Hyvinkään punakaartilaisnaiset sisällissodan jälkiselvittelyissä 1918. Helsinki: Helsingin yliopiston Valtiotieteellinen tiedekunta.
• Muistitietoja vuosien 1917-18 tapahtumista Hyvinkäällä. Hyvinkää: Keräystoimikunta. 1971.
• Tukkinen, Tauno (2002). "Kadonnut kapinassa". Hyvinkään punaisten henkilötappiot 1918. Karjalohja: TT. ISBN 951-98363-4-9.