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Biography
Urho Kaleva Kekkonen, often referred to by his initials UKK, was a Finnish politician who served as the eighth and longest-serving president of Finland from 1956 to 1982. He also served as prime minister, and held various other cabinet positions. He was the third and most recent president from the Agrarian League/Centre Party. Head of state for nearly 26 years, he dominated Finnish politics for 31 years overall. Holding a large amount of power, he won his later elections with little opposition and has often been classified as an autocrat.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA
Awards & recognition
- Medal of Merit with clasp of the Association of the Warrant Officers’ · 1983
- Medal of Merit of the Association of Voluntary Defence Guilds · 1981
- Grand Cross of the Order of Boyacá · 1980
- Lenin Peace Prize · 1980
- Collar of the Order of Charles III · 1978
Show all 83 awards →
- Medal — Military Merits · 1978
- Cross of merit with clasp of Reservists' association · 1977
- Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany · 1976
- Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic · 1975
- Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Polish People's Republic · 1974
- Grand Star of People's Friendship · 1974
- Order of St. Vladimir the Equal-to-the-Apostles (first class) · 1974
- Grand Cross of the National Order of the Lion · 1973
- Order of Friendship of Peoples · 1973
- Knight Grand Cross in the Order of the Netherlands Lion · 1972
- Collar of the Order of Pope Pius IX · 1971
- Order of San Marino · 1971
- Gold Medal of Merit of the Reserve Officers Association · 1970
- Order of Pahlavi · 1970
- Collar of the Order of the White Lion · 1969
- Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath · 1969
- Order of the Flag of the People's Republic of Hungary · 1969
- Star of the Socialist Republic of Romania, 1st class · 1969
- Grand Collar of the Order of the Nile · 1967
- Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold · 1967
- Order of Georgi Dimitrov · 1967
- Order of Independence · 1965
- Grand Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta · 1964
- Order of Lenin · 1964
- Collar of the Order of the Aztec Eagle · 1963
- Order of the Yugoslavian Great Star · 1963
- doctor honoris causa from the University of Aix-Marseille · 1962
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George · 1961
- Grand Star of the Decoration — Services to the Republic of Austria · 1960
- Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic · 1960
- Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Saint Olav · 1960
- Cross of Merit of the War Invalides · 1958
- Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour · 1958
- Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Falcon · 1957
- Knight of the Order of the Elephant · 1957
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Cross of Liberty · 1956
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of Finland · 1956
- Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland · 1956
- Royal Order of the Seraphim · 1956
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog · 1955
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Holy Lamb · 1955
- Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau · 1954
- Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland · 1953
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic · 1953
- Finnish Olympic Cross of Merit, First Class · 1952
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Vasa · 1952
- Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal · 1952
- The Great Cross of Merit of Finnish Sports and Culture of Physical Exercise · 1950
- Commander First Class of the Order of the Lion of Finland · 1947
- Commander with Star of the Order of Merit of the Kingdom of Hungary · 1943
- German Olympic Decoration · 1937
- German Olympic Decoration 1st Class · 1937
- Commander of the Order of Sports Merit · 1933
- anniversary medal at the occasion of the 2500th anniversary of the founding of the Iranian Empire
- Decoration of Honour — Services to the Republic of Austria
- honorary doctor of the University of Uppsala
- National Order of the Lion of Senegal
- Order of Boyacá
- Order of Charles III
- Order of Isabella the Catholic
- Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
- Order of Merit of the Polish People's Republic
- Order of Pius IX
- Order of St. Olav
- Order of Stara Planina
- Order of the Aztec Eagle
- Order of the Bath
- Order of the Cross of Liberty
- Order of the Falcon
- Order of the Lion of Finland
- Order of the Nile
- Order of the Star of Romania
- Order of the White Eagle
- Order of the White Lion
- Order of the White Rose of Finland
- Order of the Yugoslav Star
- Sibelius Medal
- Nobel Peace Prize · 1962 · nominated
