Editing Mannerheim Cross (section)

==Description==
The honour, proposed by and named after [[Field Marshal (Finland)|Field Marshal]] [[Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim|Gustaf Mannerheim]], was introduced after the [[Winter War]] on 16 December 1940. Associated with the [[Order of the Cross of Liberty]], the decoration was awarded to soldiers for exceptional bravery, for the achievement of crucially important objectives by combat, or for especially successfully conducted operations. Unlike other awards associated with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, the awarding of either class of the Mannerheim Cross was not influenced by the military rank of the recipient.{{sfn|Hurmerinta|Viitanen|1994|pp=9–10}}

The cross is awarded as either Mannerheim Cross of Liberty 1st Class or as Mannerheim Cross of Liberty 2nd Class. No special requirements differing from 2nd class were laid out for The Mannerheim Cross 1st Class. Within the [[order of precedence]] of Finnish awards, the Mannerheim Cross 1st Class ranks 5th and the Mannerheim Cross 2nd Class ranks 9th.{{sfn|Hurmerinta|Viitanen|1994|pp=9–10}} A recipient of the cross is called "Knight of the Mannerheim Cross".{{sfn|Hurmerinta|Viitanen|1994}}{{sfn|Kivimäki|Strömberg|2020}}

Like the crosses of the [[Order of the Cross of Liberty]], the design of the Mannerheim Cross displays the Old Scandinavian [[Fylfot]], albeit in different colors and with added decorative elements. The 1st class cross is worn as a [[necklet]], while the 2nd class cross is worn on the chest.{{sfn|Hurmerinta|Viitanen|1994|pp=19–20}}

The award was associated with a monetary prize in 1943. Originally planned to be a lifetime pension, the prize was eventually set at 50,000 [[Finnish mark]]s, approximately equivalent to a [[lieutenant]]'s annual salary.{{sfn|Hurmerinta|Viitanen|1994|pp=9–10}}