I found a nice sauna story:
War Saunas
Wherever a Finn goes he sets up a sauna, even in war time. Ofcourse they build trenches, dugouts, fortifications, field hospitals and all the other structures that go with warfare. But there will always be a sauna there too, even in forward positions. Finnish soldiers went to the sauna very often, particularly during the static phase of the war.
But is it wise in these circumstances? What if the enemy launches a surprise attack? How can naked soldiers defend themselves if they are caught by surprise in the sauna, and has that ever happened? True, many a Finn has made the supreme sacrifice on the benches of a sauna, but nevertheless the sauna was of great value in strengthening morale and creating a sense of cohesion among the troops.
Naked Warriors
A story comes out of Eastern Karelia where a group of soldiers had been forgotten in a field sauna. Finnish forces were on the retreat at the time, but the enemy was not thought to be very close. While one group of men were enjoying the löyly, the front line moved, the guards retreated and the sauna and those in it were suddenly in enemy territory.
When the men came out to cool off, they saw that the line had been breached and that they had been left behind the Soviet front, without weapons nor equipment, completely naked. There were forty or so of them, without so much as a pair of trousers between them.
The dugout in which they left their equipment had been destroyed. Somewhere in the distance they heard the clank and roar of tanks. It had been a tight spot. So, perhaps all these men were taken prisoner? It makes sense, but no. First they went back into the sauna and had a good hit of löyly for the road. Then they split up into small groups and disappeared into the forest, re-crossing the front line wherever they could, during the night.
They were naked and scratched when they got caught up to their main group, because they had struggled through peat bogs and thickets for the best part of two days. But finally the group was all together again, and when it was seen what condition they were in, they were promptly ordered off to the sauna for yet another good taste of löyly.
(Story adapted from Businessman's guide to the Finnish Sauna)
Read more from
Finnish Sauna
