Link to a version of the song on Youtube here: - YouTube
So I was reading that the Finns actually broadcast this song continuously for a long period of time during World War II. Supposedly it could jam Soviet Radios and cause Soviet mines to explode? Is that true or just a legend? If true, how would that work?
Moved to Cafe Society.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
Wikipedia claims it was to do with discovering that Soviet landmines exploded when particular combinations of frequencies activated their sensors, and that this song could be used to achieve that effect. But the claim appears to be unsupported by specific citations.
Did you read the OP. Or was your “let’s move this” trigger pinged by the words “song” and “polka?” Because ISTM that this is not about arts and entertainment, but a question that might have a factual answer.
Just to correct a point, as far as I understand it. The Soviets could detonate the mines remotely by radio. The purpose of broadcasting the tune was to block the signal, and make them NOT explode. It needed continuous broadcast for months until the mines’ batteries ran down, rendering them safe.
Also, the song was only played for the first three days of that time, after which they found other ways to jam the signal.
I don’t know if the story is true.
I found a discussion of the event, with some photos of the actual mines in a museum.
Warning- link is possibly not safe for work. The forum is called Axis History. It doesn’t appear to be pro-Nazi, and holocaust denial is specifically banned on the forum. All the same, you might not want to be explaining this point to your boss.
Two click rule :
Here’s an article on the subject from Finland’s national public broadcasting company. Finnish only I’m afraid, but you might be able to google translate it. It includes an interview in 1969 from someone who served in the war.
The article says that the Finnish discovered that certain Soviet mines were set to explode with a specific three-note chord played on a specific frequency. The Finnish started playing the song on the same frequency to jam the signal. Some sources say that the song was played on repeat for 5-months, and some say 3-days. The details aren’t clear, but the story seems to be true.