# List of firsts in Finland

This is a list of firsts in Finland.

## Education and academia

* First director of the first Finnish research institute in applied psychology: Ester Hjelt
* First Finnish-speaking teacher training college: University of Jyväskylä
* First state schools for females in Finland: Svenska fruntimmersskolan i Åbo (English: Swedish Women's School of Åbo) and Svenska fruntimmersskolan i Helsingfors (English: Swedish Women's School of Helsingfors) (1844)

### First women

* Dissertations
** First dissertation by a Finnish woman (chemistry, University of Zurich): Lydia Sesemann (1874)
** First dissertation by a Finnish woman in Finland (Doctor of Medicine and Surgery): Karolina Eskelin (1895)
** First female opponent at a dissertation (Faculty of Medicine): Elsa Ryti (1927)
** First dissertation by a Finnish woman in Physics: Eugenie Lisitzin (1938)
** First dissertation by a Finnish woman in Finnish language studies: Eeva Lindén (1942)
** First dissertation by a Finnish woman in Astronomy: Liisi Oterma (1955)
** First dissertation by a Finnish woman in Economics: Vieno Rajaoja (1958)
* Doctors
** First female Doctor of Philosophy: Tekla Hultin (1896)
** First female Doctor of Agriculture: Synnöve von Hausen (1936)
** First female Doctor of Laws (Justice) in Finland: Inkeri Anttila (1946)
** First female Doctor of Theology: Eira Paunu (1952)
** First female Doctor in Social Sciences: Elina Haavio-Mannila (1958)
* Professorships
** First female professor in Finland (Personal Extraordinary Professor, Åbo Akademi): Alma Söderhjelm (1927)
** First female professor of Medicine and holder of a permanent chair (Obstetrics and Gynaecology): Laimi Leidenius (1930)
** First female professor of Chemistry: Salli Eskola (1947)
** First female professor in Physical and Natural Sciences (assistant professor in Chemistry): Salli Eskola
** First female professor of Pedagogy: Inkeri Vikainen (1959)
** First female professor of Law in Finland: Inkeri Anttila (1961)
** First female professor of Sociology: Faina Jyrkilä (1964)
** First female professor of Philosophy in Finland and in Scandinavia: Raili Kauppi (1969)
** First female professor of Women's Studies: Päivi Setälä (1991)
* Members of the Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters (Founded 1838)
** First female member of the Math and Physics division: Eugenie Lisitzin (1960)
* Other
** First female academic in Finland: Sara Wacklin
** First female folklorist in Finland to complete a doctoral degree: Elsa Enäjärvi-Haavio
** First female in Finland to earn a doctorate in the field of philosophy: Raili Kauppi
** First female Licentiate of Medicine (without being officially enrolled at a University): Rosina Heikel (1878)
** First female Magister of Philosophy: Emma Irene Åström
** First female Minister of Justice in Finland: Inkeri Anttila
** First female Rector of a university (University of Jyväskylä): Aino Sallinen (1992)
** First female to attend a university in Finland: Maria Tschetschulin (1870)
** First female to defend a doctoral degree in Finland: Karolina Eskelin
** First female to practice medicine in Finland and within all the Nordic countries: Rosina Heikel
** First female to receive a Ph.D. degree in Astronomy in Finland: Liisi Oterma
** First female veterinary surgeon in Europe and Finland: Agnes Sjöberg
** First Finnish woman to be appointed docent at a university: Alma Söderhjelm
** First Finnish woman to complete a doctorate: Lydia Sesemann
** First Finnish woman to take the matriculation examination: Maria Tschetschulin
** First Finnish woman to teach: Alma Söderhjelm

## Literature

* First book in the world and Finland written solely in text messages: Viimeiset viestit (English: Last Messages) by Hannu Luntiala (2007)
* First female writer in Finland: Sara Wacklin
* First Finnish language encyclopedia: Tietosanakirja (1909-1922)
* First Finnish language grammar book published: 1649
* First novel published in Finnish: Seven Brothers (Finnish: Seitsemän veljestä) (1870)

## Media
### Film

* First active feature film company: Lyyra-Filmi
* First Finnish computer-animated feature film: The Emperor's Secret (Finnish: Keisarin salaisuus) (2006)
* First Finnish feature film and first fictional film: The Moonshiners (Finnish: Salaviinanpolttajat) (1907)
* First full-length Finnish feature film: Sylvi
* First full-length sound film with song and talk: Say It in Finnish (1931)
* First Finnish film: Novelty from Helsinki: School youth at break (1904)
* First Finnish film company: Atelier Apollo (1906)
* First Finnish film distributed widely abroad: When Father Has Toothache (1923)
* First Finnish film released on Blu-ray: Ganes (2007)
* First Finnish film with a soundtrack: Dressed Like Adam and a Bit Like Eve Too (1931)
* First public screening: 1896

### Other

* First Finnish album to certify gold based on downloads and streams: AMK Dropout (2014)
* First Finnish publisher to sell manga: Sangatsu Manga (2003)
* First Finnish video included in MTV Nordic's daily video-rotation: U Drive Me Crazy

## Military

* First Finnish Air Force base established: Utti (1918)

## Politics and government

* First President: Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg
** First National Progressive President: Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg
** First Agrarian President: Lauri Kristian Relander
** First National Coalitionist President: Pehr Evind Svinhufvud
** First Social Democratic President: Mauno Koivisto
** First female President: Tarja Halonen
* First Prime Minister: Pehr Evind Svinhufvud
** First female Prime Minister: Anneli Jäätteenmäki
* First Finnish Black Member of Parliament: Jani Toivola
* First time the President had been solely elected by a popular vote: 1994
* First openly gay Member of Parliament: Oras Tynkkynen
* First female Members of Parliament elected in Finland and the world: 1907
* First President of the Supreme Court of Finland: August Nybergh, 1918

## Science and technology

* First class of locomotive manufactured within Finland: Finnish Steam Locomotive Class A5, 1874

## Sports and related events

* First Finn to play in the Stanley Cup Finals: Matti Hagman
* First Finnish basketball player to play in the National Basketball Association: Jarkko Ruutu
* First Finnish boxer to win an Olympic medal: Bruno Ahlberg
* First Finnish cross-country skier to win an Olympic gold medal: Veli Saarinen
* First Finnish Olympic gold medalist: Verner Weckman
* First Finnish player within the National Hockey League: Pentti Lund
* First Finnish player to play in the German Bundesliga: Juhani Peltonen
* First Finnish player to play in the Women's United Soccer Association: Anne Mäkinen
* First Finnish woman to reach Olympic finals in swimming: Eila Pyrhönen

## Titles and awards

* First Finnish Nobel Prize winner: Frans Eemil Sillanpää
* First Finnish Olympic gold medalist: Verner Weckman
* First time winning the group stage at the Bandy World Championship: 2011

## Other

* First Finnish "freedom fighter": Lalli
* First Finnish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest to be awarded with a maximum score since the start of the twelve-point tradition in 1975: Lapponia
* First Finnish professor of forest inventory: Werner Cajanus
* First homoerotic stamps produced in Finland and the world: 2014 Tom of Finland stamps
* First time participating in the Eurovision Song Contest: 1961
** First representative of Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest: Laila Kinnunen