Sulo Kolkka

Sulo Kolkka (dates of birth and death sometimes reported December 20, 1904 - August 21, 1988) is most likely a fictional character, (or the real name is not known) who is said to have been a Finnish sniper during World War II, with over 400 confirmed kills.

According to some stories, Kolkka was born in Säkkijärvi, South Karelia and died in Kangasala. Kolkka is often reported to have killed over 400 Red army soldiers and officers during 105 days of the Winter War. As such he would be the second deadliest sniper of the Finnish army in World War II, after Simo Häyhä.

His name is not mentioned in Finnish Defence Forces archives, newspapers or magazines of the era. His name is hard to find even in post-war fictional war literature, and there exist no photographs of him. When compared to legendary real-life sniper Häyhä, whose name was used excessively for promotional purposes, it is reasonable to presume that there was no sniper named Sulo Kolkka. In addition, Häyhä's actions and Kolkka's described deeds during the war carry a great resemblance.

However, there was a nationally fairly well known war correspondent, Sulo "Simeoni" Kolkka, who sometimes reported of Simo Häyhä's deeds to other domestic and foreign war correspondents. It has been assumed, that a foreign journalist mixed the names of the sniper and the reporter, thus giving birth to a legend without a base in reality. Kolkka becomes another legendary sniper apocryphal.