Hidden Safes

The af Forselles family and the Weckmans only stayed at Majvik during the summer and in winter, thieves would often break into the house. Aware of the problem, af Forselles himself built various alarms and secret safes in the main building, where the most valuable items were stored when the members of the household were away.

In fact, when the Porkkala area was leased to the Soviet Union from 1944 to 1956, the objects in one safe, including drawings of Majvik, were not found. When the Weckman’s housekeeper was leaving Majvik before it was to be handed over to the Soviets, she put her wooden clogs in one of the safes. When she returned, she was overjoyed to find her clogs where she had left them. Later on, she would have reason to remember the old proverb: “Where you leave your shoes, you will return later.”