The White Death

That was the nickname the Red Army gave to Finnish sniper Simo Heia, who, with 259 confirmed

kills against the Soviets, remains the deadliest marksman in military history.

During the winter war of 1939 through 40, Heia, standing at just 5 foot 3, was an expert

at keeping his position concealed, reportedly holding snow in his mouth to hide his breath.

As World War II spread, Finland would also fight the continuation war of 1941 through

the 40-4 against the Soviets, receiving material support from Nazi Germany during the conflict.

This spoke to the confounding alliances of the Nordic states during the Second World War,

as Denmark and Norway would be occupied by the Axis, while Iceland and Greenland belong

to the Allies, and Finland's neighbour remained neutral.

Sweden, whose complex internal politics made it both a sanctuary for fleeing Jewish refugees

and a harbor for a homegrown fascist movement.

One of those Swedish fascists was a teenager named Ingvar Comprad, an active member of far

right leader, Pierre Engdahl's new Swedish movement.

Contemporaneous with the war and his fascist involvement, a 70-year-old Comprad used a financial

gift from his parents to open a business first selling staple goods, and expanding after

the war to offer what would build his empire, furniture.

Over the decades, Comprad expanded worldwide, constructing a ray of budget-friendly home furnishing

stores with theme park interiors in both size and aesthetic, and becoming one of the world's

richest men in the process.

While Comprad has publicly disavowed his past fascist affiliation, his right-wing politics

remain obvious in his business's labyrinthane corporate structure, specifically designed to

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