Finnish History (1809-1990)

Finland as a part of Sweden

  • Crusades in the 12th-14th centuries – Christianity and the

Swedish language to Finland.

  • Treaty of Nöteborg 1323 – first official border between

Sweden and Russian Novgorod.

  • All official documents in Swedish.

  • Mikael Agricola developed a written Finnish language

during the 16th-century reformation.

  • Turku / Åbo was the political and cultural centre of eastern

Sweden.

  • Castle built in the 13th century, cathedral in the year 1300.

  • In 1640, the Royal Academy (Åbo Akademi) was founded as the first

University.


Swedish-Russian power struggles

  • Sweden was the most powerful state around the Baltic Sea in the 17th century (“stormaktstiden”)

  • The Great Northern War (1700-1721) was a great victory for Russia (Peter the Great), taking over Sweden’s position as the leading power in the region.

  • Russia occupied eastern Sweden (Finland) a couple of times

during the 18th century and annexed parts of eastern

Finland.

  • Sweden built Sveaborg (Suomenlinna) to defend eastern

Sweden.


Sweden and Russia in the Napoleonic Wars

  • Napoleon tried to get all European countries to stop trading with his enemy Britain, but Sweden said back off

  • Napoleon made an alliance with Russia, who then attacked Sweden in the Finnish War, 1808-1809

  • Russia easily entered eastern Sweden and Sveaborg (Suomenlinna) surrendered already in 1808

  • Tsar Alexander 1st announced that Russia planned on keeping the conquered territories and making them part of rusya

  • Finland sent a delegation to St.Petersburg to ask the Tsar to gather an assembly of the four estates (nobility, clergy, burghers and peasants).


Diet of Porvoo, 1809

  • The estates sent 70 nobles, 8 priests, 19 representatives of the burghers and 30 representatives of the farmers (serfdom in Russia).

  • AlexanderI personally came to Porvoo and announced that

he would let Finland keep its protestant religion, its

Swedish laws, and Swedish as its administrative language.

  • The estates in return swore loyalty to the Tsar, even though

the war was still going on (treason).

  • In Alexander’s concluding speech, he declared Finland a

’nation’ for the first time.

😡

Grand Duchy of Finland (1809-1917)

  • The Tsar as the Grand Duke, represented by his Governer-General 

in Finland.

  • The Governor-General led the Senate, which became Finland’s government. The other members of the Senate were Finnish, but had to be approved by the tsar.

  • In 1812 Alexander 1st moved the capital to Helsinki, to make Finland less oriented towards Sweden, and appointed German architect Carl Ludvig Engel to plan a pompous city.

National Awakening

  • During the decades following 1809 the idea of Finland as a

nation started growing in academic circles.

  • “We are not Swedish, we do not want to be Russian, let us

be Finnish”.

  • Johan Ludvig Runeberg wrote The Tales of Ensign Stål

(1848) about Finnish bravery during the Finnish war.

  • Elias Lönnrot gathered Finnish and Carelian oral folklore

and mythology in his work Kalevala (1849).


The Constitutional Era 1863-1899

  • Tsar Alexander II gathered the diet in 1863 for the first time since 1809 and the Diet met on a regular basis until 1899.

    • Part of a series of reforms in Russia introduced by the Tsar, including the emancipation of the serfs (1861).

  • Finland was slowly modernised. Public schools (kansankoulu/folkskola) were introduced in 1866.

  • Finnish was made an official language in 1863. Increasing debate between Svecocists and Fennicists.

  • Social movement (volunteer fire departments, temperance movement, worker movements, women’s movement) - the position of the estates weakened.


🕳 😝 

Russification (1899-1917)

  • Russian nationalism had grown during the 19th century, and skepticism towards Western European culture and liberalism increased.

  • Russia was suspicious of the new German Empire formed in 1871 and afraid of the Baltic region orienting itself towards germany.

  • Alexander III (r. 1881- 1894) increasingly viewed Finnish autonomy as a generous gift, which could be  retaken at any point, while Finland had begun viewing itself as a separate entity.

  • Alexander III wanted Finland to be loyal and he thinks they don’t really appreciate how generous he was to them.

  • Nikolai Bobrikov became Governor-General in 1898. Working towards:
    - Finnish law being in accordance with Russian law

Russification begins

  • Nikolai Bobrikov became Governor-General in 1898,

working towards:

  • Finnish law being in accordance with Russian law.

  • The Finnish military becoming part of the Russian military.

  • Russian being the official language of the Senate, the administration and schools.

  • The Diet wouldn’t approve of dissolving the Finnish military, which led Tsar Nikolai II to declare that laws concerning the interest of the whole empire from now on would be made by the Russian government (the February Manifesto of 1899).

The Eduskunta of 1906

  • Nikolai II gave way to the protests and for the first time assembled a Russian national parliament, the Duma.

  • Nikolai II issued the November Manifesto of 1905, retracting the February Manifesto and its russification program.

  • In 1906, the Tsar approved a new law giving Finland a unicameral parliament (replacing the Diet) to which both men and women could be elected.

The Second Russification Period (1908-1917)

  • The Tsar hadn’t really changed his mind and again began to tighten his grip on Finland in 1908.

  • 1909-1917 Russian nationalist Franz Albert Seyn Governor-General of Finland.

  • In 1910, the Tsar once again reserves the right to make laws which concern ’the interests of the whole of Russia’.

  • In practice, the autonomy was once again revoked.

Finland becoming Independent (1917)

World War 1

  • Triple Alliance 1882 & Triple Entente 1907.

  • Serbian student Gavrilo Princip shoots Archduke Franz Ferdinand 28 June 1914.

  • Austrian ultimatum to and attack on Serbia.

  • Russian mobilization.

  • Germany declares war on Russia and France.


Finland During WW1

  • Activists start planning a secret Finnish force: The Jäger Movement.

  • Around 2000 men trained in Germany.

  • Fighting for Germany against Russia.

  • 500 volunteer soldiers in the Russian army.

  • Lack of food due to a trade stop in western Europe and Russian economic problems.

  • The Social Democrats got over 50 % of the seats in the 1916 Eduskunta.

  • Tensions between Russians and Finnish people in Finland, between Finnish and Swedish speakers, as well as between Reds and Whites.

The February Revolution of 1917

  • Up until 1917, 1.7 million Russian soldiers had died in the war.

  • The Tsar was seen as responsible for the losses and liberal powers in the Duma wanted to get rid of him (and his German Empress Alexandra).

  • Tsar Nikolai II abdicated and a provisional government came to power.

  • Russian socialists started advocating Finnish independence.

The October Revolution and the Declaration of independance 😿

  • The Provisional Government was overthrown by the communist Bolsheviks on 7 November 1917 (the October Revolution).

  • The initiative behind independence shifted from the Social Democrats to right-wing parties.

  • On 6 December, the Finnish declaration of independence was adopted by the Eduskunta.

  • The right-wing government led by P.E. Svinhuvfud turned to the west for recognition, not wanting to recognize Lenin’s government.

  • Western states wanted Finland to seek Russian recognition, which was done after Christmas.

  • Lenin recognized Finnish independence, believing that this would encourage a socialist revolution in Finland.

The Civil War (1918)

Finland in January:sho==

  • Increasing tension: unemployment, lack of food.

  • The Social Democrats were excluded from Svinhufvud’s government despite being the largest party (45 % in 1917).

  • The White and Red Guards increasingly arm themselves.

  • The more radical Social Democrats took control of the party in January, advocating a socialist revolution.

  • Svinhufvud’s government makes the White Guards the official government troops and appoints Gustaf Mannerheim to coordinate their actions.

  • 24 January the Social Democrats ask the Red Guards (picture) to prepare for battle.

The Civil War Starts

  • 27 January a light was lit in Paasitorni on Siltasaari in Helsinki to mark the start of the revolution, and a revolutionary government was formed.

  • The Red Guards (picture) quickly took control of the government buildings and the Central Railway Station.

  • Prime Minister Svinhufvud hid for a month before escaping to Estonia.

  • 28 January, the White Guards, most of whom were gathered in Pohjanmaa, disarmed 5000 Russian soldiers.

  • The Red Guards got weapons from Russian soldiers in the south, and also received support from Lenin’s government.

It continues

  • 27 January a light was lit in Paasitorni on Siltasaari in Helsinki to mark the start of the revolution, and a revolutionary government was formed.

  • The Red Guards (picture) quickly took control of the government buildings and the Central Railway Station.

  • Prime Minister Svinhufvud hid for a month before escaping to Estonia.

  • 28 January, the White Guards, most of whom were gathered in Pohjanmaa, disarmed 5000 Russian soldiers.

  • The Red Guards got weapons from Russian soldiers in the south, and also received support from Lenin’s government.

White wictorya

  • 3 April 9500 German soldiers arrived in Hanko to help the Whites. Germany had made a peace deal with Russia, which gave them free hands in Finland and the Baltics.

  • 13 April: Helsinki surrendered to the German soldiers.

  • 29 April: Viipuri surrendered to the whites.

  • After the last Reds had surrendered, Mannerheim led a victory parade in central Helsinki 16 May 1918.

Aftermath of the war

  • The number of casualties wasn’t researched thoroughly until the 1970s due to tensions between the two sides.

  • According to Finnish authorities, 3414 whites and 5199 reds died in battle. 1424 whites and 7370 reds were executed. In addition, 1767 reds ’went missing’.

  • Around 80 000 red prisoners of war were kept in the old Russian military garrisons of southern Finland.

  • Around 12 000 prisoners died in the prison camps.

  • In Dragsvik, Ekenäs, 3 100 out of 10 000 prisoners died, mainly in the hot summer months of 1918.

  • The last Red prisoners were freed in 1926.

The inter-war period (1918-1939)


The Second World War

The Road to War

  • Hitler’s dictatorship in Germany from 1933. Aggressive foreign policy.

  • Finland relied on the League of Nations, which was unable to deal with German, Italian and Japanese aggression.

  • Not until 1938 did Finland significantly increase military spending (spring 1939 almost 50 % of public spending).

  • Construction of the Mannerheim Line in Carelia.

The Winter War

  • Germany attacks Poland. France and Britain declare war on Germany.

  • The Soviet army advances into eastern Poland.

  • Stalin demands that the Mannerheim Line is dismantled, and that the border is moved to the west to protect Leningrad.

  • The Soviet army is mobilized when Finland doesn’t meet the demands.

  • Shelling of Mainila 26.11.1939.

  • Soviet attack 30.11.1939.

The Moscow Peace Treaty 1940

  • The Finnish land losses exceeded those demanded by the Soviet Union before the war.

  • Finland lost it’s fourth biggest city, Viipuri.

  • The Hanko peninsula was to be leased to the Soviet Union as a naval base.

  • 400 000 homeless Carelians.

  • Lots of farming land, industries and forest lost.

  • Around 25 000 Finnish soldiers died, compared to around 130 000 Soviet soldiers.

Theories regarding Finland’s position during the Continuation War

  • The driftwood theory: German ambassador Wipert von Blücher: ‘In the battle of great powers the free will of small states has very narrow limits. Finland was drawn into the whirlpools of great power politics the way a swift Finnish stream snatches a driftwood.’

  • Critical voices (Heikki Ylikangas, Mauno Jokipii) have emphasized Finland’s active role in preparing for a new war against the USSR after the Winter War (see Meinander).

  • The log boat theory: Finnish approaches to Nazi Germany and commitment to Operation Barbarossa were conscious decisions, but nevertheless tied to the circumstances. Sweden could not secure Finland from Soviet pressure. Reasonable fear of a new Soviet attack led Finland to the Germans.

The Continuation War 1941-1944

  • Hitler: ’Germany is fighting side by with our brave Finnish brothers-in-arms”.

  • Finland claiming to be neutral. President Ryti: ’we seem to be at war again’.

  • Britain declared war on Finland (without attacking).

  • After initial success, a long positional war followed, during which Finland tried negotiating peace with the Soviet Union.

  • Summer 1944: large-scale Soviet attack pushing the Finns back.

The Lapland War

  • Finland had promised the Germans not to accept a peace deal with the Soviet Union (the Ryti-Ribbentrop pact).

  • Mannerheim was elected president by the Eduskunta and claimed not to be bound by the Ryti-Ribbentrop pact, and negotiated a ceasefire (Sep 1944).

  • The Finns had to push the Germans out of Finland in the so-called Lapland War.

Finland and the Cold War

Finland possibly becoming Satellite State

  • Allied Control Commission in Finland 1944- 1947, dominated by the USSR.

  • Communists in government 1945-48.

  • Communist Hella Wuolijoki, head of Yle.

  • Soviet-critical elements removed from school books.

  • ’War criminal’ president Risto Ryti convicted for having started the Continuation War.

    • Sentenced to 10 years in prison.

    • Pardoned in 1949 for health reasons.

The Paasikivi Doctorine

  • Juho Kusti Paasikivi became Prime Minister in 1944 and President in 1946.

  • Paasikivi tried to achieve balance between Finnish and Soviet interests.

  • If Finland’s foreign and security policies didn’t clash with Soviet interests, then the Soviet Union would let Finland handle its own internal affairs.

  • Finland turned down the Marshall aid in 1947.

Finno-Soviet Treaty of 1948

  • The Agreement of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance.

  • Similar agreements had been made with Hungary and Romania.

    • Swedish newspapers concluded: Finland becoming part of the Eastern Bloc.

  • According to the agreement, Finland had to defend the Soviet Union against a German (or an attack by a German ally) attack through Finland.

  • Finland was also obliged to ask for Soviet assistance if unable to defend itself.

  • Finland wasn’t allowed to join western IGOs.

Reparations

  • The 1944 armistice between Finland and the Soviet Union included an obligation for Finland to pay 300 million USD in war reparation fees.

  • The war reparation fees amounted to ca. 15 % of government spending in the years following the war.

  • Most of the fees were to be paid in the form of metal products.

    • The Finnish industry was forced to expand.

    • Efterwards seen as a blessing in disguise: Finland’s industry developed very quickly thanks to the war reparation fees.

1950s Normalisation

  • The Summer Olympics of 1952 opened a window to the world.

  • Stalin died in 1953.

  • Finland was allowed to join the UN and the Nordic Council (both 1955). Associate member of EFTA in 1961.

  • Porkkala was handed back in 1956.

    • Officially as a sign of ’good friendship’, but also decreasing military importance to the USSR.

The Note Crisis of 1961

  • The Berlin Wall was built in 1961, and the Soviet Union was worried about West Germany growing stronger.

  • Meanwhile, the Social Democrats and Kokoomus put forward Olavi Honka as an opponent to Kekkonen in the 1962 presidential elections.

  • The Soviet Union sent a note to Finland in October 1961, wanting to initiate negotiations regarding military cooperation in accordance with the 1948 treaty, with reference to West Germany’s regained military strength.

  • Kekkonen met with Khrushchev in Novosibirsk, and Honka stepped down as candidate.

The Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe

  • Almost all European countries, as well as the US and Canada took part in a conference to promote peace, security and human rights.

  • The closing meeting of the third meeting was held in Helsinki in 1975.

  • The conference marked a high point of détente during the Cold War and Finland’s Kekkonen (in picture together with Soviet leader Brezhnev) promoted himself as a bridge-builder between the East and the West.

The 1980s and 1990s

  • In 1982, Mauno Koivisto (SDP, picture) became the first socialist president of Finland. He continued on Kekkonen’s line of foreign policy.

    • He f.ex. asked the USSR if Kokoomus could be included in the government in 1987.

  • As Soviet control of Eastern Europe weakened under Gorbachev in the late 1980s, Finland’s autonomy in its foreign policy increased.

  • How did the collapse of the USSR affect Finland?

    • Economically, which led to a recession

    • Less censorship

    • Worse relationship with Russia.