Finland is included in the Russian Empire. Russian-Finnish relations

Finland was ruled by Sweden for 600 years. From 1809 to 1917 it was an autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, which was part of the Russian Empire. In 1917 Finland gained independence.

Since the 12th century, Finland has entered the sphere of Western culture.

Since the 18th century, the country has developed a special relationship with Russia, and its history has been influenced by the changing balance of power in Europe and the Baltic region.

Part of Western Europe

Despite the eastern location of the country, culturally Finland developed as part of Western Europe. Since the expansion of the Roman Empire never reached the northern fringes of Europe, Christianity, in the form of the Roman Catholic Church, took root in Finland and Scandinavia only in the 9th and 10th centuries.

Simultaneously with the spread of Christianity, Finland became more and more closely a part of the Kingdom of Sweden. Rapprochement proceeded in stages, and at the beginning of the 16th century, the southwestern part of the territory of modern Finland became integral part Sweden.

This has had a significant impact on further development Finland. The country has taken root Western social order, Western values ​​and practices based on them Everyday life. In parallel with this, a Swedish-speaking minority settled on the southern and western coast of Finland, which still exists in the country.

In 1527, finding that the state treasury was empty, the king of Sweden, Gustav Vasa, followed the example of the principalities of Northern Germany. The property of the Roman Catholic Church was seized with reference to the teachings of Martin Luther, according to which the church is a community of believers, and therefore its property should belong to the people.

The rift with the Pope deepened over the following decades, and thus the eastern part of the Kingdom of Sweden - Finland - became the farthest northeast territory of Protestant Europe. As a result of the Reformation movement, gradually, step by step, Finnish writing began to be created.

In 1584, a translation of the New Testament into Finnish was published by the church reformer Mikael Agricola. The modern Finnish language is based on a combination of dialects, primarily from Western Finland.

Russia and Finland 1500–1700 centuries

At the end of the 16th century, about 300,000 inhabitants lived in Finland. Half of them settled along the coast of the southwestern part of the country and lived by agriculture and fishing. The second half of the inhabitants were primarily engaged in burning agriculture, deer breeding and hunting in the vast and dense forests of the interior.

Of the seven cities in the country, mention should be made of the center of the episcopate of Turku, the gates of eastern Finland, Vyborg and Helsinki, founded by Gustav Vasa in 1550 as a competitor to Tallinn. Helsinki turned out to be a sad failure and really did not mean anything - its importance began to grow only in the second half of the 18th century thanks to a large bridge built on the approaches to the city from the sea. sea ​​fortress Sveaborg (since 1918 Suomenlinna).

The geographical location of Finland as an outpost in the east of Sweden has led to negative consequences. Since the 15th century, Russia has developed as single state, and has since waged recurring wars with its western neighbors for several centuries. One of the opponents was Sweden, which grew during the 16th century into the dominant power in the region. Baltic Sea and then in the 17th century into a strong player on the larger European scene.

During the Great Northern War (1700-1712), this role passed from Sweden to Russia, which was of decisive importance for Finland, because in 1703 the Russian emperor Peter the Great founded a new capital, St. Petersburg, in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland at the mouth of the Neva, rapidly becoming a northern European metropolis.

The more St. Petersburg grew, the more important for both Sweden and Russia was the geopolitical position of Finland for security. The large defensive fortress of Sveaborg (“Swedish fortress”) on the outskirts of Helsinki from the sea was built with the help of the French specifically to repel Russian expansion and the threat from the huge Russian naval base in Kronstadt.

Grand Duchy of Finland 1809–1917

As a result of the Peace of Friedrichsgam in September 1809, all of Finland was annexed to the expanding Russian Empire. A long period of peace and especially large social reforms carried out from the 1860s contributed to the gradual emergence of industry and trade.

However, when Russia and Sweden clashed again in the diplomatic chain reaction caused by the Napoleonic Wars in 1808–1809, the Russians surrounded the fortress and bombarded it, forcing it to surrender prematurely, and as a result of the Peace of Friedrichsham in September 1809, all of Finland was annexed to expanding Russian empire.

At the beginning of the 19th century, Russia was not in the administrative sense a unitary state, but rather resembled a patchwork quilt consisting of several states. Therefore, Finland, which was granted the status of an autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, retained the Lutheran Church and the administrative culture of Sweden, and, in addition, even its own government - the Senate - and the Minister of State Secretary, who represented the affairs of Finland directly to the emperor. In addition, Emperor Alexander the First annexed the Karelian Isthmus to the Grand Duchy, which Russia had won back from Sweden at the beginning of the 18th century.

To strengthen the new union of states, Alexander the First decided in 1812 to transfer the capital of the Principality of Finland from Turku to Helsinki and at the same time ordered the city to be completely rebuilt.

Around Senate Square A majestic center in the Empire style, familiar from St. Petersburg and Berlin, but new to Finland, was erected. Over the following decades, a lively administrative center with regular planning. The role and importance of Helsinki was enhanced by the transfer in 1827 to Helsinki of the University founded in 1640 in Turku.

Based on Swedish management culture

The Russian authorities saw in Finland primarily an outpost Russian empire beyond the northwest. In Finland, many also believed that the country would gradually merge with the ever-expanding Russian empire. But that did not happen. Swedish state structure different from the Russian culture of state administration, and the ongoing trade relations with Sweden contributed to the preservation special features Finland.

The growth of the self-consciousness of the nation

When national ideas spread in Finland in the 1840s, a solid ideological basis for independent development was created. The pioneers were, first of all, the creator of the Kalevala epic (1835) Elias Lennrut, the poet J. L. Runeberg, the philosopher, senator J. V. Snellman, who fought for Finnish to become the first state language instead of Swedish in both management and culture .

At the end of the 19th century, nationalist ideas were strong among the people of Finland, many participated in various public organizations in which Finland was seen as independent in the future.

Economic development of the 1800 century

The favorable development of the economy also contributed to the development of the ideas of independence. A long period of peace, and especially major social reforms since the 1860s, contributed to the gradual emergence of industry and commerce. The sales market was located both in Russia and in Western Europe. The main engines of the economy were the food and paper industries. The standard of living rose rapidly, the population increased - in a hundred years the population has tripled. By the beginning of the First World War, the population of Finland was about three million people.

Proximity to St. Petersburg contributed to the development of the economy, at the same time, however, posing a threat in terms of security policy. As tensions arose between the great powers, Russia tried to tie Finland more closely to the empire, leading to prolonged political friction.

After Russia lost the war with Japan in 1905, the emperor had to agree to a number of reforms. In Finland, liberalization led to the creation in 1906 of a democratically elected parliament based on universal and equal suffrage. Finnish women were the first in Europe to gain political rights.

Independence and the Finnish Civil War

On December 6, 1917, the Parliament of Finland, on the proposal of the Senate, declared the country an independent republic. There was no power in the country capable of maintaining order, and two months later a civil war broke out. Finland's accession to Russia in 1809 was one of the results of a geopolitical chain reaction. Similar historical processes led to the complete independence of the country for last stage First World War. Tired of three years of war, Russia was going through a period of devastation and chaos, and after the Bolsheviks seized power in Russia, the Finnish Parliament, on the proposal of the Senate, on December 6, 1917, declared the country an independent republic.

There was no power in the country capable of maintaining order, and two months later a civil war broke out, which was practically part of the chaos raging in Russia. In May 1918, the Finnish White Army, with the decisive support of the German units, completely defeated the socialist rebels, who in turn received weapons from Russia.

After Germany was defeated in the World War, the original plan to turn Finland into a constitutional monarchy was changed, and a republican form of government was introduced in the summer of 1919. It existed unchanged until 2000, until the moment when the internal political rights of the president were limited.

The first three decades of independence were a test of strength for the young country.

The first decades of an independent state

The first three decades of independence were a test of strength for the young country. The country was doing well economically. Western Europe has largely replaced the Russian market, the culture has gone through a number of changes and gained international recognition. The political development of the country was, however, complicated by the legacy of the civil war. Old wounds were not healed, and the domestic political field was split for a long time. In the early 1930s, the anti-communist tendencies of the radical right were so strong that the parliamentary system was threatened.

In the spring of 1937, however, a parliament was formed on a broad platform. He united the political forces of the peasantry and the working class and set the stage for a national consensus and a modern Finnish welfare state.

Winter War and Continuation War

However, in the autumn of 1939, the stable, peaceful period of the development of society ended abruptly. The Second World War began. The Soviet Union demanded territorial concessions from Finland. Again, the proximity of Finland to St. Petersburg or Leningrad played a decisive role.

Finland did not make territorial concessions, and on November 30, 1939, the Red Army launched a large-scale offensive against Finland. The Finnish army managed, however, to stop the offensive. The Red Army, both in numbers and in the degree of armament, was many times superior to the troops of Finland, but the Finns had strong motivation, knew the terrain better and were much better equipped and prepared for combat operations in extreme conditions - the winter of 1939-1940 was exceptionally cold.

In the vast forests to the north, the Finnish army surrounded and destroyed two Soviet divisions. The winter war lasted 105 days. In March 1940, a peace treaty was signed. The Soviet Union was afraid that the Western allies would intervene in the war on the side of Finland, and Moscow at this stage limited itself to territorial demands on Finland and the creation military base on the leased lands of the Hanko (Gangut) peninsula, on the southwestern coast of the country.

Continuation War

Independence was preserved, but the Winter War left a deep mark on the minds of the Finns. The Western press treated Finland with sympathy, Sweden helped financially in many ways, but militarily the Finns were completely alone. It was a hard lesson. Since then, the leadership of the Finnish state and most of the people have understood that neither the Western allies nor the northern neighbors will come to the rescue if only the independence and sovereignty of Finland are at stake.

Understanding this, President Risto Ryti and Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Army Gustav Mannerheim in the winter of 1940-1941 tacitly accepted the German proposal for military assistance. Neither one nor the other were adherents of Nazism, but both believed that military cooperation with Nazi Germany was the only salvation against the new aggression of the Red Army.

In June 1941, when the Germans launched Operation Barbarossa, the Finns were already absolutely ready for the offensive. The Red Army subjected many Finnish cities to aerial bombardment, so the Finnish government was able to call the offensive of the Finnish army, which began two weeks later, defensive battles.

Finland never entered into a political alliance with Germany, in the so-called Continuation War (1941-1944) she pursued her national goals. However, militarily, it was clearly a joint war against the Soviet Union. Germany re-equipped the Finnish army, fought on the northern fronts of the country and supplied a significant part of the necessary weapons and raw materials for the country throughout the joint war.

In June 1944, when the Soviet Union launched a powerful artillery barrage and a massive offensive on the Karelian Isthmus in order to force Finland to conclude a separate peace, the support of the German troops helped the Finns stop the advance of the Red Army at a decisive moment.

Shortly thereafter, the German army came under increasing pressure from two directions as a result of the Allied landings in Normandy, and this opened up the possibility of concluding an armistice agreement in September 1944 between Finland, the USSR and the allied states. The agreement was then consolidated by the Paris Peace Treaty of 1947.

Finland again had to make major territorial concessions and agree to the establishment of a large Soviet military base west of Helsinki. In addition, the country was forced to pay large reparations to the USSR and to prosecute the government that was in power during the war.

Finland's position in Europe during the Cold War was in many ways exceptional. Unlike the countries of Eastern Europe, Finland was never occupied by Soviet troops. Finland's position in Europe during the Cold War was in many ways exceptional. Unlike the countries of Eastern Europe, Finland has never been occupied by Soviet troops. The country remained a Western democracy, and thanks to extremely rapid industrialization in the 1970s, it reached the same standard of living as the countries of Western Europe. This made possible the creation of the northern model of the welfare state. However, throughout the period cold war Finland had to take into account the security interests of the Soviet Union.

In April 1948, Finland concluded with the Soviet Union the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance. Under the terms of the treaty, Finland undertook to oppose any offensive directed against Finland or against the USSR through Finnish territory. The agreement was valid until 1991. Thanks to him, relations between the two countries stabilized, and the foundation was laid for broad economic cooperation, which naturally contributed to the favorable social development of Finland.

The negative side of the treaty was that it did not build trust Western countries to the policy of non-alignment, which was actively pursued by the Finnish government. Nevertheless, President Urho Kekkonen, who ruled the country for a quarter of a century (1956-1981), gradually managed to win international respect in this balancing act between East and West. The common border with the USSR, 1,300 kilometers long, was an irresistible geographical reality. So that Finland would not have to suffer much from this, the export-oriented industry was allowed to conclude profitable trade agreements with the EFTA (1961) and the EEC (1973).

Thus, Finland managed not to come into conflict with a strong eastern neighbor and at the same time to have ever closer economic ties with Western Europe. In early August 1975, the leaders of 35 countries of Europe and North America gathered in Helsinki to sign the final document of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. The document recognized the political division of Europe. In Helsinki, the general rules of the game on human rights issues were agreed upon, which the political dissidents of the countries of the socialist bloc seized passionately on. The process started in Helsinki eventually led to the final collapse of the Soviet empire in 1991.

Such a sharp turn neither in Finland nor in many other countries could have been foreseen. Although the growth rate was not as strong as in the 1960s and 1970s, Finland continued to prosper well into the 1980s.

During the presidency of Mauno Koivisto (1982-1994), the governments of the country were in power for the entire period of office, which gave stability to the internal politics of the country, whose population reached five million.

New technologies flourished. The dismantling of the state television and radio monopoly began. Telephone networks were also liberalized in the same way, which in general created strong market conditions for the technological revolution of the 1990s in the field of both wired and wireless information communications.

As in many other countries, the release of transnational capital in the late 1980s caused the Finnish economy to overheat. This was followed by the collapse of the Soviet Union, a sharp decline in exports to the east and west, and incompetent financial policies.

Economic crisis of the early 1990s

All this led to a deep economic crisis in 1991-1994. In the worst period, unemployment reached about 20 percent of the entire working-age population. Entire industries went out of business, public debt rose to alarming levels, but the welfare state structures held on, and a strong economic boom began in 1995 that continued well into the next century. Coincidentally or not, Nokia has gone through the same growth curve and has now become a leading concern in the global market. In the early 1990s, this flagship of the Finnish industry was on the verge of bankruptcy.

Finland and the European Union

During the deepest economic crisis in the spring of 1992, the Finnish government decided to apply for membership in the European Union. The decision was based both on the situation in the Finnish economy and on aspects of security policy. In the union of Western countries, the vision of a common market was just ripening, with a single foreign policy and security policy. For a country like Finland, this seemed like a smart decision.

In Finland, not without reason, the internal political development of Russia was observed with concern. Two years later, an agreement was concluded on the terms of accession. In October 1994, a consultative referendum was held, and about 58 percent of Finns supported joining the European Union. Finland joined the EU on 1 January 1995.

At the first stage, membership in the EU was perceived as extremely important for the Finnish identity - it has always been important for Finns to maintain relations with the West and, in general, with Western civilization. This manifested itself clearly in 1998, when the parliament decided on Finland's participation in the single economic and monetary union of the EU with the introduction of the euro.

In the autumn of 1999, when Finland held its first EU presidency, the country was enthusiastic about the EU. Enthusiasm later waned, despite the fact that Finland is among those EU countries that received the greatest benefit from membership both economically and in regard to security policy.

The cooling towards the EU and its structures is caused by many reasons. First of all, the EU economy was not in the best shape in the early 2000s, and the eastward expansion of the European Union in the spring of 2004 brought new problems to the surface. An even more important reason why Finns have become more casual about the EU is the rapid changes in the world economy, as well as in information technology.

The European Union exists. Let's hope it stays for Europeans common house. And now it is much easier to move with words, sounds, images and, of course, just physically, for example, by plane to other continents and perceive the “big world” outside of European shores.

For a country like Finland, where computer technology is often childlike, this trend can be especially strong. Whatever the case, as we approach the second decade of the new century, Finland is doing well in this rapid cycle of change.

Text: Henrik Meinander, PhD, Professor of History, Head of the Faculty of History at the University of Helsinki.

Translation: Galina Pronina

The Grand Duchy of Finland enjoyed unprecedented autonomy. Russians went there to work and aspired to permanent residence. Finnish language and culture flourished.

Accession

Napoleon sought to make Russia an ally, and unequivocally promised her both Finland and the Balkans. It was not possible to agree on a close alliance, but one of the main demands on Russia was to promote the naval blockade of England. To do this, if necessary, a war with Sweden was implied, which provided the British with their ports.

In February 1808, the Russian army, led by Ostsee Busgevden, entered Finland. The hostilities continued for a whole year under the awkward leadership of Russian generals of German origin. Tired of the war, the parties made peace on terms that seemed obvious from the very beginning (it is not for nothing that the war is called Finnish in Swedish historiography) - Russia acquired Finland.

Grand Duchy of Finland: creation

Thus, the main Swedish code of laws, the General Code of the Kingdom of Sweden, has been preserved in Finland. The Government Council, independent of the St. Petersburg bureaucracy, later the Imperial Finnish Senate, which held meetings in Swedish, became the legislative body of power and the supreme judicial body of Finland.

A simple Finnish peasant

Old Finland and new Finland

The inclusion of old Finland in the principality because of this was accompanied by conflicts, and so sharp that the Seimas even proposed in 1822 to abandon the idea. However, the laws of the principality were nevertheless introduced on the territory of the province. Peasants did not want to become free tenants in Finland. Riots broke out in a number of volosts. Only by 1837 those peasants who did not sign the lease were evicted from the former lands.

Fennomania

Unlimited autonomy

Finns in the service of the emperor

Limitation of autonomy and Russification: an unsuccessful attempt

The Grand Duchy of Finland at the beginning of the 20th century

If this piece of northern Europe had not once been within the Russian Empire, it is still unknown whether such a state would exist today - Finland.

Swedish colony of Finland

At the beginning of the 12th century, Swedish merchants (and part-time pirates and robbers) crossed the Gulf of Bothnia and landed in what is now southern Finland. They liked the land, almost the same as they have in Sweden, even better, and most importantly - completely free. Well, almost free. Some semi-wild tribes wandered through the forests, muttering something in an incomprehensible language, but the Swedish Vikings waved their swords a little - and the Swedish crown was enriched with another fief (province).

The Swedish feudal lords who settled in Finland sometimes had a hard time. Lying on the other side of the Gulf of Bothnia, Sweden could not always provide assistance - it was hard to help distant Finland from Stockholm. All issues (hunger, enemy attacks, rebellions of conquered tribes) the Finnish Swedes had to solve, relying solely on their own strength. They fought against the violent Novgorodians, developed new lands, pushing the borders of their possessions to the north, independently concluded trade agreements with their neighbors, laid new castles and cities.

Gradually, Finland turned from a narrow coastal strip into a vast area. In the 16th century, the Swedish rulers of Finland, who gained strength, demanded from the king for their lands the status of not a province, but a separate principality within Sweden. The king estimated the united military power Swedish Finnish nobility and agreed with a sigh.

Finns in Swedish Finland

All this time, relations between the Swedes and the Finns were built according to the classical conqueror-subjugated scheme. Swedish language, Swedish customs, Swedish culture reigned in castles and palaces. The state language was Swedish, Finnish remained the language of the peasants, who until the 16th century did not even have their own alphabet and script.

It is difficult to say what fate awaited the Finns if they remained under the shadow of the Swedish crown. Perhaps they would adopt the Swedish language, culture, and eventually disappear as an ethnic group. Perhaps they would become on a par with the Swedes and today Sweden would have two official languages: Swedish and Finnish. However, one thing is for sure - they would not have their own state. But it turned out differently.

The first is not yet a world, but a European war

At the end of the 18th century, Europe entered the era of the Napoleonic Wars. The little corporal (who actually was quite normal in height - 170 cm) managed to kindle a fire throughout Europe. All European states were at war with each other. Military alliances and unions were concluded, coalitions were created and disintegrated, yesterday's enemy became an ally and vice versa.

For 16 years, the map of Europe has been constantly redrawn, depending on which side military happiness turned out to be in the next battle. European kingdoms and duchies either swelled to incredible sizes, or shrank to microscopic ones.

Dozens of entire states appeared and disappeared: the Batavian Republic, the Ligurian Republic, the Subalpine Republic, the Cispadan Republic, the Transpadan Republic, the Kingdom of Etruria ... It is not surprising that you have not heard of them: some of them existed for 2-3 years, or even less, for example, the Leman Republic was born on January 24, 1798, and died suddenly on April 12 of the same year.

Separate territories changed their overlord several times. Residents, like in a comedy film, woke up and were interested in whose power is in the city today, and what do they have today: a monarchy or a republic?

In the 19th century, Sweden had not yet matured to the idea of ​​neutrality in foreign policy and was actively involved in the game, considering itself equal in military and political power to Russia. As a result, in 1809 The Russian Empire grew with Finland.

Finland is part of Russia. Unlimited autonomy

The Russian Empire in the 19th century was often called the "prison of peoples." If this is true, then Finland in this "prison" got a cell with all the amenities. Having conquered Finland, Alexander I immediately declared that Swedish legislation was preserved on its territory. The country retained the status of the Grand Duchy of Finland with all the privileges.

The entire pre-existing administrative apparatus was preserved in permanence. The country, as before, was ruled by the Sejm and the Finnish Senate, all the legislative acts descending from St. Petersburg were implemented in Finland only after their approval by the Sejm, but now they came not from Stockholm, but from St. Petersburg and were signed not by the Swedish king, but by the Russian Emperor.

The Grand Duchy of Finland had its own constitution, different from Russia, its own army, police, post office, customs on the border with Russia, and even its own institution of citizenship (!). Only citizens of the Grand Duchy could hold any government positions in Finland, but not Russian subjects.

But the Finns had full rights in the empire and freely made a career in Russia, like the same Mannerheim, who went from cornet to lieutenant general. Finland had its own financial system and all taxes collected were directed only to the needs of the principality, not a single ruble was transferred to St. Petersburg.

Since the dominant position in the country was occupied by the Swedish language (all office work, teaching in schools and universities was conducted in it, it was spoken in the Sejm and in the Senate), it was declared the only state language.

Finland as part of Russia had the status of non-autonomy - it was a separate state, whose connection with the Russian Empire was limited to external attributes: a flag, a coat of arms and a Russian ruble that circulated on its territory. However, the ruble did not reign here for long. In 1860, the Grand Duchy of Finland had its own currency - the Finnish mark.

By the end of the 19th century, only foreign policy representation and questions remained behind the imperial power. strategic defense Great principality.

Finns against Swedish dominance

By the middle of the 19th century, many ethnic Finns appeared among the intelligentsia in Finland - they were the descendants of peasants who had learned and become people. They demanded not to forget that this country is called Finland and most of its population is still Finns, not Swedes, and therefore it is necessary to promote the Finnish language and develop Finnish culture in the country.

In 1858, the first Finnish gymnasium appeared in Finland, and the University of Helsingfors allowed the use of the Finnish language during disputes. A whole movement of fennomania arose, the adherents of which demanded that the Finnish language be given the status of a state language along with Swedish.

The Swedes, who occupied the upper social strata of Finnish society, categorically disagreed with this and in 1848 achieved the prohibition of the Finnish language in the principality. And then the Finns remembered that the Principality is part of the vast Russian Empire and that His Majesty the Sovereign Emperor is above the Senate and Seim.

In 1863, during the visit of Alexander II to Finland, Johan Snellman, a prominent statesman Principalities with a request to grant the vast majority of the people of Finland the right to speak their native language.

Alexander II, instead of sending a freethinker to the casemates of the Peter and Paul Fortress, made Finnish the second state language in Finland with his manifesto and introduced it into office work.

The offensive of the Russian Empire on the Finnish autonomy

By the end of the 19th century, this isolation of Finland became a stick in the carriage wheel of the Russian Empire. The approaching 20th century demanded the unification of legislation, the army, the creation of a single economy and financial system, and here Finland is a state within a state.

Nicholas II issued a manifesto in which he reminded the Finns that, in fact, the Grand Duchy of Finland was part of the Russian Empire and gave the command to Governor-General Bobrikov to bring Finland under Russian standards.

In 1890, Finland lost its postal autonomy. In 1900, Russian was declared the third state language in Finland, and all office work was translated into Russian. In 1901, Finland lost its army, it became part of the Russian one.

A law was passed that equalized the rights of the citizens of the Russian Empire with the citizens of Finland - they were allowed to hold public office and acquire real estate in the principality. Significantly reduced the rights of the Senate and the Sejm - the emperor could now introduce laws in Finland without agreeing with them.

Finnish outrage

The Finns, accustomed to their simply unlimited autonomy, perceived this as an unheard of encroachment on their rights. Articles began to appear in the Finnish press proving that "Finland is a special state, inextricably linked with Russia, but not part of it." There were open calls for the creation of an independent Finnish state. The national-cultural movement developed into a struggle for gaining independence.

By the beginning of the 20th century, it was already circulating all over Finland that it was time to move from proclamations and articles to radical means of fighting for independence. On June 3, 1904, in the building of the Finnish Senate, Eigen Shauman shot three times from a revolver at the Governor-General of Finland Bobrikov, mortally wounding him. Shauman himself shot himself after the assassination attempt.

Quiet Finland

In November 1904, scattered groups of nationalist radicals came together and founded the Finnish Active Resistance Party. A series of terrorist attacks began. They shot at governor-generals and prosecutors, policemen and gendarmes, bombs exploded in the streets.

The sports society "Union of Power" appeared, the young Finns who joined it mainly practiced shooting. After a whole warehouse was found in the premises of the society in 1906, it was banned, the leaders were put on trial. But, since the court was Finnish, everyone was acquitted.

Finnish nationalists established contacts with the revolutionaries. Socialist-Revolutionaries, Social Democrats, anarchists - all sought to provide all possible assistance to the fighters for an independent Finland. Finnish nationalists did not remain in debt. Lenin, Savinkov, Gapon and many others were hiding in Finland. The revolutionaries held their congresses and conferences in Finland, and illegal literature went to Russia through Finland.

The proud Finns' desire for independence in 1905 was supported by Japan, which allocated money for the purchase of weapons for Finnish militants. With the outbreak of the First World War, Germany took care of the problems of the Finns and organized a camp on its territory to train Finnish volunteers in military affairs. The trained specialists were to return home and become the fighting core of the national uprising. Finland was heading straight for an armed insurrection.

Births of the Republic

There was no rebellion. On October 26 (November 8), 1917, at 2:10 a.m., Antonov-Ovseenko, a representative of the Petrograd Military Revolutionary Committee, entered the Small Dining Room of the Winter Palace and declared the ministers of the Provisional Government who were there under arrest.

In Helsingfors, they paused and on December 6, when it became clear that the Provisional Government was not able to take control even of the capital, the eduskunta (Parliament of Finland) declared the independence of the country.

The first new state was recognized by the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian Soviet Republic(as it was called in the early days Soviet Russia). Over the next two months, Finland was recognized by most European states, including France and Germany, and in 1919 Great Britain joined them.

In 1808, the Russian Empire took into its bosom the seed of the future Finnish statehood. For more than a hundred years, Russia bore a fetus in its womb, which by 1917 had developed, grown strong and broke free. The kid turned out to be strong, had been ill with childhood infections (civil war) and got on his feet. And although the baby did not grow into a giant, today Finland is without a doubt an established state, and God bless her.

According to archeology, it is known that people settled in Finland in the Paleolithic era. The first information about this country in historical documents dates back to 98, when the Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus mentioned the Finns as an unusually wild and poor tribe.

In 800-1100, the lands of Finland become military trading bases for the Swedish Vikings. And in 1155, King Eric IX of Sweden commits crusade against the pagan Finns, which marked the beginning of more than 650 years of "Swedish period" in the history of Finland.

Finland is part of Russia

During the XVIII-XIX centuries, relations between Russia and Sweden were full of tension and dramatic moments, which could not but affect Finnish history.

The first Finnish lands became part of the Russian Empire in 1721, after the end of the Northern War. Russia received even larger territories of Finland, including South Karelia, as a result of the Russo-Swedish War in 1743.

final accession of Finland to Russia happened under Emperor Alexander I, after the end of the war of 1808-09. The country received the status of the Grand Duchy of Finland, its own Constitution and parliament, becoming one of the most autonomous parts of the Russian Empire.

Finland becomes an independent state

Independent history of Finland began on December 6, 1917, when a decision was made at a meeting of parliament to change the state system to a republican one and separate from Russia. Since then, Independence Day has been celebrated as one of the main public holidays in Finland.

Although the first state to officially recognize the independence of Finland was Soviet Russia, further relations between the two countries were not easy. In 1939-40, the USSR and Finland waged the so-called Winter War, during which a significant part of the Finnish territory was annexed in favor of a more powerful neighbor.

The opportunity to restore historical justice presented itself to the Finns with the beginning of World War II. In 1941, when Germany attacked the USSR, Finland actively supported the allies, occupying a significant part of Karelia, and later taking part in the blockade of Leningrad. The Russian-Finnish war continued until 1944, when Finland concluded a separate peace with the USSR, thus drawing itself into hostilities with its former ally Germany (the Lapland War).

Modern history of Finland

After the end of World War II, Finland did not become, like many European neighbors of the USSR, a socialist country. Remaining in line with capitalist development, Finland was able to build the most warm and good-neighborly relations with the Soviet Union, receiving considerable benefits from intermediary services in the latter's trade with the West.

The rapid economic recovery that began in the mid-1980s brought Finland closer to the countries of Western Europe. And at the nationwide referendum held in 1994, most of the Finns voted for the entry of this country into the European Union. On January 1, 1995, Finland became a full member of the EU and the European Monetary Union.

Of the year
Category: Geopolitics
Text: Russian Seven

in special status

Russia acquired its first experience in managing Finnish lands during the Great Northern War. Having occupied the territory of Finland in 1714, Russian troops were there for the next seven years. The Russian military leadership did its best to win over the Finns, declaring that it would guarantee legal protection to the local residents and provide patronage. Insulting the civilian population, willful collection of indemnities, looting and any manifestation of violence were punishable by death.
The Grand Duchy of Finland became part of the Russian Empire during the last Russo-Swedish War of 1808-1809. The acquisition was supported by the highest manifesto "On the conquest of Swedish Finland and its annexation forever to Russia." “As a result, We commanded to accept from the inhabitants her oath of allegiance to Our Throne,” Alexander I reported.
According to the document, the Russian government pledged to preserve the old laws and the Seim of Finland. Later, on the basis of decisions of the Seimas, it was decided to leave the settled system here. Russian troops. tax and financial system the emperor ordered to use the principalities only for the needs of the country itself, while monetary unit make Russian ruble.
Throughout the 19th century, the Principality of Finland enjoyed a fairly wide degree of autonomy, its own constitutional system and a calendar independent of St. Petersburg. The administration of the principality was carried out by the Senate, which was only nominally headed by the Russian Governor-General.
Historian, specialist in northern countries Ilya Solomesh notes that Finland was part of the Russian Empire with an absolutely special, unique status and with a set of features of the state. This, according to the historian, allowed representatives of the Finnish political elite to talk about full-fledged statehood.

Beloved king

In the center of Helsinki on the Senate Square there is a monument to the Russian Emperor Alexander II. Looking ahead, the king is surrounded by allegorical figures personifying his virtues: "Law", "Peace", "Light" and "Labor".
Finland really honors the Tsar-Liberator, who did a lot not only for the Russian, but also for the Finnish people. His reign is associated with the growth of the economy of the principality and the development of national culture. In 1865, he returned the national currency, the Finnish mark, to circulation, and two years later issued a decree that equalized the rights of the Finnish and Swedish.
During the reign of Alexander II, the Finns had their own post office, army, officials and judges, the first gymnasium in the principality was opened and compulsory schooling. Climax liberal politics Emperor in relation to Finland can be considered the approval in 1863 of the constitution, which consolidated the rights and foundations of the state system of the Finnish Principality.
When Alexander II was killed by the Narodnaya Volya in 1881, Finland met this news with bitterness and horror, notes historian Olga Kozyurenok. In that fateful March, the Finns lost a lot, because none of the reigning Romanovs was as favorable to Finland as Alexander II. Thanks to public donations, the grateful Finns erected a monument to their idol, which to this day is one of the symbols of Helsinki.

Forced convergence

With the accession of Alexander III, tendencies of the centralization of the country became noticeable, which largely affected the national outskirts. The authorities actively opposed the separatist aspirations of non-Russian peoples, trying to integrate them into the Russian cultural community.
In Finland, the Russification policy was carried out most consistently from 1899, with a short break until the collapse of the empire. In Finnish historiography, this period is usually called sortokaudet - "the time of persecution." And it all started with the February Manifesto of 1899, which established the right of the Grand Duke to legislate without the consent of the representative authorities of Finland.
It was followed by the language manifesto of 1900, which declared Russian the third official language Finland after Finnish and Swedish; army conscription law, which abolished certain Finnish armed forces and included them in the army of the Russian Empire.
It should also be noted the laws that sharply limited the rights of the Finnish Sejm in favor of the Russian Duma, and later dissolved the parliament and intensified repressive measures against the separatist movements in Finland.
Doctor of Historical Sciences Yuri Bulatov calls such a policy forced, noting that in the future tsarism intended to develop a model for managing Finnish lands that would simultaneously solve several problems: “Firstly, to ensure social stability in the Baltic region and minimize the risks of conflict situations both on religious and national grounds; secondly, to form a favorable image of Russia, which could become an attractive example for the Finnish population on the territory of the VKF, which remained part of Sweden.”
On the other hand, we must not forget about the aggravation of the international situation. Sweden could still threaten Russia, from the end of the 1870s the Baltic region fell into the zone of interests of Germany, which was gaining power, there were also England and France, who attacked Finland during the Crimean War.
Finland could well have been used by any of the listed powers to attack Russia, which jeopardized its capital, St. Petersburg, in the first place. Given the inability of the Finnish army to resist aggression, the need for a closer integration of the principality into the military-administrative structures of the empire became vital.

The vise is squeezing

The beginning of the systematic Russification of Finland was marked by the appointment in October 1898 of Nikolai Bobrikov as Governor-General of the Principality. It should be noted that Russification was carried out primarily in the administrative and legal sphere and practically did not affect the field of culture and education in Finland. For the central authorities, it was more important to create a unified legislative, economic and defense system.
The Russo-Japanese War shifted the priorities of the Russian Empire from west to east for several years, but since 1908, at the initiative of Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin, the Russian authorities continued their offensive against Finnish autonomy, which caused sharp discontent among the nationalist circles of Finland.
In 1913, laws were passed on the allocation of a loan from the treasury of the Grand Duchy of Finland for defense needs, as well as on the equality of Russian citizens in Finland. A year later, a significant contingent of the Russian army was deployed in Finland to ensure security and order. In November 1914, secret materials from the Russian government were leaked to the Finnish press, indicating the presence of a long-term program for the Russification of the country.

To freedom

The policy of Russification caused an unprecedented rise in the national movement and mass protests in Finland. A petition was sent to Nicholas II, which collected 500,000 signatures, asking him to cancel the February manifesto, but the tsar ignored it. In response, strikes and strikes became more frequent, and the tactics of "passive resistance" gained momentum. For example, in 1902, only half of the Finnish conscripts came to the recruiting stations.
The historian Ilya Solomeshch writes that at that time it was completely incomprehensible to the St. Petersburg official what kind of Russification the Finns were talking about, because from the point of view of the authorities, it was about unification, and not about making Russians out of Finns. According to the historian, the policy of St. Petersburg consisted in the gradual erosion of the foundations of Finnish autonomy, primarily through the transformation and unification of legislation. However, in Finland this was perceived only as an attack on the foundations of sovereignty.
The actions of the Russian authorities in Finland, unfortunately, only contributed to the radicalization of the separatist movement. The rebellious principality turned into a channel for the flow of money and literature for the Russian left; one of the bases of the First Russian Revolution was created here.
In June 1904, in Helsingfors (now Helsinki), Finnish nationalists killed the Governor-General Bobrikov, the Russian authorities in response defeated the Finnish secret society Kagal, which was fighting against the Russification of the country.
World War, February and October revolutions freed the separatist movement from the clutches of the autocracy. After the abdication of the emperor from power and a long absence of contenders for the throne, the Finnish parliament considered it necessary to choose the supreme power in the country.
On December 6, 1917, the independence of Finland was proclaimed.

Separatism under the tsar: who wanted to secede from the Russian Empire