from: Finland; In: Encyclopaedia
Judaica 1971, vol. 6
<FINLAND, (Finnish
Suomi), republic in N. Europe.
[Swedish Finland without Jews -
Russian Finland without Jews - Cantonists staying in Helsinki and
Vyborg - local resistance with brutal restrictions]
Until 1809 it was part of the kingdom of Sweden, where Jews had been
prohibited from settling within its borders. When in 1809 Finland
became a grand duchy in the Russian Empire, Czar Alexander I declared
that he would not change any of the existing Swedish laws, and the
prohibition on Jewish (col. 1295)
settlement in Finland therefore continued.
The first Jews to settle in Finland were *Cantonists [[children of Jews
who served in Russian military]] who served in the garrisons in
Helsinki (in the Sveaborg fort) and in Vyborg for 25 years, and were
permitted when discharged to remain in Finland. Every residence permit
issued to them, however, was bitterly opposed by the local authorities.
On failing to have the permit given by the Russians withdrawn, the
Finnish authorities endeavored to undermine the position of the Jews
by a series of severe restrictions, limiting their places of residence,
curtailing their freedom of movement in the province, and limiting the
occupations open to them.
Jews were subject to constant control by the Finnish police, who
required them to renew their residence permits every three months. They
were permitted to deal in second-hand clothes only and forbidden to
leave their city of residence or attend the fairs. The slightest
violation of any of these limitations served as a ground for expulsion
from Finland. Children were allowed to live with their parents only
until coming of age. Jews conscripted to the army and transferred to
Russia were were not allowed to return to Finland after their
discharge. For relief from these disabilities the Jews could only turn
to the military governor in St. Petersburg who was responsible for the
Jewish soldiers. (col. 1296)
[Long struggle for equal rights:
clergy against, land owners for the Jews - parliament rejects new
Jewish rights in 1872 - new trade for Jews end of 1870s - the Finnish
press denies all Jewish rights in the 1880s]
The struggle for equal rights for Jews continued for many decades and
was taken up in the Finnish and Swedish press and in debated in the
Finnish
sejm (parliament).
Opposition came mainly from the clergy, while many landowners were
sympathetic toward the Jewish problem.
In 1872 two members of the
sejm,
Leo Mechelin and Antti Puhakka, called for the removal of some of these
limitations on the Jews as the "people of the Book" but the
sejm rejected the proposal. Toward
the late 1870s Jews began to deal in new clothes with they produced or
imported from factories in St. Petersburg. The debate on Jewish
emancipation continued in the press during the 1880s. While the Swedish
intelligentsia demanded reforms, the reactionary Finnish press
obstinately opposed any change in the statutes of the Jews. The
anti-Semites Meurman and Kihlman were opposed by Prof. Runenberg, son
of the celebrated Finnish poet, by Bishop Alopacus and by Barons
Alfthan and Wrede.
[Law of residence in towns since
1889 - Socialist movement since 1905 for Jewish rights]
A law authorizing Jews to reside in the cities of Helsinki, Turku, and
Vyborg was enacted in 1889. At that time there were 1,000 Jews resident
in Finland.
At the beginning of the 20th century, mainly after the Russian
revolution of 1905, signs of sympathy toward Jews were manifested by
the nascent socialist movement in Finland. However in 1908 the
restrictions still remained in force. The Danish-Jewish author George
*Brandes, who went on a lecture tour in Finland that year, stated
ironically in an interview with the Finnish press before he left:
"I have committed three serious sins here. As a Jews, I was permitted
to stay in your country for only three days, however I have stayed here
for four consecutive days; as a Jews, I was permitted only to trade in
rags, however here I lectured on world literature; and as a Jew, it is
forbidden for me to marry here, but in spite of all this no one
prohibited me from courting in your country..."
[Racist Zionist congress in
Helsinki 1906 - Jewish rights in Finnish parliament in 1909 are
delayed by the Russian government - full civil rights only since 1917]
Encyclopaedia Judaica (1971): Finland, vol. 6, col. 1297, the interior
of the Helsinki synagogue
In 1906 the third convention of Russian [[racist]] Zionists met in
Helsinki and adopted the *
Helsingfors
Program. In 1909 the liberal elements in the Finnish parliament
overcame the opposition of the extreme conservatives and by a majority
of 112 to 48 a law was accepted abolishing the restrictions. However,
the Russian government delayed its ratification and the Jews did not
receive full civil rights until 1917 when Finland became independent.
Between the two world wars the Jewish population increased to 2,000 as
a result of immigration from Russia during the early period of the
revolution. Many of the Jewish youth studied in universities, and Jews
entered the liberal professions as physicians, lawyers, and engineers.
Others turned to industry and forestry, but the majority continued in
the textile and clothing business. With a few isolated exceptions the
Jews did not take part in internal (col. 1297)
party politics or join any political movement. The author and Mizrachi
leader Simon *Federbusch officiated as chief rabbi of Finland from 1930
to 1940.
[WW II with Jews on the Finnish
side - 1 deportation of Jewish refugees from Austria and the Baltic
countries]
During the Finnish-Russian War of 1939-40, Jews fought alongside the
Finns. When Viipuri (Vyborg) was annexed to the Soviet Union, the Jews
(about 300 persons) evacuated the city along with the Finns. During
World War II (1941-44) Finland fought on the German side against the
Soviet Union, but, despite strong German pressure, the Finnish
authorities, headed by Field Marshal Mannerheim refused to enforce
anti-Jewish legislation. 160 Jews who did not possess Finnish
nationality found refuge in neutral Sweden. At one stage the Finns
yielded and allowed the Gestapo to deport 50 Jews from Finland who had
arrived as refugees from Austria and the Baltic countries before the
Nazi invasion. However, after dispatch of the first transport of 11
Jews, who were murdered at their destination, Mannerheim and the
Finnish authorities refused to continue the operation. The peace
treaty between the Allies and Finland prohibited racial discrimination
and thereafter Jews again enjoyed full civil rights.
[Post-war times: full civil rights
for Jews - Yiddish often spoken in Finland - mixed marriages -
emigration wave to Palestine]
The Jewish community in Finland has always been deeply conscious of its
Jewish traditions, and Yiddish is widely used by the older generation.
In 1968 the Jewish population numbered 1,750 (approximately 1,330 in
Helsinki, 350 in Turku, and 50 in Tampere). Jewish kindergartens,
elementary and high schools, in existence in Helsinki for some 50
years, were attended by most Jewish children, including those of mixed
marriages. The rate of intermarriage was high. Twenty-nine Jewish
youths from Finland fought in the Israel War of Independence, and over
100 Finnish Jews settled in the State of [[racist Zionist Free Mason
CIA Herzl]] Israel, mostly in the agricultural sector.
[Y.GA.] (col. 1298)
Relations with [[racist Zionist
Free Mason CIA Herzl]] Israel
In 1948 formal relations were established between Finland and [[racist
Zionist Free Mason CIA Herzl]] Israel, first by reciprocal appointment
of honorary consuls. In February 1951, Israel appointed Abraham Nissan,
its minister in Sweden, as its nonresident minister in Helsinki. In
1953 a regular Israel legation was established in Helsinki, headed by a
chargé d'affaires.
In 1960 with the expansion of political and cultural ties between the
two countries, a resident Israel minister was appointed in Finland and
a Finnish minister in [[racist Zionist Free Mason CIA Herzl]] Israel.
In 1962 both missions were elevated to the ambassadorial level. At that
time Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion visited Finland on the invitation
of its government, as part of his tour of Scandinavian countries, and
was warmly received by the public and government officials.
Encyclopaedia Judaica (1971): Finland, vol. 6, col. 1299, a group of
Finnish girls entering Jerusalem on the
last day of the Four-Day March,
1965. Courtesy Government Press Office, Tel Aviv
In May 1967
the prime minister of Finland, Raphael Paasio, reciprocated by an
official visit to [[racist Zionist Free Mason CIA Herzl]] Israel. In
1968 Foreign Minister Abba Eban visited Helsinki on the invitation of
the Finnish foreign minister. (col. 1298)
The Six-Day War (1967) aroused great emotion in all sectors of the
Finnish people. There were numerous expressions of support for and
identification with [[racist Zionist Free Mason CIA Herzl]] Israel as a
small nation fighting against great odds, reminiscent of the experience
of the Finnish nation. Internationally its neutral status and proximity
to the U.S.S.R. force a cautious approach on Finland; its policy with
regard to [[racist Zionist Free Mason CIA Herzl]] Israel has been
neutral but sympathetic.
Cultural ties have developed between Finland and [[racist Zionist Free
Mason CIA Herzl]] Israel. Several years ago a movement was established,
mainly religiously based, called "Carmel", aimed at brining to Israel
annually a group of youngsters for a few month's training in the Hebrew
language and acquaintance with Israel life. Tourism from Finland to
[[racist Zionist Free Mason CIA Herzl]] Israel increased, especially
from 1968.
In 1954 a League for Finnish-Israel friendship was established, with
past Prime Minister K.A. Fagerholm as president. Finland's trade with
[[racist Zionist Free Mason CIA Herzl]] Israel comprise paper,
cellulose, and paper products. In 1955 mutual trade reached
$17,000,000. At the beginning the balance was in Israel's favor but in
recent years the balance has shifted in favor of Finnish exports. In
1969 Finnish exports to [[racist Zionist Free Mason CIA Herzl]] Israel
totaled $10,914,000 while Israel's exports to Finland totaled
$6,652,000.
[M.AVI.]
Encyclopaedia Judaica (1971): Finland, vol. 6, col. 1296, map with the
major centers of Jewish population in Finland, 1970
-- S. Federbusch: world Jewry Today (1959), 538-42
-- AJYB, 60 (1961), 223-7
-- A. Sarsowsky: Gli ebrei in Finlandia [[Hebrew people in Finland]]
(1911 = Settimana Israelitica [[Jewish Weekly]], 1910)
-- P. Friedman: They Were Their Brothers' Keepers (1957), 143-8
-- J. Wolf, in: Algemeyne Entsiklopedye Yidn [[General Yiddish
Encyclopaedy]], 7 (1966), 292-9
-- N. Levin: The Holocaust (1968), 399-401.> (col. 1299)
Sources
|
Encyclopaedia Judaica (1971): Finland, vol. 6, col. 1295-1296
|
Encyclopaedia Judaica (1971): Finland, vol. 6, col. 1297-1298
|
Encyclopaedia Judaica (1971): Finland, vol. 6, col. 1299
|
