Back to the history page. Finland gained independence from Russia in 1917 but the anniversary of was not celebrated in 1918 – as 6 December was not officially designated as Independence Day until the following year. Greece: On March 25, 1821 In 1918 … In May 1918, the fortress was renamed Suomenlinna (‘Castle of Finland’) to reflect Finland’s independence, and it was annexed to the state of Finland. Independence was made possible by the development of the nation, upheavals in Europe and the nation’s strong desire for independence. Presently there are ongoing excavations in Ostrobothnia, in what is called the Wolf Cave in Kristiinankaupunki, or Kristinestad in Swedish. 1917 - The Russian Revolution allows Finland to declare its independence. In his recent New Year’s address, Finnish president Sauli Niinistö shocked many by discussing the still festering wounds of the 1918 Finnish Civil War. [6] The Finnish markka was introduced as currency in 1860 by the Bank of Finland, which Snellman pegged to silver instead of the ruble. Negotiations began between the Russian Provisional Government and Finnish authorities. Keywords: Civil War, Finland 1918, Revolution in Finland, War of Independence in Finland, War representations in theatre, Political narratives in theatre, Cultural trauma, Piotr Sztompka, Trauma processes, Trauma treatment, National reconciliation, Identity, Cold War, Labour movement, The Jaeger Movement, Historiography In 1809, Finland was conquered by Czar Alexander I of Russia and became an independent grand duchy of the Russian Empire until 1917. Image of the Declaration in Finnish with the senators' signatures, Image of the Declaration in Swedish with the senators' signatures. Ideology and nationalism: The Finnish move to independence, 1809–1918. In the … Republic of Finland. [4] Governing bodies for Finland were developed after 1809, when it was “elevated as a nation among nations” (as declared by Tsar Alexander I) by becoming an autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland under the Russian tsar. The central figure of the time was Akseli Gallen-Kallela. [5], Image of the Declaration in Finnish with the senators' signatures, Image of the Declaration in Swedish with the senators' signatures, Text of Finland's Declaration of Independence, Translation from the Finnish language by B.Holm, 25 July 2009. ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Independence_of_Finland&oldid=994796174, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 17 December 2020, at 15:59. The Civil War of 1918 made the first year of independence one of the bloodiest in Finland's history. The West, however, said they would wait until the former ruler, Russia, recognized the declaration. The attempt to establish a monarchy in Finland failed and in 1919 Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg became the first president. FINLAND: Medal of the Order of the Cross of Liberty, 1918, Bronze II Class. In his recent New Year’s address, Finnish president Sauli Niinistö shocked many by discussing the still festering wounds of the 1918 Finnish Civil War. La déclaration d'indépendance finlandaise fut adoptée par le Parlement de Finlande … On 18 March 1742, during the Russian occupation in the Russo-Swedish War (1741–1743), Empress Elizabeth of Russia issued a proclamation in the Finnish language to the Finnish people asking them to create a Finland which would be independent from both Sweden and Russia. The years 1917 and 1918 were decisive for the emergence of independent states in the region discussed, as demands for autonomy gained momentum and quickly evolved into claims for independence. Toutes ces mesures attentent à la … The parliament approved the Declaration of Independence on 6 December which, two years later, was chosen as the day on which independence would be celebrated. And widely over all the horrors of the war is heard a voice, that one of the goals of the present war is to be, that no nation shall be forced against its will to be dependent on another (nation). Finns celebrate their Independence Day with window decorations in stores, public flag displays and other patriotic, decorative items in the blue and white of the Finnish flag. The war ended in the Whites’ victory. Bottom left: Temporary national flag 1917-1918. Finalement, le général Rüdiger von der Goltz est en mesure de profiter de la faiblesse de la Finlande au bénéfice politique de l'Empire allemand. The Finnish Declaration of Independence (Finnish: Suomen itsenäisyysjulistus; Swedish: Finlands självständighetsförklaring; Russian: Провозглашение независимости Финляндии) was adopted by the Parliament of Finland on 6 December 1917. From several suggestions, the parliament selected a blue and white flag, which was flown over the house of parliament on 28 May 1918. This paragraph provided for the election of a new monarch in case of the extinction of the royal line and was interpreted in Finland as vesting sovereignty in the Estates, later the Parliament, during such an interregnum. The Finnish Civil War was fought between the socialist Reds and the non-socialist Whites in the newly sovereign state. The Finns elected Duke Peter of Holstein-Gottorp (who later became heir to the throne of Russia and Tsar as Peter III) to be the King of Finland. German Retreat and Independence Wars (1918–1921) ↑ While the German Ostseedivision under the command of Rüdiger von der Goltz was shipped back from Finland to Germany in December 1918, a multitude of old and new actors began to struggle for power in the Baltics, with alliances shifting quickly. The approximately 40,000 Russian troops remaining in Finland in January 1918 helped the Finnish Reds to a small extent, especially in such technical areas as artillery, but these troops were withdrawn after the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk on March 3, 1918, and … The food situation was particularly difficult as 60 percent of grain required had been imported. In 1918 Finland declared its independence from which country? Russia turned these provinces, populated by a largely Finnish-speaking people, into the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland. Steinberg and Karelin were Left Socialist Revolutionaries (eser) in this only coalition government (Dec. 25, 1917-March 16, 1918 New Style) in Soviet Russia. If confirmed, this site will be the oldest archeological site in Finland, and is likely to be the only Neanderthal, or pre-glacial, site found so far in the Nordic countries, around 130,000 years old. The February and October Revolutions in 1917 ignited hope in the Grand Duchy of Finland. Soon, the fortress housed various Defence Forces units and Suomenlinna became a Finnish garrison. The government of Finland, i.e. Svinhufvud followed their advice, as Finland wanted Germany's recognition as soon as possible. the Senate, … The Senate returned to the Parliament with a Declaration of Independence and proposal for a new republican Instrument of Government on 4 December. Work towards independence had commenced in March 1917 following the abdication of the Russian tsar. This paragraph provided for the election of a new monarch in case of the extinction of the royal line and was interpreted in Finland as vesting sovereignty in the estates, later the Parliament, in such an interregnum. German support for the Whites made Finland an explicit theater of the First World War. At the time of the vote it was believed that the Provisional Government would be quickly defeated by the rebellion in Saint Petersburg. The revolution of 1917 in Russia and Finland’s independence cut off Russian trade, which was devastating for Finland’s economy. The Order was established in 1918 during the War for the Independence of Finland. Declaring the independence was only part of the long process leading to the independence of Finland. Photo: cc by 4.0/Helsinki City Museum The White victors had placed their hopes in a monarchy with strong ties to Germany, but that country’s eventual defeat in the First World War put an end to the idea. Germany, which was in middle of peace negotiations with Soviet Russia, pressured Finns to talk to Lenin and the Council of People's Commissars. Finland - Finland - The struggle for independence: Nationalism had already begun to raise its head in Russia before the end of Alexander II’s reign, but his strong-minded successor, Alexander III, who had a personal liking for Finland, was able to resist the demands of the Russian nationalists for the abolition of Finnish autonomy and the absorption of the Finns into the Russian nation.