THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF THE FIRST RUSSIAN EMIGRATION IN FINLAND

Annotation

The article is devoted to the fate and cultural identity of the first Russian emigration in Finland (1918–1939). The most notable emigrant groups were the local Russian population, “dachniks” and refugees fr om the RSFSR. Their number cannot be accurately estimated because of the mass illegal border crossing in the first half of the 1920s. Emigrants saw Finland as a calm harbor wh ere they could wait out the “red storm”. The official authorities of the country and the local population were not always loyal to the Russian emigrants. Despite this, they managed to create a unique and viable cultural, social and spiritual space. At the same time, Russian communities experienced certain problems: for example, social isolation and the lack of their prominent scientific centers. The effects of the Great Depression, the “provincial” status of the region, and the lack of prospects for non- Finnish- speaking Russian youth led to a serious exodus during the 1930s. The Winter Campaign and World War II, together with assimilation processes and Soviet influence, led to the closure of almost all emigrant organizations. The phenomenon of the first Russian emigration in Finland lies in its legacy and tragic experiences. Their realization and acceptance make possible the reconciliation and reunification of the Russian Diaspora with historical Russia.

Keywords

Russian emigration, Russian Abroad, Finland, first “wave”, culture, selfawareness

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The study was funded by the Russian Science Foundation grant No. 25–28–00927, https://
rscf.ru/project/25–28–00927/; Тhe Russian Christian Academy for the Humanities named after
Fyodor Dostoevsky