FACTFILE: Kalevala and Pro Finlandia appeal key treasure in Literature Archive
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The Literature Archive of the Finnish Literature Society (SKS) considers its Kalevala manuscript, dating back to 1834, to be one of its greatest treasures, along with later versions of the Finnish national epic, and the entire archives of Elias Lönnrot, who compiled and wrote it.
Other key treasures include the production of Aleksis Kivi.
The Pro Finlandia appeal of 1899 is the most important document in the state collection of the National Archives, in the view of Jussi Nuorteva, Director-General of the archives. European cultural figures such as Emile Zola and Henrik Ibsen, along with more than 1,000 other notables, signed the appeal against oppressive measures imposed by the Russian Tsar.
Another jewel of the National Archives is the "land book" of Erik Fleming, which details the issue of landownership in Finland in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Ranking third in Nuorteva's view is the document granting city privileges to Vyborg in 1594.
Another rare treasure is the certificate signed by Marshall Åke Tott in which he granted large tracts of land to his wife and her family on the morning after his wedding.
The heraldic collection of Father Robert de Caluwé is also considered valuable.
The documents of many politicians - for example the archives of former President Juho Kusti Paasikivi - are also considered important.
One example mentioned by Nuorteva in the provincial archives, which are part of the National Archive, are the papers of church parishes in ceded territories, as well as the Santa Claus archive in Oulu, which contains extracts from cards and letters from around the world.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 9.11.2005
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 Exhibitions put archive treasures at risk
BACKGROUND: Thieves will not accept just anything
Helsingin Sanomat
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