Russian book made generation of Turks familiar with Finnish sisu

Atatürk made book on Finland required reading in Turkey's military schools

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By Petteri Tuohinen
     
      Finland has had an important role in the history of modern Turkey as well as in its attempts to join the European Union.
      One of the foundations of relations between the countries has been the book Land of Spies by Russian author Grigori Petrov. First published in 1925, the book describes how an underdeveloped country built itself into a modern society.
      The book was marketed in its original version in Turkey and Bulgaria as a textbook "that every citizen should get to know".Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, was so excited about Finland and Petrov’s book, that he made it required reading at Turkey’s military academies. Older Turks still remember the book and the image it projects of Finland.
     
When the newspaper Cumhuriyet interviewed officers who had taken part in the military coup of 1960 headed by Kemal Gürsel, most of them mentioned Petrov’s book on Finland as the most influential that they had read.
      Finland also seems to have made quite an impression on Petrov, who was born near Narva.
      "Everyone praised the sisu [pluck, fortitude, guts] of the people. They were charmed by their perseverance. They were hungry, cold, lived in filth - and they withstood all of this without bearing a grudge", wrote Petrov, who was a teacher and a free-lance writer.
      In the same book Petrov’s friend D Bojkov said that he was surprised at how well organised the Finns were.
      "In Finnish carriages everyone knows his or her place. I have seen the same in German carriages. There is no arguing, nobody spits on the floor, nobody talks in a loud voice, and nobody smokes. The cleanliness is exemplary", Bojkov described.
     
Finland also had an important role during the previous EU Presidency in 1999, when Turkey was accepted as a membership applicant country. The issue was promoted by President Martti Ahtisaari and Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen. Sources say that Foreign Minister Tarja Halonen looked at the candidacy "with resistance and emotion".
      Adding to the drama of the Helsinki summit was that in the middle of the meeting, top Foreign Ministry official Jaakko Blomberg, among others, flew to Ankara in a private plane provided by French President Jaques Chirac to brief Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit on the results of the meeting. Ecevit himself later arrived in Helsinki.
      Earlier this year a working group led by Ahtisaari had recommended that membership negotiations be initiated with Turkey.
      "Further delays would hurt the credibility of the EU", said Ahtisaari’s report.
      The close ties between Finland and Turkey got additional colour when Olli Rehn was named the European Commissioner for Enlargement. Rehn will largely answer for membership negotiations. It is in his power to propose whether or not to cut off the talks if, for instance, Turkey’s democratic development takes backward steps.
     
Petrov’s book contains an amusing link with the present day. The author felt that Finnish youth was partly depraved because of the enthusiasm for football. Rehn, who is known to play the game, might not agree.
      "It was unfortunate, that the idle, healthy, but somewhat lazy youth of Finland has surrendered completely to football. Football has spread like a communicable disease engulfing the whole urban youth", Petrov wrote.
     
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 14.12.2004


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Enlargement Commissioner Rehn says Romania not yet ready for EU (16.12.2004)
  Foreign Minister Tuomioja wants equal treatment for Turkey in EU (14.12.2004)
  Prospect of Turkish EU membership divided Finnish foreign policy leadership in 1999 (16.19.2004)

PETTERI TUOHINEN / Helsingin Sanomat
petteri.tuohinen@hs.fi