Military archives of Finland to be restored and catalogued
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The Central Archives for Finnish Business Records (ELKA) in the eastern city of Mikkeli has been tasked with restoring and cataloguing the military archives of Finland.
The massive project includes the Finnish war-time archives from 1918 to 1945. Around a third of the total of 42 shelf kilometres of documents will be handled by some 20 employees of the Mikkeli repository over the next six years.
The material can be divided into three categories. The first part comprises all documents of the Finnish Civil Guard, covering the period from 1918 until the autumn of 1944, when the guard was banned under the terms of the peace agreement with the Soviet Union. These documents extend over some 2.5 shelf kilometres.
The second category includes the material of the Finnish Defence Forces during the years of peace from 1918 to 1939. These documents also cover some 2.5 shelf kilometres.
The largest part of documents, nearly 10 shelf kilometres, consists of records gathered during the Winter War and the Continuation War, both fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.
The employees will clean and catalogue the documents. Part of the papers have already been organised, while some war-time files do not necessarily contain what is written on the front cover.
The main task is to preserve historical records and provide access to them, thus putting them at the disposal of researchers.
The cardboard folders contain telephone messages, cover letters, consignment notes, lists of classified information, account books, receipts, to name a few.
Even though the cataloguing of these documents will open an opportunity to find new information, researchers do not believe that any great previously unknown war secrets will be revealed.
While no new facts concerning executions of Finnish soldiers are likely to be discovered, it is possible that very interesting material relating to the everyday life of the Finnish Defence Forces might be found, notes Professor of History Henrik Meinander of the University of Helsinki.
The massive project includes the Finnish war-time archives from 1918 to 1945. Around a third of the total of 42 shelf kilometres of documents will be handled by some 20 employees of the Mikkeli repository over the next six years.
The material can be divided into three categories. The first part comprises all documents of the Finnish Civil Guard, covering the period from 1918 until the autumn of 1944, when the guard was banned under the terms of the peace agreement with the Soviet Union. These documents extend over some 2.5 shelf kilometres.
The second category includes the material of the Finnish Defence Forces during the years of peace from 1918 to 1939. These documents also cover some 2.5 shelf kilometres.
The largest part of documents, nearly 10 shelf kilometres, consists of records gathered during the Winter War and the Continuation War, both fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.
The employees will clean and catalogue the documents. Part of the papers have already been organised, while some war-time files do not necessarily contain what is written on the front cover.
The main task is to preserve historical records and provide access to them, thus putting them at the disposal of researchers.
The cardboard folders contain telephone messages, cover letters, consignment notes, lists of classified information, account books, receipts, to name a few.
Even though the cataloguing of these documents will open an opportunity to find new information, researchers do not believe that any great previously unknown war secrets will be revealed.
While no new facts concerning executions of Finnish soldiers are likely to be discovered, it is possible that very interesting material relating to the everyday life of the Finnish Defence Forces might be found, notes Professor of History Henrik Meinander of the University of Helsinki.
Helsingin Sanomat