Welcome to the WWII Forums! Log in or Sign up to interact with the community.

Finland and Nazi Germany relations in the 1930´s

Discussion in 'Prelude to War & Poland 1939' started by Kai-Petri, Dec 12, 2020.

  1. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2002
    Messages:
    26,461
    Likes Received:
    2,207
    NAZI GERMANY AND FINLAND, 1933-1939: A WANING RELATIONSHIP

    Abstract

    This study examined the changes in German-Finnish relations between the Nazi Machtergreifung and the Winter War in order to clarify the historic process whereby German influence and interest in Finland waned to the degree that the Germans assigned Finland to the Soviet Union's sphere of influence in 1939, reversing a policy in place since 1918. Because German influence extended into nearly all aspects of ideological, diplomatic, political, economic, and cultural life, each of these areas came under scrutiny. Unpublished and published official documents, trade statistics, books, journals, and newspapers in Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Sweden, and the United States, were employed in this analysis, which revealed a four-staged process of growing divergence between Germany, where the Nazis steadily consolidated their power, and Finland, where a more democratic and anti-Nazi tendency emerged, despite the existence of influential pro-German and pro-Nazi elements. This process began in 1933, when the Nazi Machtergreifung gave birth to lines of divergence in Finland. A gradual alientation followed in 1934-1936, when German diplomacy and economic policy began to deviate significantly from Helsinki's and when Finland's domestic politics clearly represented a rejection of rightist and fascist elements. The process accelerated in 1936-1938, when in light of the Nazis' aggressive foreign policy, the Finns closed ranks with the Scandinavian states and, under Foreign Minister Rudolf Holsti, adopted a policy designed to eliminate Finland's problems with the Soviet Union and redefined Finland's neutrality, ending the isolation that had been the foundation of German influence in Finland and leading to Holsti's ouster as new Great Power alignments emerged after the Munich conference. Finally, in 1939, Eljas Erkko, Holsti's successor, resurrected Finland's benevolent neutrality, a policy encouraged by German Minister Wipert von Blucher but out of step with Berlin's aims and gainsaid by domestic politics in Finland. Thus, the study concluded that the Nazi Machtergreifung initiated the tendency culminating in Finland's abandonment.
     
  2. Tamino

    Tamino Doc - The Deplorable

    Joined:
    Nov 28, 2011
    Messages:
    2,645
    Likes Received:
    305
    Location:
    Untersteiermark
    You have copy/pasted this. I know because this isn't consistent with your sloppy grammar and vocabulary.
     
  3. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2002
    Messages:
    26,461
    Likes Received:
    2,207
    Is that your best reply mr smiley nazi Germany was not a friend to Finland in 1940.
     
  4. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2002
    Messages:
    26,461
    Likes Received:
    2,207
    Thank you for telling me I cannot speak English.
     
  5. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2002
    Messages:
    26,461
    Likes Received:
    2,207
    If I die I will put your photo below my coffin.Have a nice day!
     
  6. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2002
    Messages:
    26,461
    Likes Received:
    2,207
    How RUDE can you small person be?
     
  7. belasar

    belasar Court Jester

    Joined:
    May 9, 2010
    Messages:
    8,515
    Likes Received:
    1,176
    While it's fair game to point out a source there is no need for a derogatory comment on a non-native English speakers command of the language. We try to be a international access forum and welcome all who wish to make a useful contribution, as Kai has done for many years. There is enough intolerance in our world as it is, no need to add to it.
     
    KJ Jr and Kai-Petri like this.
  8. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2002
    Messages:
    26,461
    Likes Received:
    2,207
    Belasar.

    Your words touch me. Thank you!
     

Share This Page