The Destruction of the Museums of Eastern Finland During the Winter War of 1939-40 and its Effect on Popular Memory.

This article briefly discusses the destruction of Finnish museums in the Second World War during the so-called Winter War of 1939-40. It concerns almost uniquely the museums of Finland's easternmost province, Karelia, which was ceded to the Soviet Union after the war. Nineteen museums had been founded in Karelia before the war. The removal of museum collections began in the autumn of 1939, but only a small part of them were taken to safety before the outbreak of hostilities. The destruction of museums in Finland and Karelia was part of the broader, deliberate destruction of cultural property in armed conflicts. This article illustrates how wars are never solely about geographical conquest but also about the control over history, especially in situations of invasion and the resulting domination of memory and identity. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, it has once again become possible to present and investigate the Finnish history of Karelia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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