Karelian Uprising

Quick Facts: Who was Karelian Uprising?

Subject:

Karelian Uprising

Known for:

A 1921–1922 rebellion by East Karelian separatists seeking independence from Soviet Russia.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The East Karelian Uprising (Finnish: itäkarjalaisten kansannousu, Karelian: päivännouzu karjalan kanzannouzu) and the Soviet–Finnish conflict 1921–1922 were an attempt by a group of East Karelian separatists supported by Finland to gain independence from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. They were aided by a number of Finnish volunteers, starting from 6 November 1921. The conflict ended on 21 March 1922 with the Agreements between the governments of Soviet Russia and Finland about the measures of maintenance of the inviolability of the Soviet–Finnish border. The conflict is regarded in Finland as one of the heimosodat – "Kinship Wars". After Finland declared independence from Russia, a number of Finnish nationalists supported the idea of a Greater Finland attained through the annexation of East Karelia, which was controlled by the Russians.

Career & Major Achievements

This was seen as an effort to form a unified country for Balto-Finnic tribes, who were regarded as kindred by these activists. The resulting two incursions by Finnish volunteers into Russia, called the Viena and Aunus expeditions, are not considered wars against Russia in Finnish historiography. In Russia, this conflict, as well as the Finnish expeditions into East Karelia and the Petsamo in 1918–1920, is considered a military intervention and called the First Soviet–Finnish War. This period of disagreement and uncertainty about borders was ended with the Treaty of Tartu, where Finland and the Baltic states first recognised the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic as a sovereign state, and established the border between Finland and RSFSR. According to Arvo Tuominen, the Soviet Union failed to grant autonomy to Karelia as the peace treaty stipulated.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

"In that failure the Soviet Union did not adhere to its own Leninist policies of national self-determination, for according to them Karelia had every right to independence. At the Bolshevik's All-Russian Party Congress in February 1917 it had clearly been stated, 'All peoples who belong to Russia must be granted the right to free secession and the formation of an independent state'." The motivation for the uprising was East Karelians' year-long experience of the Bolshevik regime – not respecting promises of autonomy, food shortages, the will of nationalistic kindred activists to amend the results of the "shameful peace" of Tartu, and the wish of exiled East Karelians. Finnish kindred activists, notably Jalmari Takkinen, the deputy of Bobi Sivén, the bailiff of Repola, had been conducting a campaign in the summer of 1921 in order to rouse the East Karelians to fight against the Bolshevik belligerents of the ongoing Russian Civil War. East Karelian paramilitary units called themselves Karjalan metsäsissit (English: Forest Guerrillas), and by autumn of 1921 a notable part of White Karelia was under their control. The parishes of Repola and Porajärvi of the Olonets Governorate had voted in favor of secession from Bolshevist Russia and had been occupied by Finland later that year.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1917: 1917 Milestone — At the Bolshevik's All-Russian Party Congress in February 1917 it had clearly been stated, 'All peoples who belong to Russia must be granted the right to free secession and the formation of an independent state'.
2. 1918: 1918 Milestone — In Russia, this conflict, as well as the Finnish expeditions into East Karelia and the Petsamo in 1918–1920, is considered a military intervention and called the First Soviet–Finnish War.
3. 1921: 1921 Milestone — The East Karelian Uprising (Finnish: itäkarjalaisten kansannousu, Karelian: päivännouzu karjalan kanzannouzu) and the Soviet–Finnish conflict 1921–1922 were an attempt by a group of East Karelian separatists supported by Finland to gain independence from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.
4. 1922: 1922 Milestone — The conflict ended on 21 March 1922 with the Agreements between the governments of Soviet Russia and Finland about the measures of maintenance of the inviolability of the Soviet–Finnish border.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Karelian Uprising

True or False: “The conflict was officially recognized in Finnish historiography as a full-scale war against the Russian state.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Finnish historiography regards the earlier incursions by Finnish volunteers into Russia, including those related to this uprising, not as wars but as 'heimosodat' or Kinship Wars.

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