A thread in English about the Ideology and history of Academic Karelia Society

Let's get started, I will not apologize for any grammatical errors 1/42
Finnish irredentism: Karelia and Ingria had been for long seen as a geographic, demographic and natural part of Fenno-Scandia. The strategic importance of the three-isthmus border was seen already in times of the Swedish empire. 2/42
Finnish irredentism: Karelia and Ingria had been for long seen as a geographic, demographic and natural part of Fenno-Scandia. The strategic importance of the three-isthmus border was seen already in times of the Swedish empire. 2/42
Finnish irredentism: Karelia and Ingria had been for long seen as a geographic, demographic and natural part of Fenno-Scandia. The strategic importance of the three-isthmus border was seen already in times of the Swedish empire. 2/42
The Finnish national awakening was expressed by the publication of Kalevala and Karelianism in Finnish art. The Ur-Finnic culture of Karelia gained a place at the heart of Finnish nationalism. As the Finnish language gained status, so arose ideas of pan-Finnic kinship. 3/42
The Finnish national awakening was expressed by the publication of Kalevala and Karelianism in Finnish art. The Ur-Finnic culture of Karelia gained a place at the heart of Finnish nationalism. As the Finnish language gained status, so arose ideas of pan-Finnic kinship. 3/42
The Finnish national awakening was expressed by the publication of Kalevala and Karelianism in Finnish art. The Ur-Finnic culture of Karelia gained a place at the heart of Finnish nationalism. As the Finnish language gained status, so arose ideas of pan-Finnic kinship. 3/42
The Finnish national awakening was expressed by the publication of Kalevala and Karelianism in Finnish art. The Ur-Finnic culture of Karelia gained a place at the heart of Finnish nationalism. As the Finnish language gained status, so arose ideas of pan-Finnic kinship. 3/42
During the Finnish war of Liberation, or as it's called today, the Finnish civil war, the white army sent expeditions to secure the eastern border and to expand Finnish territory. The period of Heimosodat, or Wars of Finnish Kinship had begun. 4/42
During the Finnish war of Liberation, or as it's called today, the Finnish civil war, the white army sent expeditions to secure the eastern border and to expand Finnish territory. The period of Heimosodat, or Wars of Finnish Kinship had begun. 4/42
During the Finnish war of Liberation, or as it's called today, the Finnish civil war, the white army sent expeditions to secure the eastern border and to expand Finnish territory. The period of Heimosodat, or Wars of Finnish Kinship had begun. 4/42
I will skip the Heimosodat here as they require their own thread to explain them properly.
In short, the goal of Greater Finland was not met. The resistance had been too heavy and the expeditions had been poorly executed. The Karelian population didn’t join the Finnish fight and the Finnish government was reluctant in supporting the cause. 5/42
The Treaty of Tartu in 1920 solidified the Finnish borders but the fighting in Karelia did not stop until the end of the East Karelian Uprising in 1922. 6/42
It was the Veterans of these wars that founded the Academic Karelia Society in Helsinki in the February of 1922. At first the goals of AKS were the helping of refugees in Finland and spreading the pan-Finnic ideology to neighboring tribes. 7/42
It was the Veterans of these wars that founded the Academic Karelia Society in Helsinki in the February of 1922. At first the goals of AKS were the helping of refugees in Finland and spreading the pan-Finnic ideology to neighboring tribes. 7/42
It was the Veterans of these wars that founded the Academic Karelia Society in Helsinki in the February of 1922. At first the goals of AKS were the helping of refugees in Finland and spreading the pan-Finnic ideology to neighboring tribes. 7/42
Activists helped Karelians and Ingrians in Finland get schooling and military training, there was also support to Ingrians in Estonia. 8/42
AKS saw that Finland had failed in its duty to protect its brothers. Only the inclusion of Karelia and Ingria into Finland would save their cultures from destruction at the hands of Slavism and Bolshevism. 9/42
AKS worried about the status of Finns in Sweden and Norway, and their lack of Finnish education. Propaganda material as well as Finnish literature were sent to Finnish communities. AKS didn’t demand Swedish or Norwegian land but wanted the minority status of the Finns recognized.
AKS worried about the status of Finns in Sweden and Norway, and their lack of Finnish education. Propaganda material as well as Finnish literature were sent to Finnish communities. AKS didn’t demand Swedish or Norwegian land but wanted the minority status of the Finns recognized.
AKS worried about the status of Finns in Sweden and Norway, and their lack of Finnish education. Propaganda material as well as Finnish literature were sent to Finnish communities. AKS didn’t demand Swedish or Norwegian land but wanted the minority status of the Finns recognized.
One of the most influential people in the early AKS was Elmo E. Kaila, an activist who had been part of the Jaeger movement and founding of the civil guards in Finland. He brought in militarism to the organization. 11/42
One of the most influential people in the early AKS was Elmo E. Kaila, an activist who had been part of the Jaeger movement and founding of the civil guards in Finland. He brought in militarism to the organization. 11/42
One of the most influential people in the early AKS was Elmo E. Kaila, an activist who had been part of the Jaeger movement and founding of the civil guards in Finland. He brought in militarism to the organization. 11/42
Kaila’s main goal in politics was uniting the political spectrum in Finland in anti-Russian hatred. This hatred was a central tenet of AKS ideology.

Kaila founded a secret society inside AKS, called Vihan Veljet, the Brothers of Hate... 12/42
Slogans of Vihan Veljet included: “Against the Devil and the Ryssä” and “You can’t talk about Russians without biting your tongue”. Members of Vihan Veljet signed every letter to their comrades with: “Your brother in the hatred of Russians.” 13/42
Another core issue for the AKS was the defense policy. Every member of AKS had to prove that they had done their military service and a member of AKS had to also be a member of the Civil Guards. 14/42
One of AKS’ demands was the Finnicization of the Armed forces. Many of the officers only spoke Swedish and some had previously served under the Czar. Kaila believed that the Jaegers, who had gotten a German military training should be the backbone of the new army. 14/42
AKS promoted military training from an early age and wanted to make it a part of the Finnish school curriculum. (Pictured are members of the war-time Sotilaspoika-organization) 15/42
As the Bolshevik rule solidified and as the USSR strengthened, the hopes of gaining the Irredenta waned. This made AKS take a turn to internal politics:
Finnish language had gained status ever since the 1860s thanks to the Fennoman movement. However, the Swedish language still dominated the intelligentsia and upper echelons of Finnish society. One of the new main goals of AKS was the Finnicization of Universities. 16/42
Even though the majority of the students spoke Finnish, their professors insisted on teaching in Swedish. AKS had ties to Finnish-speaking students from the countryside, who faced discrimination from the Swedish upper classes in Academia. 17/42
This contributed to the growth of the organization.
Eventually, AKS gained control of of the student body in the University of Helsinki and used student newspapers to spread their ideology. 18/42
In 1935, AKS organized big student protests as a response to a decision by the University of Helsinki for a quota on Swedish-speaking professors. AKS demanded completely ending education in Swedish. 19/42
The language question became a diving issue in the organization, many members saw that the people of Finland had to be unified against Russia and that there was no time for infighting. This led to a split in AKS and creation of splinter groups. 20/42
AKS wanted to reawaken the Finnish people by making Finnish the primary language. Finns had to be the masters in their own country so that they could create Greater Finland. 21/42
Remains of Swedish and Russian imperialism had to be removed. Fennoswedes were a class-enemy that worked against the common interest of the greater Finnish Nation. 22/42
Most AKS members were from the educated middle-class. They supported class collaboration and flirted with non-Marxist socialism. The Finnish workers had to be won back when they had grown embittered after losing the civil war. A new slogan of “White Socialism” was developed. 23/
Most AKS members were from the educated middle-class. They supported class collaboration and flirted with non-Marxist socialism. The Finnish workers had to be won back when they had grown embittered after losing the civil war. A new slogan of “White Socialism” was developed. 23/
Most AKS members were from the educated middle-class. They supported class collaboration and flirted with non-Marxist socialism. The Finnish workers had to be won back when they had grown embittered after losing the civil war. A new slogan of “White Socialism” was developed. 23/
The Philosophy of AKS was influenced by Hegelianism of J.V.Snellman. Volkgeist, or National Spirit was seen as the moving force of history. 24/42
The Philosophy of AKS was influenced by Hegelianism of J.V.Snellman. Volkgeist, or National Spirit was seen as the moving force of history. 24/42
The Philosophy of AKS was influenced by Hegelianism of J.V.Snellman. Volkgeist, or National Spirit was seen as the moving force of history. 24/42
Christian Romantic Nationalism of J.L. Runeberg also influenced Finnish Nationalism of the era.

The real Finnish culture was found in the god-fearing rural population, while the rationalism and secularism of the cities degenerated the people. 25/42
Even though AKS was not a religious organization, clergy and students of theology played a major role in it. By contrast, students of managerial economics and business life were heavily underrepresented. 26/42
A founding member of AKS, Elias Simojoki was a Lutheran priest. Together with E.E.Kaila he wrote the organizations oath, which was modeled after the Christian creed. 27/42
A founding member of AKS, Elias Simojoki was a Lutheran priest. Together with E.E.Kaila he wrote the organizations oath, which was modeled after the Christian creed. 27/42
A founding member of AKS, Elias Simojoki was a Lutheran priest. Together with E.E.Kaila he wrote the organizations oath, which was modeled after the Christian creed. 27/42
The anthem of AKS was “Me tahdomme” created by Reino and Toivo Palmrooth. 28/42

Officially AKS wasn’t aligned with any political party. In the 20s it was ideologically closest to the Agrarian League with its Fennoman language program. The SDP was opposed because it was against militarism & because they allied with the Swedish Peoples party in the parliament.
In 1930 the language question was set aside when AKS gave supported the anti-communist vigilantism of the Lapua Movement. When it attempted a coup in Mäntsälä in 1932, some AKS members (such as later President Urho Kekkonen) left AKS because of the Lapuans anti-democratic actions
In 1930 the language question was set aside when AKS gave supported the anti-communist vigilantism of the Lapua Movement. When it attempted a coup in Mäntsälä in 1932, some AKS members (such as later President Urho Kekkonen) left AKS because of the Lapuans anti-democratic actions
In 1930 the language question was set aside when AKS gave supported the anti-communist vigilantism of the Lapua Movement. When it attempted a coup in Mäntsälä in 1932, some AKS members (such as later President Urho Kekkonen) left AKS because of the Lapuans anti-democratic actions
Another result of the failed coup was that officers in the Finnish Army were temporarily not allowed be members of AKS. AKS was also not allowed to spread their materials in military bases. 32/42
AKS would wield considerable influence over the Lapua Movement’s successor, The Patriotic Peoples Movement (IKL) and it would openly support its candidates in elections. Unlike the Lapua movement, IKL would adopt the AKS language program. 33/42
AKS would wield considerable influence over the Lapua Movement’s successor, The Patriotic Peoples Movement (IKL) and it would openly support its candidates in elections. Unlike the Lapua movement, IKL would adopt the AKS language program. 33/42
AKS would wield considerable influence over the Lapua Movement’s successor, The Patriotic Peoples Movement (IKL) and it would openly support its candidates in elections. Unlike the Lapua movement, IKL would adopt the AKS language program. 33/42
By the late 1930s, Many of the AKS publications centered around theorizing about Finland’s ability to wage a total war and how to prepare for a such a conflict. National Defense was now the main drive of AKS. 34/42
At the Time, the military theoreticians in AKS were Douhetists, who believed that if Finland built a large air fleet, it could defeat Russia. They started a fundraiser to buy aircraft for the Air Force and managed to buy them one trainer plane from the state aircraft factory. 35/
In the summer of 1939, AKS helped organize 70 000 volunteer workers to fortify the Karelian isthmus. Many of these fortifications would prove their worth when Russia attacked Finland later that year. During the Winter War, AKS produced war propaganda with the support of the state
In the summer of 1939, AKS helped organize 70 000 volunteer workers to fortify the Karelian isthmus. Many of these fortifications would prove their worth when Russia attacked Finland later that year. During the Winter War, AKS produced war propaganda with the support of the state
In the summer of 1939, AKS helped organize 70 000 volunteer workers to fortify the Karelian isthmus. Many of these fortifications would prove their worth when Russia attacked Finland later that year. During the Winter War, AKS produced war propaganda with the support of the state
In the summer of 1939, AKS helped organize 70 000 volunteer workers to fortify the Karelian isthmus. Many of these fortifications would prove their worth when Russia attacked Finland later that year. During the Winter War, AKS produced war propaganda with the support of the state
During the war years, AKS members had important roles in the Finnish Army. As well as being front-line commanders, they helped organize Karelian and Ingrian volunteer battalions and served in civil leadership of the occupied Karelia where they improved schooling for Karelians. 37
During the war years, AKS members had important roles in the Finnish Army. As well as being front-line commanders, they helped organize Karelian and Ingrian volunteer battalions and served in civil leadership of the occupied Karelia where they improved schooling for Karelians. 37
During the war years, AKS members had important roles in the Finnish Army. As well as being front-line commanders, they helped organize Karelian and Ingrian volunteer battalions and served in civil leadership of the occupied Karelia where they improved schooling for Karelians. 37
During the war years, AKS members had important roles in the Finnish Army. As well as being front-line commanders, they helped organize Karelian and Ingrian volunteer battalions and served in civil leadership of the occupied Karelia where they improved schooling for Karelians. 37
During the war years, AKS members had important roles in the Finnish Army. As well as being front-line commanders, they helped organize Karelian and Ingrian volunteer battalions and served in civil leadership of the occupied Karelia where they improved schooling for Karelians. 37
In 1944 AKS helped organize the evacuation of Ingrians, Izhorians and Votes to Finland. (In the 1944 peace terms, Finland had to give up all Soviet Citizens to the Soviet Authorities, but some lucky people managed to escape with Finnish help) 38 /42
In 1944 AKS helped organize the evacuation of Ingrians, Izhorians and Votes to Finland. (In the 1944 peace terms, Finland had to give up all Soviet Citizens to the Soviet Authorities, but some lucky people managed to escape with Finnish help) 38 /42
In 1944 AKS helped organize the evacuation of Ingrians, Izhorians and Votes to Finland. (In the 1944 peace terms, Finland had to give up all Soviet Citizens to the Soviet Authorities, but some lucky people managed to escape with Finnish help) 38 /42
WW2 was a brief fulfillment of everything AKS had fought to achieve. The entire Finnish nation had joined the war effort in unity and Karelia was finally joined with Finland. The 20th anniversary of AKS in Äänislinna (former Petrozadovsk) was the high point of the organization.
But it all was to come tumbling down. In 1944 Finland managed to stop the Russian invasion but, in the peace, was forced to give up everything they had gained and more. The peace terms also dictated that all “fascist” organizations had to be banned, which included AKS. 40/42
After the Continuation war, Finnish officers, many of them AKS-members, stole military equipment and stored it in weapons caches, which were to be used in a guerilla war if USSR occupied Finland. 41/42
After the Continuation war, Finnish officers, many of them AKS-members, stole military equipment and stored it in weapons caches, which were to be used in a guerilla war if USSR occupied Finland. 41/42
After the Continuation war, Finnish officers, many of them AKS-members, stole military equipment and stored it in weapons caches, which were to be used in a guerilla war if USSR occupied Finland. 41/42
In its lifetime, AKS had close to 4000 members, after the organization was banned, these men would continue to occupy leading roles in the Finnish Armed forces, The Finnish Clergy and Universities well into the 60s. 42/42
In its lifetime, AKS had close to 4000 members, after the organization was banned, these men would continue to occupy leading roles in the Finnish Armed forces, The Finnish Clergy and Universities well into the 60s. 42/42
In its lifetime, AKS had close to 4000 members, after the organization was banned, these men would continue to occupy leading roles in the Finnish Armed forces, The Finnish Clergy and Universities well into the 60s. 42/42
The sources for this thread (and the quotes) are essays in “AKS:n Tie” (2011), compiled by historian Mikko Uola.
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