Finland Wins Independence From Russia

Witness History

BBC

Personal Journals, Society & Culture, History

4.5 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 6 December 2017

⏱️ 11 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In December 1917 Finland proclaimed its independence. For many centuries it had been controlled by its powerful neighbours, Sweden and Russia. As World War One raged across Europe and Russia was embroiled in its own revolution, Finnish intellectuals took the opportunity to push for their own state. But many ordinary people were more concerned with dire food shortages and the chaos caused by conflict. Olga Smirnova hears memories of that time.

(Photo: 1917: A Communist base burning during the Finnish civil war. Credit: Getty Images)

More personal stories from history of independent Finland can be found at the Finnish Institute in London http://www.taleoftwocountries.fi/frontpage/

Transcript

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0:24.9	searching and a lot more auction listen on BBC sounds just before this
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1:06.0	Hello and welcome to the Witness Podcast from the BBC World Service.
1:10.0	History as told by the people who were there.
1:13.0	I'm Olga Smyrova.
1:15.0	Today we are going back to 1917 when Finland declared its independence from Russia.
1:21.0	I've been listening to accounts from the Finnish archive about that time.
1:25.0	Finland's Senate announced they'd be breaking away from Russian control on the 6th of
1:30.0	December 1917.
	...

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