Figure 1.-- |
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The Finnish evacuee children (sotalapset/krigsbarn) in Sweden were care for in various ways. The situation in Finland, especially the food situation, became serious. As a result, many of the children were in poor health. It was one of the reasons the Finnish Government and parents were so intent on evacuating the children. As a result, quite a number of the children had to be treated in hospitals and cared for in sanatoria until they recovered their healh. Special medical transports were organized for these children. They may have totaled some 20 percent of the children. Some of the children were placed in institutions. This was especially the case of children that were ill or in poor physical condition. They were placed in hospitals, orphanages, and santoria. This was the case near the end of the War as conditions deteriorated in Finland and food became increasingly scarce. Special medical transports were organized. Some 10,000 to 15,000 evacuee children fell into this category.
Mny of these children were cared for in orphanages or boarding school facilitis. This may have been many of the
children who arrived in poor condition. Conditions in the orphanages were very cramped. We see photographs of the children doubled up in beds with children at both the head and foot of the beds.
There were also group homes organized for the children set up in towns and villsges all over Sweden. We are not sure at his time how many children were cared for in group home settings. Or what kinds of facilties were converted for their use.
We think that the majority of the evacuee children were taken in by families and cared for as foster children. The children were placed in homes and referred to as guests rather than foster parents--although this is what they became. Some children were sent privately to be cared for by family and friends. Most were, hiwever, evacuted by org efforts and the families who took the children in had no connction to their families. Given the age of the children, very close relations devloped between the Swedish adults and their Finnish foster children. The younger children inevitably came to see them as their parents. The Swedish fister children also became bonded to the children. So much that after the War, not all the children retubned hime to their Finnish parents. Many available images show the Finnish children being cared for in family settings. We are not sure yet, however just what portion of the children were cared for by Swedish families.
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