Figure 1.--Here we see Finnish child evacuees taken in by Sweden during 1942. Finland at the time was involved in the Continuation war. The children are still bring processed and not yet placed which you can tell because they still are wearing their tags.

The larget number of the Finnish child evacuees by far were taken in by neigboring Sweden. There is no precise accounting, but the estimate we see most commonly is about 70,000 children. The evacuations began when the Soviets invaded neutral Finaland launching the Winter War (November 1939). The political situation changed when the Germans invaded and occupied Denmark and Norway (April 1940). This did not end the evacuations because Finland was neutral toward Germany and eventually became a co-beligerant when Germany invaded the Soviet Union (June 1941). The Finns called it the Continuation War. Relatively few evacuees were placed in German-occupied Denmark and Norway. Most of the evacuees were taken in by the Sweeds. This was an undertaking by both Swedish Government agencies and private charitable organizations. The largest number of evacuations occurred during the Continuation War rather than the Winter War. The children were placed in homes and referred to as guests rather than foster parents--although this is what they became. 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. 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. The evacuations from Finland to Sweden were one of the largest evacuations of children in the 20th century, only exceeded by the British, German, and Japanese evacuations. It of course primarily occurred during the War, but Finnish children moved between the two countries for 20 years (1939-59). It took some time to get the children back to Finland. In fact a substantial number of children bonded with their Swedish parents and stayed in Sweden. And a substantial number of Finnish parents decided not to take the children back. Some of the children moved back and forth.

Geography

Finland bordered on Sweden. The two countries had a long land border. That border, however, was mostly in the lightly populated north. Most of the population is located in the south and separated from Sweden by the lengthy Gulf of Bothnia. The Gulf was essentially the border between Sweden and Finland. This is imprtant because it affected transport of the Finnish children. Rail transport was a long and sometimes arduus journey.

Swedish Foreign Policy

Sweden at one time had been a najor European power, but in the 19th century began a tradition of refraining from war and neutrality. It had managed to stay out of World War I. It and its Nordic neighbors wanted nothing more than doing the same in World war II. Its location close to Germany and the Soviet Union complivated this effort. This was especially the casewhen the SovietvUnion attacked Finland (November 1939) ad Germany invaded abd occupied Denmark and Norway (April 1940). For a time there was a very real danger of a Germany invasion. All this was complicated by the fact that Sweden was Germany's major source of iron ore throughout the War. When the Soviet Union attacked neutral Finland, the Sweeds were unwilling to risk war with the Soviet Union, but were moved by the plight of the Finns. One author suggests that the effort ws not purely humanitarian on the part of the Swedes, suggesting hat the children were used as "�commodities of compassion� in a Swedish politics of indemnification." [Nehlin] By this the author suggests that there was a political role. The Swedes felt the need to demonstrate Nordic solidrity to makes amens for the failure to come to Finland's aid militarily. Notably the Swedes did not accept children from other Baltic countries in anything like the numbers of the Finnish children. The nature of the Continuation War complicated Swedish foreign policy. It was one thing to aid Finland after it had been invaded by the Soviet Union, at the time a NAZI ally. It was something different to aid Finland when it was fighting with the NAZIs against a Soviet Union on the Allied side. As a result, Sweden reduced its aid overall aid program to Finland. There was one exception, the child evacuation effort. That actually increased.

Transport

The transportation system for both people and goods throughout Europe was primarily the rail system. The geography of the Baltic meant that the children were transported by rail to Sweden via a northern route or via the Gulf of Bothnia by boat. The journeys were sometimes arduous for the childrem and were sometimes viewed as more dangerous than remaining in Finland. The Soviet Red Navy had submarinws which were active in the Gulf of Bothnia during the Winter War (1939-40). This was the case in the Continuation War (1941-44), but only for a few weeks. The German Army Group North moved very quickly through the Baltics and bottled up the Red Navby in Lenningrad. This was the situation until the Red Army advances finally reached the Baltic (1944). By this time the Finns negotiated a peace with the Soviets. We do not yet have data on the numbers transported by the two different methods.

Numbers

The larget number of the Finnish child evacuees by far were taken in by neigboring Sweden. There is no precise accounting, but the estimate we see most commonly is about 70,000 children. Relatively few evacuees were placed in German-occupied Denmark and Norway. Most of the evacuees were taken in by the Sweeds. The evacuations from Finland to Sweden were one of the largest evacuations of children in the 20th century, only exceeded by the British, German, and Japanese evacuations. It of course primarily occurred during the War, but Finnish children moved between the two countries for 20 years (1939-59).

Wars

There were appeals in both the newspapers and on the radio to sign up families to host a Finnish child. Beginning with the Winter War (1939-40) and than again during the Continuation War (1941-44). The evacuations began when the Soviets invaded neutral Finaland launching the Winter War (November 1939). The political situation changed when the Germans invaded and occupied Denmark and Norway (April 1940). This did not end the evacuations because Finland was neutral toward Germany and eventually became a co-beligerant when Germany invaded the Soviet Union (June 1941). The Finns called it the Continuation War. The first wave of Finnish war chilren came during the Winter War. The largest number were evacuated during the Continuation War. Many were the children of the Finns that returned to their homes and farms in Karelia after Hitler laubched Barbarossa (June 1941). Finland never joined the Axis, but became a co-belgerant. Finland became the only democracy to fight with the Axis. And it resticted its war goals to revoverling the land seized by the Soviets in the Winter War. It was an enormos task rebuilding homes and starting up farms again. Thus it was thought that they could do all of this beter without the task of caring for younger children. The Finns evacuated a total of some 70,000 children to Sweden. These included children from both Finnish homes and Finnish-Swedish (Swedish-speaking) homes. Given the long border and the fact that Finland was once part of Sweden, there were still a number of Swedish speaking homes.

Agencies

Several agencies were ivolved in the evacuation and care of the Finnish children. Both Finnish and Swedish Government agencies and private charitable organizations. Basically the Finns were responsible for evacuating the children and Swedish agncies caring for the children. The primary Fiinish agencies were the Central Finland Aid and Finland Nordic Help Centre. Many of the children children were evacuated as part of an officially effort adminidstered by the Centre of Nordic Help. We have been uable to find much information on the Nordic Centre. Thye coordinared te evacuation of some 70,000 Finish children. In addition to the Centre of Nordic Help, an estimated 15,000 children were sent privately. The Swedes for their part set up two groups. The Central Aid for Finland was established almost immediately after the Soviets invaded (November 1939). It was run by the Swedish Government. After the Finns gave into Soviet demands, ending the Winter War, Central Aid was disolved. The first wave of children were returned home (June 1940). Sweden believed that becauuse of the War and Soviet seizure of Finnish territory that an aid program was needed, but not one focusing specifically on the children. The Swedish Government set up -- National Aid for Finland. It was responsible for collecting funds to aid Finland. The Winter War child transports were judged a success. Swedish groups concerned with children began to discuss a new private effort. Two individuals working with Central Aid for Finland, Lars �stberg, a lawyer, and Chairwoman of the Swedish Save the Children Fund, Margit Levinson helped promote the new effort--the Committee for Finnish Summer Children (May 1941). Swedish Government agecies and interested non-governmental agencies. The program began in early-June and some 2,000 arrived when the war situation changed dramaticlly. NAZI Germany invaded the Soviet Union and Finland went to war again as a NAZI co-beligernt (June 1941). The Finnish Government at first stopped the transports, needing the transport assetts for the war effort and seeing them as potentially dangerous because of possible Soviet air and sea attacks. The Finnish Summer Committe was, however, persistent. They changed their name and purpose to the Relief Committee for the Children of Finland (December 1941). The transports resumed ((Fall 1941). Again the purpose was to get Finnish children to safety in Sweden when they could be well fed and receive needed medical care. And the effort was grearly expanded. At the end of the War, the Swedish Board of Civil Defence took control of the transport.

Residential Care

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 relatuiins devlopmed between the Swedish adults and their Finnish foster children. The younger children inevitablt 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.

Return

It took some time to get the children back to Finland. Approximately 15,000 of the children never returned to Finland, especially the younger children who came to see their adopted parents as their real parents. Many were eventully adopted by their Swedish foster families. And a substantial number of Finnish parents decided not to take the children back. Some of the children moved back and forth.

Sources

Kav�n, P. "Krigsbarnen: f�rv�ntningar och verklighet." (Hang�, self published, 2012).

Nehlin, Ann. "Building Bridges of Trust: Child Transports from Finland to Sweden during the Second World War," War & Society Vol. 36 (2017 - Issue 2), pp. 133-53.

Created: 6:44 AM 3/24/2016
Last updated: 9:59 PM 8/8/2018