Finnish efforts to promote cultural relations with Romania during the Second World War
Finnish efforts to promote cultural relations with Romania during the Second World War

Summary/Abstract: This paper analyzes intercultural relations between Finland and Romania during the Second World War. The main focus is on the Finnish viewpoints. The aim of the analysis is to explain why the Finnish activities at this field of life were of a certain kind.Intercultural relations between Finland and Romania do not form a separate field of study, but are closely intertwined with the two countries’ mutual relationship on the whole. At the same time, this interrelation was dependent on the overall situation in World War II, with its shifting strategies. Existing Finnish archive material on cultural cooperation clearly indicates that, in terms of advancing this relationship, Romania was clearly the more active party throughout. In Finland, the group of activists favouring Romania was smaller and more heterogeneous, and the government’s stance in particular was hesitant.The explanation for this Finnish restraint lies in Finland’s special relationship with Hungary.The Finns hesitated to implement Romanian initiatives in the field of culture, fearing that they would jeopardise relations with Hungary. Despite the Finnish government’s hesitation regarding the development of cultural relations with Romania, there were also advocates of closer cultural ties. A key figure in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was envoy Eduard Hjalmar Palin. Another significant player was the Finnish-Romanian Association, which commenced activities in January 1943 and continued until the summer of 1944.

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