so close to the USSR. Compromises were made, not least on the promotion of the Soviet position that equated Zionism with Nazism. As Tabarovsky notes, "One of my Finnish contacts may have been right when she told me that Finland has yet to fully come to terms with that past."
Cancelled in Finland
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Very interesting. My impression, as someone who has followed the Finnish scene for the last forty years, is that Finland’s universities are generally rather mediocre institutions too ready to ape developments elsewhere, rather than do anything original for themselves. This has been true for many years – there’s a toe-curling description in Roger Scruton’s memoir Gentle Regrets of a visit to a Finnish university. NB that only one of the placards on display at Helsinki University is in Finnish – the message are clearly aimed at an international audience.
There is indeed an enormous amount of unfinished business left over from the post-war era. Finland successfully maintained its independence but the price was some uncomfortable compromises that came at significant psychological cost. This era opened up all sorts of opportunities for careerists. There is increasing pressure to face the past. The current and previous Presidents are both exemplary characters providing strong leadership during a difficult period.
This article, from the Telegraph, shows how the Finns stood up for their Jews during an even darker time: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/museums/10682975/The-Jews-who-fought-for-Hitler-We-did-not-help-the-Germans.-We-had-a-common-enemy.html -
Thanks for that. Interesting Telegraph article.
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