Authors

Simo Mikkonen¹;  ¹ University of Eastern Finland, Finland

Discussion

This presentation examines cultural exchange between Finland and the Soviet Baltics, particularly Estonia and Latvia, from the mid-1960s onwards. Although cultural exchange between Finland, Estonia and Latvia during these years was possible only in the larger framework of the Soviet Union, I argue that Estonia in particular was given special treatment by the Finns. Furthermore, especially in the field of arts and culture, Finnish and Baltic participants managed to circumvent many of the limitations imposed by the Soviet authorities in Moscow. For Estonia, and to lesser extent for Latvia, Finland became an important hub through which contacting other Western countries was possible.
Music was among the key areas of cultural exchange between Finland and the Soviet Union. Thus, it is no wonder that music became an important area of exchange between Finland, Estonia and Latvia. While several individual artists benefited from their contacts both to and through Finland, many of them pursued broader agendas. For example, famous Estonian conductor Neeme Järvi began his international career in Finland in 1965. While he benefited personally and professionally from his travels to Finland, he also used them to popularize the work of his compatriot Arvo Pärt, a composer who was not favored by the Soviet authorities and very rarely got chances to promote his work outside the Soviet Union. Instead, Järvi used every chance available to champion and conduct Pärt’s works abroad. Thanks to Järvi’s efforts, Pärt became one of the best known Soviet composers abroad – and one of the most played contemporary classical composers in the whole world.
The presentation will examine how Finnish-Baltic co-operation was made possible, how it worked and consider its broader implications. The ferry connection between Helsinki and Tallinn – separated by only 80 kilometers, but between 1940-1964 connected only via Leningrad by land – introduced in 1965 was a key route through which Estonian, but also Latvian and other Soviet artists could access Finland more easily. Finland, in turn, with its unlimited connections to Scandinavia and further West provided an important lifeline beyond the Soviet sphere. Despite travel restrictions, the Soviet authorities had ideological and political reasons to allow a limited number of connections. These connections, I argue, developeda times almost uncontrollably, enabling Estonian and Latvian artists to promote personal, professional and national causes through Finland. Estonian cultural week (1967) and Latvian cultural week (1968) in Finland, as well as reciprocal weeks in these Soviet republics in 1968-69, provided a kickstart to deepening co-operation introduced in this presentation.
The presentation is based on archival work in Estonian, Latvian and Finnish archives, as well as interviews with people involved in these exchanges.