Greater Finland
From Freepedia
Greater Finland was an idea which was born in some movements emphasizing pan-Finnicism and expressed a Finnish version of European pre World War II nationalism. It was imagined to include Finland as well as territories of ethnically related (Finnic) people: Finns, Karelians, Estonians, Ingrians and Kvens.
The most coined in version of "Greater Finland" was thought to be limited by so-called natural borders, ranging from the White Sea to Lake Onega and along River Svir and River Neva or River Rajajoki to the Gulf of Finland. These borders encompassed the territories inhabited by Finns and Karelians. Some versions also include Ingria, Estonia, northern Finnmark and western Torne Valley. In some utopian or humorous mind-sets its most extended form included the entire area from the Gulf of Bothnia to the Ural Mountains and even beyond to the areas of western Siberia, where some Uralic speakers live also today.
History
The idea of a greater Finland goes back to 19th-century Karelianism.
After Finland got its independence, there was an unstable situation in Finland's eastern border. A few Finnish volunteer troups e.g. carried out operations across the Russian border. This activity and the activity of Finnish volunteer troops in Estonia is known as heimosodat (in English Tribal wars).
The idea had its popularity peak from around 1917 to ca. 1944 and lost its ground and support after World War II.
