Svenskbygd, språkgräns, fascism

IKL i Svenskfinland 1936 och 1939

Authors

• Lauri Karvonen

Abstract

Most fascist movements are characterized by an ardent nationalism and a strong emphasis on ethno-linguistic factors. The Finnish Fascist Party, the IKL (1932-1945) was no exception: it took a demonstratively negative attitude towards the Swedish-speaking population of Finland. This article examines the success of the IKL among the Finns living in Swedish-speaking areas as well as along the linguistic border. The analysis reveals that the dramatized attitude towards the Swedes represented by the IKL had limited appeal to the Finns living closest to the ethnic minority: they voted for the IKL to a considerably smaller extent than the Finnish-speaking population in general