P. E. Svinhufvud (1956)

Martti Santavuori: P. E. Svinhufvud (FI 1956). A portrait documentary on P. E. Svinhufvud (1861–1944, President of Finland in 1931–1937).

FI 1956. PC: Suomi-Filmi Oy. Commissioned by: P. E. Svinhufvudin muistosäätiö, Jääkäriliitto.
    A portrait documentary on President P. E. Svinhufvud (1861–1944, President of Finland in 1931–1937).
    D+SC: Martti Santavuori. B&w, Academy. Speaker: Reino Palmroth. S: Pentti Hämäläinen. ED: Harry Lewing.
    Soundtrack: Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 5 – "Björneborgarnas marsch" (comp. trad). – Väinö Haapalainen: "Gavotte" – Toivo Kuula: "Pirunpolska" – Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 1 – "The March of the Finnish Cavalry in the Thirty Years War" (comp. trad. 1618–1648) – Jean Sibelius: Finlandia.

    11 min
    Viewed on a video loop at Kotkaniemi, the P. E. Svinhufvud Home Museum, Luumäki, 6 July 2023.
    See the movie on Elonet.

AA: A visit to Kotkaniemi, the family friendly P. E. Svinhufvud Home Museum, is a perfect summer excursion. 

Svinhufvud (1861–1944) was the first Head of State of independent Finland, as Chairman of the Senate and as Protector before the election of the first President, K. J. Ståhlberg. Later Svinhufvud became also the third proper president of Finland (1931–1937).

As a hard-line conservative, he was not the whole people's president, but he enjoyed wide respect for his tough stance against the repressive line and the Russification policy of Imperial Russia. For his unflinching defence of legality he was removed from his office as a judge in 1914 and sentenced to Siberia from which he returned to Finland after the resignation of the Czar.

On New Year's Eve, on the last hour of the last day of December 1917, together with Carl Enckell and Gustaf Idman, he met in Saint Petersburg V. I. Lenin, who gave his official recognition to Finnish Independence.

Svinhufvud was not a supporter of Parliamentarism, and he wanted to keep the Social Democrats outside of the Cabinet. But in 1931–1937, when fascism and authoritarianism reigned all over Europe, except in Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, France, England, the Netherlands, Belgium and the Nordic countries, there was a violent right-wing movement, the Lapuanliike, who planned a military coup and even kidnapped the ex-President K. J. Ståhlberg. Svinhufvud with his unquestioned authority in right-wing Finland was the man able to stop Lapuanliike and prevent Finland from following the course of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, etc.

The portrait documentary film of 1956 directed by Martti Santavuori conveys the earthy charisma and authority of Svinhufvud very well while steering away from his controversial aspects.

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Finland has never won more international attention, sympathy and respect than during the Sanna Marin Cabinet (2019–2023). In this year's election, the parties in her coalition fared well, but even more votes were won by the National Coalition and the populist-nationalist Finns party, which houses also extreme right wing elements who flirt with racism, xenophobia, antisemitism, Adolf Hitler affiliations and Holocaust denial / belittling (including Speaker of the Parliament Jussi Halla-aho) plus supporting the glory of Finnish SS men legacy (Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen). Thanks to them, in the international press such as Süddeutsche Zeitung 4 July 2023, the Petteri Orpo Cabinet has been dubbed "Das Gruselkabinett" (the Horror Cabinet). I wish Petteri Orpo strength in the spirit of P. E. Svinhufvud when he had to deal with the Lapua Movement.

The blogger greets the lifesize replica of P. E. Svinhufvud at Kotkaniemi, the P. E. Svinhufvud Home Museum, Luumäki, 6 July 2023. Foto Laila Alanen.

Erkki Räikkönen (Svinhufvud ja itsenäisyyssenaatti):

" After trying in vain to meet the Soviets on December 30, 1917 – then Sunday – the next day, the delegation managed to submit this letter to Lenin's secretary, and in the evening at 9 o'clock it went to Smolny, Saint Petersburg to hear the decision. "We waited a couple of hours in the big hallway and sat at the corner of the table," says Svinhufvud, "and we had the furs on and the caps on hand, because they didn't dare leave them." Smolny was busy despite the late hours. Guests came and went, typists ran down the hallways, even toddlers on the floor. On several occasions, Enckell tried to rush to the Soviet government's head of office, Vladimir Bonch-Bruyevich, but nothing helped. "We could only see," says Enckell, "how in one room the People's Commissars sat in thick tobacco smoke and probably pondered our case." Despite the fact that the furs were on, it became cold in the hallway while waiting. Finally, almost at midnight, Bonch-Bruyevich brought the decision of the Board of Commissioners. "

" It was worded as follows: "We rose one after another and signed with special satisfaction the recognition of Finland's independence," writes I. Steinberg, who was a justice commissioner in Lenin's government. "We knew that Finland's current hero Svinhufvud, once sent to exile by the tsar, was our public social enemy. and that he would not spare any of us in the future. But if we free the Finnish people from the oppression of Russia, there will be one less historical injustice in the world." Despite the fact that this letter merely announced the proposed recognition of Finland's independence, it actually meant full recognition of independence, as the confirmation of the Executive Committee was only a formality. Thus, in the last hour of the last day of the year, Finland had received an official certificate of resignation from Russia. After handing over this formal declaration of independence to the delegation, Bonch-Bruyevich planned to say goodbye and leave, but then Enckell pointed out: "When the Chairman of the Finnish Government is here, would it not be desirable for him to meet Lenin in person and express his gratitude to the Finnish people for the recognition of their independence." "

" Bonch-Bruyevich now went back to the commissioners' room, informing the commissioners that Svinhufvud was waiting in the hallway and wanted to thank Lenin. This resulted in great confusion, Lenin shrugged, laughed a little embarrassed, and refused. "What can I say to those bourgeoisie!" It was then suggested that Leon Trotsky go to greet the guests, but he too refused sharply. It was finally invented that Justice Commissioner Steinberg should agree to the request. "What can I tell them," he asked and continued: "I could only arrest them in my post!" Trotsky laughed cunningly at this: "Like you would capture!" Now Bonch-Bruyevich was nervous. He interrupted the play and again asked Lenin to go out to greet the Finns. In a worn suit and head presses, Lenin was now following Bonch-Bruyevich, while the hall was still laughing and counting dives. "Lenin came and held out his hand to us, and we introduced him to Svinhufvud," says Enckell of this historic scene, adding that "Lenin squeezed Svinhufvud's hand cordially.""Are you satisfied now?" Lenin asked. "Very satisfied," replied Svinhufvud. "Russia was spoken there and answered in Russian," says Svinhufvud, adding that "it only said a sad thank you for the letter of resignation." The Finns left now. Svinhufvud, Enckell, and Idman rushed quickly to the Secretary of State’s Office. A typewritten copy of the recognition of independence was urgently taken there, after which we left for the station and from there continued by train to Finland. A few days later, the Russian Central Executive Committee confirmed the recognition of Finland's independence, which was thus finally decided for Russia. " Via Wikipedia: Erkki Räikkönen (Svinhufvud ja itsenäisyyssenaatti, Helsinki: Otava, 1935)