Porkkala
Encyclopedia
Porkkala is a peninsula in the Gulf of Finland
located at Kirkkonummi
(Kyrkslätt) in Southern Finland
.
The peninsula had great strategic value, as coastal artillery
based there would be able to reach more than halfway across the Gulf of Finland. If the same power controlled the Estonia
n coast, on the opposite side of the gulf, it would then be able to block Saint Petersburg
's naval access to the Baltic Sea
. The distance to Estonia at the closest point is only 36 km (22.4 mi). Porkkala is furthermore located only 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) from Helsinki
, the Finnish capital, and a foreign power based there would be able to exert significant pressure on the Finnish government
.
Nowadays the coasts of the peninsula are popular bird watching
areas during spring migration as the Arctic geese and other waterfowl
are on their passage.
secured the rights of lease
to a naval base at Porkkala, in accordance with the Moscow armistice
agreement that ended the Continuation War
, between Finland and the Soviets on September 19, 1944. Porkkala thus replaced the peninsula of Hanko
, which had been leased to the Soviets as a naval base in 1940–41. A large area centered on the peninsula, including land from the municipalities of Kirkkonummi
, Siuntio
and Ingå
and almost the entire area of Degerby, was leased to the USSR from 29 September 1944, ten days after the armistice.
It was immediately placed under a military commander, Neon Vasilyevich Antonov (1907–1948), who remained in office till June 1945, when he was transferred to command the Amur River flotilla, in preparation to the war against Japan.
According to the armistice of 1944, the area was leased to the Soviet Union for 50 years. On February 10th, 1947, the Paris peace treaty reaffirmed Soviet Union's right to occupy this area until 1994.
No Soviet civilian administration was set up, the USSR simply administered it through the military commander of Porkkala, a post held (from an unclear date) until 1 January 1956 to Sergey Ivanovich Kabanov (1901–1973), the former Commander of Hanko naval base.
While the area was under Soviet occupation, Finnish passenger trains running between Helsinki and Turku
were still allowed to cross the area, but with windows closed by shutters, and photography prohibited.
Although the Soviet lease for Porkkala had been conceded for 50 years, agreement was reached to return it earlier. The agreement was signed on September 19th, 1955, exactly 11 years after the armistice, and control on the area was handed back to Finland on January 26th, 1956. This may be attributed to the process of Finlandization
and to technological progress making coastal artillery obsolete, but the renunciation of Stalinism
by the Soviet Union under Nikita Khrushchev
and the fact that Finland
had undertaken to adopt neutrality and so remain out of NATO were also important contributing factors.
At present, the Porkkala area has one of the main bases
of the Finnish Navy
, located in Upinniemi
near to Porkkala proper.
Gulf of Finland
The Gulf of Finland is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland and Estonia all the way to Saint Petersburg in Russia, where the river Neva drains into it. Other major cities around the gulf include Helsinki and Tallinn...
located at Kirkkonummi
Kirkkonummi
Kirkkonummi is a municipality of inhabitants in southern Finland. The literal meaning of the words "Kirkkonummi" and "Kyrkslätt" in English is "church moor"....
(Kyrkslätt) in Southern Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
.
The peninsula had great strategic value, as coastal artillery
Coastal artillery
Coastal artillery is the branch of armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications....
based there would be able to reach more than halfway across the Gulf of Finland. If the same power controlled the Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
n coast, on the opposite side of the gulf, it would then be able to block Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
's naval access to the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
. The distance to Estonia at the closest point is only 36 km (22.4 mi). Porkkala is furthermore located only 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) from Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, the Finnish capital, and a foreign power based there would be able to exert significant pressure on the Finnish government
Government of Finland
Finland is a republic with a representative democracy governed accordingly to the principles of parliamentarism. Legislative power is vested in the Parliament of Finland . Executive power is exercised by the Cabinet, officially termed Council of State , which is led by the Prime Minister, the Head...
.
Nowadays the coasts of the peninsula are popular bird watching
Birdwatching
Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
areas during spring migration as the Arctic geese and other waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
are on their passage.
History
At the end of the Second World War the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
secured the rights of lease
Concession (territory)
In international law, a concession is a territory within a country that is administered by an entity other than the state which holds sovereignty over it. This is usually a colonizing power, or at least mandated by one, as in the case of colonial chartered companies.Usually, it is conceded, that...
to a naval base at Porkkala, in accordance with the Moscow armistice
Moscow Armistice
The Moscow Armistice was signed between Finland on one side and the Soviet Union and United Kingdom on the other side on September 19, 1944, ending the Continuation War...
agreement that ended the Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
, between Finland and the Soviets on September 19, 1944. Porkkala thus replaced the peninsula of Hanko
Hanko, Finland
Hanko , is a bilingual port town and municipality on the south coast of Finland, west of Helsinki. Its current population is , with a majority being Finnish speakers and a strong minority being Swedish speakers.-Politics:...
, which had been leased to the Soviets as a naval base in 1940–41. A large area centered on the peninsula, including land from the municipalities of Kirkkonummi
Kirkkonummi
Kirkkonummi is a municipality of inhabitants in southern Finland. The literal meaning of the words "Kirkkonummi" and "Kyrkslätt" in English is "church moor"....
, Siuntio
Siuntio
Siuntio is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Uusimaa region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
and Ingå
Ingå
Ingå is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Uusimaa region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
and almost the entire area of Degerby, was leased to the USSR from 29 September 1944, ten days after the armistice.
It was immediately placed under a military commander, Neon Vasilyevich Antonov (1907–1948), who remained in office till June 1945, when he was transferred to command the Amur River flotilla, in preparation to the war against Japan.
According to the armistice of 1944, the area was leased to the Soviet Union for 50 years. On February 10th, 1947, the Paris peace treaty reaffirmed Soviet Union's right to occupy this area until 1994.
No Soviet civilian administration was set up, the USSR simply administered it through the military commander of Porkkala, a post held (from an unclear date) until 1 January 1956 to Sergey Ivanovich Kabanov (1901–1973), the former Commander of Hanko naval base.
While the area was under Soviet occupation, Finnish passenger trains running between Helsinki and Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
were still allowed to cross the area, but with windows closed by shutters, and photography prohibited.
Although the Soviet lease for Porkkala had been conceded for 50 years, agreement was reached to return it earlier. The agreement was signed on September 19th, 1955, exactly 11 years after the armistice, and control on the area was handed back to Finland on January 26th, 1956. This may be attributed to the process of Finlandization
Finlandization
Finlandization is a term used to describe the influence that one powerful country may have on the policies of a smaller neighboring country.It is generally considered to be pejorative, originating in West German political debate of the late 1960s and 1970s...
and to technological progress making coastal artillery obsolete, but the renunciation of Stalinism
Stalinism
Stalinism refers to the ideology that Joseph Stalin conceived and implemented in the Soviet Union, and is generally considered a branch of Marxist–Leninist ideology but considered by some historians to be a significant deviation from this philosophy...
by the Soviet Union under Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
and the fact that Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
had undertaken to adopt neutrality and so remain out of NATO were also important contributing factors.
At present, the Porkkala area has one of the main bases
Naval base
A naval base is a military base, where warships and naval ships are deployed when they have no mission at sea or want to restock. Usually ships may also perform some minor repairs. Some naval bases are temporary homes to aircraft that usually stay on the ships but are undergoing maintenance while...
of the Finnish Navy
Finnish Navy
The Finnish Navy is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. The Navy employs 2,300 people and about 4,300 conscripts are trained each year. Finnish Navy vessels are given the ship prefix "FNS" simply short for "Finnish Navy Ship"...
, located in Upinniemi
Upinniemi
Upinniemi is a village in the municipality of Kirkkonummi in southern Finland. It is located approximately 12 km south of the municipal centre....
near to Porkkala proper.