Lapua Movement

Lapua Movement (Lapuan liike) was initially an anticommunist political movement in Finland. However, it soon turned to a fascist movement. The movement started in 1929 and was banned after a coup attempt in 1932. The activities were then continued in the Patriotic People's Movement (Finland) (Isänmaallinen Kansanliike).

The leaders of the movement were Vihtori Kosola[?] and general Kurt Martti Wallenius[?].

Many politicians and also high officers were initially relatively sympathetic with the Lapuans, as anticommunism was normal after the communists had lost the Finnish Civil War. However, excessive use of violence made the movement unpopular in a few months.

In the Civil War Ostrobothnia was one of the most important bases of the White army, and anticommunist sentiments remained extremely popular in Ostrobothnia also after the war. Late in November 1929 the communist youth movement arranged a happening in Lapua[?]. This infuriated the locals, who ended the meeting violently. December 1 an anticommunist meeting was held, attracting more than one thousand people. A ban of all communist activities was demanded.

Marches and meetings were arranged throughout the country. In June 16, 1930 more than 3000 men arrived to Oulu in order to destroy the print and office of the communist newspaper Pohjan Voima. However, the last issue of Pohjan Voima had appeared on June 14. A communist print in Vaasa was destroyed the same day. The Peasant March to Helsinki was a major show of power. More than 12 000 peasants arrived in Helsinki on July 7. The government yielded under the pressure and communist newspapers were outlawed in the Proctection of the Republic Act (1930).

After this, the movement became even more extreme. Activities of the Lapua fascists included harassing of individual communists, Social Democrats, pacifists, liberals and labour activists. One common treatment was "muilutus", which started with kidnapping and beating. After that the subject was thrown into a car and driven to the border of Soviet Union. Meeting held by leftist and labour groups were also interrupted, often violently. More than 400 meeting locals owned by the labour movement were closed by Lapua activists. In October 14 1930, when the popular ex-president Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg and his wife were kidnapped and beaten. This was intended as a first stage of a coup, but it backfired and the general support of the movement collapsed. Moderate people left the movement, and extremists took the stage.

In February 1932 a Social Democrat meeting in Mäntsälä[?] was violently interrupted by armed Lapua activists. The event escalated to a coup attempt known as Mäntsälän kapina[?], led by the Finnish Chief of Staff, general Wallenius. Despite the appeals of Wallenius, the army was loyal to the government. Many historians believe the main reason for the failure was poor planning. The rebellion ended after the president Pehr Evind Svinhufvud held a radio speech to the rebels. After a trial, the Lapua Movement was banned in November 21. Wallenius and about 50 other leaders received prison sentences.

Ironically, the banning was done under the Proctection of the Republic Act, which originally was dictated by the Lapua Movement.

See also: Politics of Finland, History of Finland