When Finland parted the Iron Curtain: The Finnish-Estonian border as a window to the West during the Soviet Era9 min read
Nationalist movements had a significant impact on the collapse of the Soviet Union, with Baltic countries especially playing an important role in the revolution. Baltic countries have always been a crossroad of different cultural influences, but especially since the nationalist thinking of the 19th century, Russian culture began to be resisted. Often overlooked is that Finland is also part of the story of Baltic emancipation, given the impact of the half-open border between Estonia and Finland and their cultural cooperation.
Much connects Estonia and Finland besides their proximity. Both nations share the same Fenno-Uralic ancestor, meaning both Estonians and Finns speak similar languages. Throughout their history, Estonians and Finns have known the same foreign rulers twice: the Swedish Kingdom and the Russian Empire.
After World War I, the Russian Empire collapsed, giving a way to Estonia and Finland emerging as independent nations through bloody independence wars. Finland became a democratic state despite communist and fascist forces attempting to gain power. Under rising pressure from extremist forces and foreign influence from the Soviets, fearing a national-socialist or communist coup, the Estonian leadership under Konstantin Päts turned increasingly autocratic.
In the 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Agreement, Nazi-Germany and the Soviet Union divided the European lands between Berlin and Moscow, agreeing that Estonia and Finland would become part of the Soviet Union. After an initial illegal occupation and annexation of Estonia by the Soviet Union in 1940, Nazi-Germany broke the agreement and invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, subsequently occupying Estonia. As the tide of war turned, the Red Army forced Nazi-Germany out of Estonia, once again occupying the formerly independent state.
Simultaneously, Finland fought alongside the Axis powers in 1941–1944, seeking to recapture the territories that Stalin lost to the Soviet Union in the Winter War in 1939. Although Finland never joined the Tripartite Pact between Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan, it was dependent on Nazi Germany for food and military supplies during the war and signed a separate peace with the Soviet Union in 1944.
Retaining its independence, Finnish sovereignty was unstable as Finnish politicians cooperated closely with the Soviet Union under immense pressure from the much larger, powerful neighbour. In 1948, the president Urho Kekkonen signed the Agreement of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance that committed Finland to a foreign policy largely aligned with Soviet interests, a situation that came to be known as Finlandisation. Although Finland closely coordinated with the Soviet Union, it stayed formally neutral, retained its democratic institutions and market economy, and had good connections to the West as well.
The Finns arrived to Tallinn
Estonian-Finnish cooperation was passive after World War II, but it restarted in 1964 when Finnish President Urho Kekkonen (1900-1986) visited Soviet Estonia. President Kekkonen met Estonian politicians, went on a cross-country skiing trip with them and even bathed in a sauna with the Estonians. The most memorable moment was President Kekkonen’s speech at the University of Tartu which he gave fully in Estonian. As a result of the trip, Estonians and Finns decided to deepen their cooperation, especially in the traveling industry.
A significant achievement was the ferry line from Helsinki to Tallinn that started operating in 1965. The ferry ran between Helsinki and Tallinn three times a week, but it was not available to Estonians. Thanks to the ferry line, thousands of Finns could travel to Soviet Estonia, turning it into one of the favorite destinations for Finns.
With the massive growth of tourism to Soviet Estonia, there was a need for a bigger hotel, coinciding with the need for more accommodation due to the upcoming 1980 Moscow Olympic Games that were partially held in Tallinn. Thus, Finnish construction companies, on behalf of the Soviet travel agency InTourist, built the Viru Hotel in Tallinn, which opened its doors to tourists in 1972.
Some tourists went to Soviet Estonia to see relatives, but usually Finns’ trips were so called “vodka tourism”. From the Finnish point of view, Soviet Estonia was cheaper than other popular tourist destinations and it was easily accessible. The reputation of Finns in Soviet Estonia suffered from these circumstances. Finnish tourists were partying a lot, causing chaos in Tallinn. Viru Hotel became the center of Finnish tourism, prompting many Estonians to avoid it beyond the official restrictions.
Yet, Finnish tourists did not only cause harm in Tallinn, they also brought along alternative cultures. Local people noticed how Finnish fashion changed frequently, which is why black markets became rampant. Jeans, stockings, and bubble gum were topsellers among Estonians. Interaction with locals was limited, but Estonians had exposure to Western culture and products of the time.
The momentum – rock and revolution
Music was a key element of the Baltic struggle for independence. The Singing Revolution 1987-1991 started from the Tallinn Town Hall Square and spread widely around the Baltic countries. During this era, there were multiple protests including singing nationalist songs.
Besides these traditional local songs, Western music was also important for Estonians. Through the black markets, smugglers brought disks and vinyls to Soviet Estonia, and some people listened to Western radio channels such as Radio Luxemburg and Radio Free Europe. In Soviet Estonia, rock-music was a way to escape reality and enjoy a little freedom. Those who owned a television – especially in northern Estonia where Finnish television signal was good – could watch foreign TV-channels. Within the Soviet Union, Western media was, while limited, exceptionally available for Estonians and it certainly influenced revolutionary action.
This culminated into the idea of a music event in Tallinn. In the Finnish documentary Eesti vabaaks! Music Festival that Never Ended it becomes clear that the idea of a rock festival was originally just an absurd thought. Luckily, Finnish radio journalist Markku Veijalainen together with the former director of the Finnish Public Broadcaster Yle, Reino S. Repo were able to find Estonian contacts such as Estonian music industry visionary Jüri Makarov and organize the festival together with them in 1988. Finnish producers called the festival Glasnost Rock, but the Estonians did not like the name, as in their eyes, glasnost symbolized Moscow’s rule. Instead, they used the more neutral name Rock Summer which is free of political connotations.
Like an Estonian version of Woodstock, the festival grew massive. The festival location Lauluväljak (Eng. The Song Square) was packed with people, as approximately 100-150 thousand people came to visit. The atmosphere started escalating when people in the audience brought Estonian flags and sang Estonian nationalist songs. Estonians were ready to use the festival to carry out The Singing Revolution instead of just having a normal rock-festival.
The impact of Finnish artists as icebreakers was significant. As mentioned in the documentary, legendary Finnish artist Juice Leskinen waved the Estonian flag on the stage, sang his parody song “Eesti on my mind” and enthralled the audience with defiant statements. “Nations must stand up for their own rights”, he announced in Finnish. When the audience demanded Leskinen sing his popular song “Kaksoiselämä” (Eng. Double Life), Leskinen commented, again in Finnish: “You live it yourself. You will start a revolution”.
Traditionally Leskinen ended his gigs by playing the Finnish national anthem. As the Finnish and Estonian national anthem share the same melody, the Estonian audience sang the national anthem in Estonian. This act was reminiscent of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, when Finnish sailor Esko Rechkard won a gold medal in Tallinn. When the Finnish national anthem was playing, Estonians loudly joined in.
At the 1988 festival, Sakari Kuosmanen, a member of Finnish rock bands Leningrad Cowboys and Sleepy Sleepers, came to the stage half-naked and sang the Finlandia-hymn by Jean Sibelius, replacing the word Finland with Estonia. The documentary also presents the climax of the festival, when Kuosmanen announced in Finnish: “Dear Estonian people, I love you. Free Estonia!”
The festival was a success. The Soviet authorities did not interfere with the festival due to the uncontrollably large audience and also Estonian police officers supported the nationalist-movement during the Singing Revolution, as mentioned in the German documentary The Baltic Way – A Peaceful Protest that Changed History (2025).
After Rock Summer 1988, more festivals followed as an outlet for the desire for independence and national sovereignty, turning them into symbols of Estonian nationalism.
Did Finns break the Soviet Union?
It would be naive to argue that only the Baltic states had a special position in the anti-Soviet movement. All around the Communist block there were similar nationalist groups and moments; from the Polish Solidarity movement, through youth organisations in Hungary, and national liberation movements in Georgia. However, people in Estonia were able to find weak spots in the system during glasnost and perestroika.
The Finnish-Estonian border was half-open and Estonians were more susceptible to Western influences. The more familiar with an alternative lifestyle they grew, the more critical they became of the Soviet system. As Soviet media presented only negative images from abroad, Estonians were able to see a different picture through their wealthier, independent Finnish neighbours.
Most Finnish tourists did not have any ideological reasons for traveling to Soviet Estonia. For them, Soviet Estonia was just a cheap vacation to relax and party. Although the Finns’ behaviour most certainly irritated many Estonians, it still had some positive impact on the nationalist movement.
As Markku Veijalainen ponders in the documentary:
“There is one thing that has been on my mind for over 23 years [in 2011]; was this all carefully considered, was it planned in advance, how we Finns were used or did the singing revolution actually use us Finns?” (Eesti vabaks! Rokifestival, mis ei lõppenud (Soome 2011))
Estonian nationalism needed an outlet for its agenda, and thus Finnish efforts – such as the Rock Summer festival – were warmly welcomed. While for the Finnish side the idea of the festival was perhaps rather innocent, it was a space for Estonian people to voice their dreams and aspirations for an independent Estonia.
Nowadays Estonia is a member of the EU and it has embraced Western influence. Finnish tourists still visit Tallinn for much the same reasons and also the political cooperation is highly institutionalised. While Estonia and Finland today are free, they still face the same threat – an aggressive, imperialistic Kremlin across the border. Estonian-Finnish solidarity has long roots and Estonians and Finns together have created a unique Nordic-Baltic ecosystem of brotherhood and solidarity, and they can point towards a shared history of joint struggle.
