Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic

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Karjalais-suomalainen Sosialistinen Neuvostotasavalta
(Finnish)
Карело-Финская Советская Социалистическая Республика
(Russian)
Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic
←
← Flag
 1940 — 1956 →
Flag Coat of arms
Capital Petrozavodsk
Official language Finnish and Russian
Established
In the USSR:
 - Since
 - Until		 March 31, 1940

March 31, 1940
July 16, 1956
Area
 - Total
 - Water (%)		 Ranked 7th in the USSR
172,400 km²
25%
Population
 - Total 
 - Density		 Ranked 16th in the USSR
651,300 (1959)
3.8/km²
Time zone UTC + 3
Anthem Anthem of Karelo-Finnish SSR
Medals None

The Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic (Finnish: Karjalais-suomalainen sosialistinen neuvostotasavalta; Russian: Карело-Финская Советская Социалистическая Республика Karelo-Finskaya Sovietskaya Sotsialisticheskaya Respublika) was a short-lived republic that made up the former Soviet Union. The republic existed from 1940 until it was merged back into the Russian SFSR in 1956 (as the Karelian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic).

[edit] History

The Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic was set up on March 31, 1940 by merging the KASSR with the Finnish Democratic Republic (created in territory ceded by Finland in the Winter War with Moscow Peace Treaty, namely Karelian Isthmus and Ladoga Karelia, including the cities of Viipuri and Sortavala). The entire Karelian population of the ceded areas, about 422,000 people, was evacuated to Finland (see Evacuation of Finnish Karelia), and the territories were settled by people from other parts of the Soviet Union.

Karelo-Finnish SSR in 1940, during the Interim Peace
Karelo-Finnish SSR in 1940, during the Interim Peace

In the ensuing "Continuation War", in 1941 Finland occupied and reannexed the territory. In 1944 the Soviet Union recaptured the area, which was recognized by Finland in the Moscow Armistice and Paris Peace Treaty. The Karelians were evacuated again. The Karelian Isthmus with Vyborg (Viipuri) was transferred from Karelo-Finnish SSR to the Leningrad Oblast, but Ladoga Karelia remained a part of the republic.

On July 16, 1956, the republic was incorporated into the Russian SFSR as the Karelian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. It became the Republic of Karelia, a subdivision of the Russian Federation, on November 13, 1991.

[edit] Politics

The chairman of the Karelo-Finnish Supreme Soviet (1940-1956) was Finnish communist Otto Ville Kuusinen. In the republic there was also a separate Karelo-Finnish Communist Party led in the 1940s by G.N. Kupriyanov.

[edit] Chairmen of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet

Name Entered Office Left Office
Mark Vasilyevich Gorbachev 31 March 1940 11 July 1940
Otto Kuusinen 11 July 1940 16 July 1956

[edit] Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars (from 1946 Chairmen of the Council of Ministers)

Name Entered Office Left Office
I. P. Babkin (acting) 31 March 1940 1940
Pavel Prokkonen 1940 February 1947
Voldemar Virolainen February 1947 24 February 1950
Pavel Prokkonen 1950 16 July 1956


[edit] See also

[edit] References

v • d • e
Republics of the Soviet Union
Coat of arms of the Soviet Union