Patriotic People's Movement

Patriotic People's Movement (, IKL, ) was a Finnish nationalist and anti-communist political party. IKL was the successor of the previously banned Lapua Movement. It existed from 1932 to 1944 and had an ideology similar to its predecessor, except that IKL participated in elections with limited success.

History

Formation

The IKL was founded at a conference on 5 June 1932 as a continuation of the Lapua Movement. The three major founding members were Herman Gummerus, Vilho Annala and Erkki Räikkönen. Lapua leader Vihtori Kosola was imprisoned for his part in the Mäntsälä rebellion at the time of formation but the leadership was officially kept in reserve for him and other leading rebels, notably Annala and Bruno Salmiala, were involved in the formation of IKL. Kokoomus collapsed from 42 to 18 seats. After the collapse, Juho Kusti Paasikivi was elected chairman of Kokoomus. He converted his party to the voice of big business and as such had no interest in the direct action tactics of IKL, and thus weeded out the most outspoken IKL sympathizers from the party.

IKL came under increasing scrutiny from government and was subject to two laws designed to arrest its progress. In 1934, a law passed allowing the suppression of propaganda which brought government or constitution into contempt and this was used against the movement, whilst the following year a law banning political uniforms and private uniformed organisations came in, seriously affecting the Sinimustat in particular. Despite this the prosperity experienced under Cajander's government hit the IKL and in the 1939 elections they managed only eight seats. Kekkonen was one of two leading government opponents of the IKL who would later go on to serve as presidents of Finland, the other being Juho Kusti Paasikivi.

According to docent André Swanström, IKL was by far the most popular party among Finnish Waffen SS recruits.

Final years

thumb|[[Hitlerjugend as guests of the IKL in Finland on 7 August 1934.]]

The Winter War, and particularly the Moscow Peace, were seen by IKL and its sympathizers as the ultimate proof of the parliamentary government's failed foreign policy. During the year after the Winter War, Finland's foreign policy was drastically changed, by and large to correspond with that of IKL, and Annala was even included in the Cabinet in January 1941, when all but one parties of the parliament were represented. The price of this recognition was however an end to IKL attacks on the system and as such an effective end to the very reason it had support. After the initial enthusiasm of the Continuation War in 1941 waned during the first winter, IKL wasn't included in Edwin Linkomies' cabinet in spring 1943.

In the aftermath of the Continuation War, IKL was banned, on the insistence of the Soviet Union, four days after the armistice between Finland and the Soviet Union was signed 19 September 1944.

Legacy

The IKL initials returned to the far-right political scene in 1993 with the foundation of the Isänmaallinen Kansallis-Liitto by Matti Järviharju. The new movement died out by 1998.

Ideology

Ideologically, IKL was ardently nationalist and anti-Communist, and endorsed an aggressive foreign policy against the Soviet Union and hostility towards the Swedish language. Its manifested purpose was to be the Christian-moral conscience of the parliament. A more hard-line tendency was also active, centered on Bruno Salmiala.

Organization

Structure

thumb|left|IKL parliamentary group standing in front of the [[Eduskunta.]]

Many of its leaders were priests or participants of the mainly Ostrobothnian Pietist movement called Herännäisyys.

Symbols and uniforms

The IKL uniform was a black shirt with blue tie, inspired by the Italian fascists,

Youth wing

The IKL had its own youth organization, called Sinimustat (Blue-and-blacks), members of which were trained in combat. Sinimustat were banned in 1936 (although they were immediately reformed as Mustapaidat ("Blackshirts")).

Support

The party received its main support from wealthy farmers, the educated middle-class, civil servants, the Lutheran clergy and university students.

Notable IKL supporters

Arne Somersalo, Commander of the Finnish Airforce 1920–26, IKL MP
Paavo Susitaival, Lt. Col., IKL MP
Paavo Talvela, General
Rolf Nevanlinna, Mathematician, Professor, Rector of the University of Helsinki
Vilho Lampi, painter
Elias Simojoki, clergyman, IKL MP.
Hilja Riipinen, the only women MP.

Election results

Parliament of Finland

{| class="wikitable"

! rowspan="2"| Date

! colspan="3"| Votes

! colspan="2"| Seats

! rowspan="2"| Position

! rowspan="2"| Size

! #

! %

! ± pp

! #

! ±

! 1936

| 97,891

| 8.34%

| + 8.34

| 14

| style="background-color:#FFCCCC"| Opposition

| align="center"| 5th

! 1939

| 86,219

| 6.65%

| - 1.66

| 6

| style="background-color:#FFCCCC"| Opposition

| align="center"| 5th

File:IKL at Ilmajoki.jpg|Members of IKL saluting at the statue of Jaakko Ilkka

File:White Victory Parade.jpg|15th anniversary of White Victory Parade, SKJ and IKL marching

File:Isänmaallisen kansanliikkeen juhlakokous lokakuussa 1936.jpg|IKL meeting in 1936

File:Kansanedustaja Hilja Riipinen puhumassa IKLn naisten kokouksessa Helsingissä maaliskuussa 1936.jpg|IKL women's meeting

</gallery>

References

Notes

Bibliography

Rees, Philip (1990) Biographical Dictionary of the Extreme Right Since 1890
Upton, A. F. "Finland" in Woolf, S. J. (1981) Fascism in Europe London: Routledge