Random trivia

No, the Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union at that time.

I admit that it's a hard nut, so I'll give you a hint: The fourth country is still part of Russia.
 
Since I have looked up the answer I won't say it here. A Scandinavian metal band based one of their album titles on this country.
 
Forostar said:
Since I have looked up the answer I won't say it here. A Scandinavian metal band based one of their album titles on this country.
Click to expand...

Based on that, I would think it was something to do with Amorphis' Karelian Isthmus, but that's a territory, not a whole country, and besides, Finland is independant today...
 
Nope.

It's very hard. On the other hand, I'm not sure if I can give you any further hints...
 
Raven said:
Based on that, I would think it was something to do with Amorphis' Karelian Isthmus, but that's a territory, not a whole country, and besides, Finland is independant today...
Click to expand...

You're right. It's pretty complicated though:

Karelia is currently divided between the Russian Republic of Karelia, the Russian Leningrad Oblast, and two Regions of Finland, South Karelia and North Karelia.

200px-Karelia_today.png


Perun I give up ! :--)
 
Is Kazakhstan independent? I have to admit I did think of that one.

I also had in my mind it was Finland (but that has been ruled out).

Does it border Russia or is that too much info?
 
I think you're right Perun.

Just a quick history lesson for me - where did I get this idea (and a few others thought this too) that Finland had been annexed by Russia during the '39 to 44? Did this happen or was it only part of Finland? Or was it indeed outside these dates?

I must stress that history is not my forte!
 
Albie said:
I think you're right Perun.

Just a quick history lesson for me - where did I get this idea (and a few others thought this too) that Finland had been annexed by Russia during the '39 to 44? Did this happen or was it only part of Finland? Or was it indeed outside these dates?

I must stress that history is not my forte!
Click to expand...

Finland was part of the Russian Empire until 1917. After it became independent, there were border disputes between Finland and Stalin's Soviet Union (remember, Lenin encouraged all the countries occupied by the Tsar to declare their independence). During the so-called "Winter War" of 1940/41, the USSR occupied and annexed some territories previously held by Finland (they are still under Russian control), the ones Forostar showed on the map. That was the one and only reason why Finland -a working and stable democracy and idelogical opponent of nazism- allied with Hitler after the Germans invaded the Soviet Union. They were at first somewhat succesful in regaining their lost territories, but after the tide turned, they basically lost the war. Which is also why Finland was -like Austria or Yugoslavia- not part of the block system of the Cold War, but neutral.
 
During the war Germany and Finland were united by a common enemy, the Soviet Union, yet Finland kept her army outside the German command structure despite numerous attempts to tie them tighter together.

Finnish Jews were not persecuted, and even among extremists of the Finnish Right they were highly tolerated, as many leaders of the movement came from the clergy. Of approximately 500 Jewish refugees, 8 were handed over to the Germans, a fact for which Finnish prime minister Paavo Lipponen issued an official apology in 2000. The field synagogue operated by the Finnish army was probably a unique phenomenon in Europe.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top