Finland’s Great Famine, 1856-68

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This book offers the first full-length treatment of the Great Hunger Years which Finland suffered in the 1860s. Despite the fact that this famine caused the death of approximately ten percent of the Finnish population, it remains one of Europe’s least known human disasters. Approaching this subject from a broad perspective, the study is informed by wider studies of famine history, including themes and methodologies from those used in histories of the Great Irish Famine. It shows how Finland’s geopolitical position on the edges of two different power blocks - Europe and the Russian Empire - shaped the way in which different foreign countries responded with aid. Set against the backdrop of considerable international turmoil in the 1860s, the book explores the interconnectedness of European society in the nineteenth century, from war to diplomacy, trade to consular links, all of which played an important role in famine relief aid. It offers timely insights into the links between national, regional and other cultural affinities, and the provision of aid or refuge in the context of human disaster.