This manifestation was organised by the Finnish Communist Party's (SKP) and its youth organisation's (SDNL) Uudenmaa-district organisations (area around
Helsinki). At this time the tension between the rivalling factions
within the party grew.
A sword of many tales. During the Civil War this sword was discovered
in the Finnish government building. It had probably belonged to a
member of the 'Sabre Senate' - the government of Russian officers, who ruled Finland during the First World War. Artturi Hellman, who found the sword, played an important role in the People's delegations (the red government), and when
the People's delegation had to flee from Helsinki because of the advancing
German troops (who were supporting white forces to capture Southern Finland),
'Declaration to the Finnish people', or the 'Red declaration'
(named after the red paper it was printed on more than the 'red ideas'
within the document) was read aloud from the City hall balcony in Tampere by labour poet Kössi Lindström (later known as Kössi Kaatra) during the General strike of 1905. The paper was both nationalist as well as
Painted emblem of the Turun työväenyhdistys (labour union of
Turku), late 19th century, oil on canvas. The banner reads 'Freedom, Brotherhood, Equality' in Finnish.
Great demonstration on the Tampere Central Square during the General strike of 1956. The people came to the mass meeting without making use of any means of public
transport. After the war prices and costs of living were under very
strict governmental supervision. When the ban was lifted, the prices rose very fast but the salaries stayed behind. Finally the Confederation of
A wooden spoon, made in the Hennala prison camp in 1918. After the Civil war thousands of Finnish men and women were detained in prison camps,
while the country suffered from serious food shortage. Conditions were so
bad, that many prisoners died of hunger before they could be
judged. To suppress the thought of food many prisoners started to make small handicrafts. This spoon is made by Emmanuel Lammi
and is dedicated to his daughter Sanni.
The workers of the Finlayson textile mill founded in the year 1900 the Finnish co-operative movement . This photograph of their
first shop is taken between 1907-1910. Shopkeeper Hirvonen is seen
standing on the ladder.
The oldest part of the factory, called 'Kuusivooninkinen ' ( 'Six floors') in the middle was build in 1836. The lower building on its left was made in the 1850's. On the foreground is the turbine-engine room from 1876. The top of the tower is the sprinkler tower, build in 1896. Today part of the factory is used as an exhibition room for the Central Museum of Labour in Finland.
This monument was erected 1950 in
the Eteläpuisto (Southern Park) in Tampere for the 50th birthday of the
co-operation. It was made by the famous Finnish sculptor Wäinö
Aaltonen. At the time of erection it was pointed out that there were lots
of monuments for politicians and military leaders, for war victories
and victims but hardly none for the peaceful construction of the society
