Party of Finnish Labor
Suomalaisen Työn Puolue
LeaderNiilo Rauvala
SecretaryTaavi Vanhanen
Founded1932
Dissolved1945
NewspaperVapaa Suomi
IdeologyAntisemitism
Finnish nationalism
Finnish irredentism
Protectionism
Nazism[1]
Political positionFar-right

The Party of Finnish Labor (Finnish: Suomalaisen Työn Puolue, STP) was a Finnish far-right party operating in the 1930s and 1940s, led by engineer Niilo Rauvala. The party's motto was: "Finland into a great and rich nation state". In 1940s, the organization was known as the New Finnish Party (Uusi Suomalainen Puolue).[2] The party was dissolved on 18 January 1945 as contrary to Article 21 of the Moscow Armistice, which forbade fascist parties.[3]

The party began when a group of Helsinki residents who were dissatisfied with the Free Workers' Union left the organization and decided to form a competing association. In October 1931, the Helsinki Rightist-Workers' Association was organized, and in August 1932, the same people decided to form the Rightist-Workers' and Peasants' Party. The party was led by Niilo Rauvala, former vice-chairman of the Free Workers' Union. The first vice-chairman, Yrjö Säde, resigned from the organization as early as November 1932 and joined the Finnish People's Organisation (SKJ).[2]

Rauvala was also the editor-in-chief of the Vapaa Suomi (Free Finland) magazine, published by the organization. The magazine, which was published from the beginning of September 1932, promoted, among other things, the Greater Finland idea and protectionist economics. The party was sympathetic to Nazism and Rauvala cooperated with the nazi Finnish People's Organisation. Prior to the 1933 parliamentary elections, STP and SKJ entered into an electoral alliance, but SKJ withdrew from the project a month before the election.[4][2] The party also published their edition of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion translated by Taavi Vanhanen.[5][1] Their newspaper however attacked Yrjö Ruutu's National Socialist Union of Finland, accusing the party of cryptomarxism due to their Strasserist leanings. The main points of the party program were related to working conditions.[2]

Election results

Parliament of Finland

Date Votes Seats Position Size
# % ± pp # ±
1933 226 0.02% + 0.02
0 / 200
 Increase No seats 17th

References

  1. ^ a b Hanski Jari (2006). Juutalaisvastaisuus suomalaisissa aikakauslehdissä ja kirjallisuudessa 1918–1944. Diss. Helsinki: Helsingin yliopisto. p. 37. ISBN 952-10-3015-1. online version
  2. ^ a b c d Ekberg, Henrik (1991). Führerns trogna följeslagare. Den finländska nazismen 1932–1944. Schildts. pp. 188–194. 951-50-0522-1.
  3. ^ Mikko Uola: "Suomi sitoutuu hajottamaan...": Järjestöjen lakkauttaminen vuoden 1944 välirauhansopimuksen 21. artiklan perusteella, s. 262–271. Helsinki: Suomen Historiallinen Seura, 1999. ISBN 951-710-119-8.
  4. ^ Ekberg 1991, s. 79.
  5. ^ Nummelin, Juri (toim.): Oikeiston vihapuhetta: 1900-1950. Turku: Savukeidas, 2014. ISBN 978-952-268-105-8.
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