MemoriaVolatilis

The Finnish Defence Forces have declassified ca. 300 photographs taken during the World War II. Photographs have been classified due to political reasons and due to their harsh contents. The photographs were kept secret during the existence of Soviet Union, because it was feared that their contents would disturb the relationships between Finland and Soviet Union. Photographs show e.g. civilians murdered brutally by soviet partisans and executions of captured soviet spies.

The decision to declassify the photographs was due to recent investigations at Huhtiniemi near the city of Lappeenranta regarding a rumoured mass grave of soldiers executed after court-martial. Although Finnish media has published some of the photograps, there will not be an exhibition showing these photographs. Photographs will be kept at the Photographic Division of National Defence College at Helsinki.