From: thietaniemi@cc.helsinki.fi
Subject: Re: RUSSKII S FINNOM BRAT'A NA VEKA!
Organization: University of Helsinki
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 12:35:18 GMT

In article <12142@scott.ed.ac.uk>, alexei@cogsci.ed.ac.uk (Alexei Moiseyev) 
writes:
> I would like to thank Mr.Hietaniemi for his friendly message which follows:
<partly deleted>

We have a disagreement on Estonian politics, but we surely do not disagree on
everything...:-)


>>>>Finland is one good example of a nation where (bilingual) patrioticism
>>>>and democracy co-exist. Visit us an experience it. Estonia will look
>>>>the same after one or two generations, I suppose. At least, I hope so!
>> 
>>> I would visit Finland, but I fear I might run into somebody like
>>> Vorlund, who having identified me by my "Russian appearence" might
>>> feel like celebrating again.
> 
> 
> 
>>Every country has the idiots it deservers :-)
> 
> 
> 
> I'll definitely go along with this!
> 
> 
> 
> 
>>Actually, as a Finn visiting Russia, I have noticed that most of Finns
>>resemble of Russians and I am asked in Russian where the railway station is
>>and such a things. 
> 
>>If there is some kind of "Russian appearance", it's the clothing 
>>and behaviour of some Russians. If you walk in Helsinki in groups wearing 
>>fur capes, speaking Russian, smoking Belomorkanal or something like it and 
>>if the ladies use Krasnaya Moskva, you are relatively easy to 
>>regocnize to any Finn. :-) :-)
>>Change these things and you assimilate in crowd (if that's what you 
>>wish, of course).
> 
> 
> 
> Well, I do not smoke, and unfortunately I have not got a hat, but I do
> wear my TEL'NYASHKA (one of those Russian navy shirts) !!!
 
 
Sorry, this detail aroused my curiosity! I am still a poor observer, I do not
recognize tel'nyashka. What colour are they? Blue?


I will tell you one curiosity: Finland is a country that has adapted
the flag of Russian navy to it's national flag! Of course, the cross
Russian navy uses is the cross of St. Andrew, and the Finnish
flag is formed according the Scandinavian pattern. The Finnish
flag was first used in Helsinki by one yachting club, that had
the czarevic (later Alexander III, if I recall correctly) as it's
member (namely, Nylands Jaktklubb).

 
>>, the violence between Russians and Finns in Helsinki
>>is almost non-existent, which is surprising. The Finns are afraid of
>>Russian and Siberian mafias, of which they read from the tabloids,
>>which are not the most reliable sources.
> 
> 
> 
> Actually I would not be too dismissive as far as the Russian and other
> xUSSR mafias are concerned.  When I was in Russia and Uzbekistan last
> April, I got to see some of them in restaurants...seriously nasty
> customers.  


Indeed. We had a short discussion about the Permian mafia here in
newsgroup couple of months ago.


> I believe that countries like Finland should have
> strickter border controls to prevent the spread of crime beyond the
> former USSR.  I also believe that Russia should have strickter border
> controls to prevent smuggling and the infiltration of criminal
> elements into Russia from other xUSSR republics.


Here, we agree! But sometimes, people in XUSSR tend to use the
word mafia in an inflatory manner. Take the people in Tallinn,
for example. They tend to speak about things like "taksomafia",
when they face a kernel for cab drivers' trade union.
 
 
 
>>the statue of the liberator Czar, Alexander the Second, The Grand Duke
>>of Finland still stands and will be standing in the middle
>>of the Senate square. Visit Helsinki and admire it.
 
And, do not forget to see:

- The statue of Alexander I beside the Helsinki University
library.
- The relief of Alexander I on the House of Estates. Alexander
pervyi came to Finland in 1809, as a conqueror, but told the
surprised Finnish estates that he had come "to rise Finland
in the rank of nations". Which, surprisingly, he did!

-The Uspenski cathedral in the harbour (the greatest orthodox
church in "Western" Europe). Orthodoxism (as the Finns call pravoslaviye)
is, by the way, the other state religion in Finland (along
with Lutheran protestantism).

 
> Well, you've presuaded me.
> Next time I am in StPetersburg I'll try crossing the border.  I spent
> my childhood in StPetersburg, and every summer I used to go to
> Roschino (Raimulo?), even closer to the Finnish border.  I often
> wondered then what it was like in Finland.
 
Mix these ingredients:

(1) The Karelian nature
(2) The Swedish society 
(3) A Russian (Piter-Russian) capital city :-)
 
 
with best regards
Tapani Hietaniemi, Universitas Helsingiensis (the former Alexander Univ.)
                   urbs fennorum

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