# The Red Insurrection in Finland in 1918/Part 2/Chapter 6

6. THE FALL OF THE RED POWER.
By the peace with Germany Russia pledged herself to remove immediately both the Russian troops and the Russian Red Guard Corps from Finland. This obligation was not, however, fulfilled. On the contrary, huge bands of Bolsheviks poured into Helsingfors at the fall of Reval, and Russian officers continued as hitherto to direct the war operations of the Red. The decision of the peace treaty could thus only be carried through by force, and when the Government of Finland requested armed help from Germany, this request was complied with: Germany sent troops to Finland.
It would have been only natural if the Red had laid down their arms before such a prospect. General Mannerheim issued a proclamation to them adjuring them to give up their mad enterprise now that their defeat was unavoidable. But the leaders of the Red thought of no such thing. They would not, or perhaps they ​could not, stop the movement they had set going, and they did everything to conceal the serious condition of affairs from their adherents.
Tammerfors was taken by the White army. The Germans landed at Hangø and Lovisa—fell into the rear of the Red. But by incredibly false reports of the fighting the people's courage was kept up. It is significant that in the time from the 3rd to the 12th April, from the landing of the Germans to their entry into Helsingfors, the Red Press without ceremony denied the presence of the German troops in the country. It is true that German uniforms had been seen, but they were worn by "disguised butchers."
The Russians and the leaders of the Red, however, perceived very well what was now before them. The Baltic fleet was seized by a fever of activity, with the result that most of the ships succeeded in making their way out of the ice and disappearing towards the east. Less efficient vessels were sunk or left. The leaders of the Red, however, prepared for flight.
It is perhaps the most offensive trait in these demagogues that in the hour of destruction they went on rousing their bands against a superior foe while they themselves fled, after having filled their pockets with millions of the notes of the State Bank. On the 8th April the Red Government left Helsingfors. But the last number of their official organ for that day contains another appeal from the great "Central Council," which deserves to be cited here on account of its characteristic contents. It runs as follows:—
"Comrades.
"For more than two months the Finnish working-man has fought with ardent enthusiasm against his blood-thirsty extortionists. During this time he has doggedly defended the great common cause of the working-men. ​When the Central Council of the Working-men and the Commissioners of the People by the will of the People took over the affairs of the country, they were perfectly rotten. We have been obliged to work day and night in order to remedy these scandalous, perverse conditions, while at the same time our comrades have fought against the brutish foe, who by falsehood and violence has gathered his forces from all the four corners of the world. In the bloodthirsty ranks of the White army it can be proved that, besides these enemies of the people, who call themselves Finns, there are also, amongst others, the first executioners of Nicholas the Bloody, there are officers of Korniloff's, there are riflemen who have gone through a school of murder in Germany during the world war, there are morally corrupt ruffians who have been bought with much money and big promises of good offices in Germany and Sweden. Even some Chinamen have been found in their ranks, people whom the bourgeoisie have hitherto profoundly despised. Ex-senators and other Mannerheimers have bargained about the independence of our country, both with Sweden and Germany. None of these countries have openly ventured to declare war against the People of Finland, but still each of them has unofficially helped the butchers. In doing this they have, in fact, joined Finland's capitalists in their war against Finland's Labour population. All the time the Red army of the working-men has been obliged to fight against a guard superior in numbers. As yet our opponent has not succeeded in crushing our revolutionary army, which insists on its right, with his foreign handy-men trained in the school of murder; he has spread about all sorts of provocative tales, inter alia about large German forces having landed either upon Åland, or Åbo Skerry, or—as now lately—at Hangø. When the actual course of events has been cleared up, ​these tales have always proved to be hugely and deliberately exaggerated. So much is true that the White, protected by the German name, have plundered and murdered unarmed, peaceful working-men in the said districts. The Germans, these the great ruffians of the world war, are loathed by everybody, and therefore the White are trying by the aid of the terror of the Germans to paralyse the soldiers of our Red revolutionary army, as they are not able to defeat them in any other way.
"Working-men! Revolutionary soldiers! We must not let the provocative terror of the Germans damp our revolutionary courage. We know, certainly, that they are clever at their trade of war. But hitherto the Germans have not to our certain knowledge engaged with the forces of the Red Guard in close formation. And we imagine that the imperialist government of Germany hesitates to embark on such an enterprise, for the working-men of Germany will not, it is presumed, silently permit this to happen, as their representatives have already before raised their voices against the armed excursion of their government to Aland.
"Comrades! Working-men! All that are found in the ranks of the White Guard must be treated as the enemies of the people, whatever nationality they belong to. The revolutionary working-man does not even turn aside from a German, professional murderer, for he knows that he is fighting for liberty and right.
"You Finnish working-man, peasant, and crofter, for centuries your race has been tried; you have been forced to suffer great hardship. Your fame has gone round the world, although you have lived in the slavery of capitalism. You are just now under the eye of the proletariat of the whole world. Column upon column is written daily about your stubbornness, your strong fight. About you, who have only a couple of months ago shaken off your ​fetters. It is yon who have made an independent republic of Finland. It is also your duty to defend the existence of this republic. And it is worth defending. Never before has this barren Finland been so dear to us as now. The Labour population of Finland have cleared the land, ploughed up its soil; they want to taste the fruit of their work, too. That is the aim of the Finnish labourer's revolution. In this country no Swedish or German capitalists must be allowed to rule. The affairs of this country must be managed by the majority of the Labour population. Therefore, to arms for our country, every Finnish working-man! Forward, revolutionary soldiers! Defeat will be the same as the doom of our country, and the slavery of the Labour Class. To arms, then, working-man, rise against the plunderers! Would that every man and woman would do their duty, and our victory would be certain. Not only victory to the armed rising of the Finnish labourers, but to the revolutionary fight of the proletariat in all countries. May the victorious revolution of the Finnish Labour Class prosper! May the International Revolution prosper!"
This document must be designated as a monument to the Finnish Labour movement. A curious mixture of falsehood, calumny, and a distorted view, absurd tirades against the "enemy," and a collection of arguments that are staggering in their variety. Here are flaunted both internationalism and nationalism, patriotism, class-war, democracy and revolution. Here the never-varying character of the Labour movement is glaringly seen. It drew its nourishment from any source whatever, provided only the result was hatred of those in power. The great falsehood, on which the whole appeal is based, the fact that it was issued at the very moment when the leaders fled, is not the least characteristic feature. The ​Finnish Labour Party never had leaders with backbone, courage or character.
It was, of course, impossible in the long run to keep up the illusion about the victorious revolution. The retreat was begun. A difficult retreat, during which as much plundering, murder, and incendiarism as possible was carried out. At Björneborg, Raumo, and Åbo all the steamers in the harbours were sunk, railway engines and bridges were blown up with dynamite, all safes which had not yet been burgled were broken into, all the money found in the customs and post-offices and at the railway stations was taken. The supply of stamps and receipt-stamps was appropriated, the food supplies were either carried away, burned or soaked with petroleum, shops were looted; even the tables at the telephone exchanges were smashed with sledge-hammers.
In the rural districts there were still worse doings. Here there were not so many valuable plants that could be destroyed, so instead the farms were plundered and burnt. How complete was the destruction is seen, amongst other things, from the following list of burnt and destroyed property in the little municipality of Vesilaks, south of Tammerfors. The Red burnt down 149 dwelling-houses and 355 outhouses, and they took away with them 89 horses, 688 cows, 353 sheep, 67 pigs, 400 hls. of rye, 278 hls. of barley, 2,800 hls. of oats, 66 hls. of beans, 830 hls. of potatoes, and 27 hls. of wheat. In other words, in this municipality there was nothing but the bare ground left. The farmers were plundered of the little they possessed of objects of value. The Red at Viborg, on the 21st April, gave a receipt for having received from their troops at the north front of objects: 33 kgms. of silver, 47 of plate, 857 of copper, 126 of brass, etc.
​Of course, these robberies were for the most part only the outcome of a blind lust of destruction and robbery. For many of the Red left a wife and children or parents and other relatives in the devastated land. There was, however, a certain sense in transporting as much valuable property as possible into Russia. Lots of engines and railway carriages landed there; machines and supplies from the factories were taken there; a number of type-writing machines, etc., were on their way there; as much as could be taken of food supplies was dragged there. For it was the intention to found a Red, Finnish colony in Russia, and there await the world revolution which would also give back Finland to the Red.
The immense material harm the Red did to their country may be made good in the course of years. It is more tragic that the population in the parts occupied longest by the Red had to undergo the greatest sufferings. When the retreat became unavoidable, many were murdered who had hitherto been spared, and the forced mobilisation was now accomplished by dragging along a great number of prisoners, putting them into the ranks or shooting them on suitable occasions. It was dependent on a mere chance what destiny was in store for the prisoners. This is seen, e.g., by the various measures taken with regard to the pupils of Mustiala Agricultural College in Tavastland. Thirteen were taken by the Red already in February. Nine have undoubtedly fallen, or been murdered, four have disappeared without trace. In April 32 pupils were arrested. Out of these, three landed at the Red fronts. They were put into their ranks. Two have returned. The third has disappeared. The 29 pupils left were taken south by train on the 20th April, but were assaulted in the train by their guards. Twenty of them were killed in this massacre. Five succeeded in jumping off the train and escaping. ​They were saved. Four of them were separated from their comrades, landed in a prison, and were also saved.
Part of the men forced to mobilise in Tavastland were taken to the railway station at Riihimäki, and as they refused to carry arms, they were locked up in the Russian barracks there. But Riihimäki was soon on the eve of surrender, and rather than let these imprisoned Tavastland peasants fall into the hands of the liberators, the Red tried to murder them. They—and this time it was not Red men, but armed women—placed themselves at the doors and began to fire random shots among the prisoners. The latter rushed about in their terror, were hit and fell. The result was twelve killed, and eight or ten wounded. Of the latter, two had lost their reason.
The upper staff at Valkiakoski Paper Factory in Tavastland were conducted to forced labour by the Red on the 15th April. Already on the way to the place of work two were shot, a cashier and a clerk, both over fifty years of age. On the 20th April another two were selected, taken away, and shot. On the 24th ten at a time were conducted to the wood. They were walking along a path when their Red custodians, who were walking behind them, suddenly began to shoot. The prisoner in front, a clergyman, succeeded in escaping; the nine others were killed. Now there were only six prisoners left. They had heard the reports from the wood, and understood what they meant. They did not have to wait long for their doom. Later in the day they were taken into the wood, where they were shot. However, from this group also one man succeeded in escaping. All the bodies of the murdered men, who were in part atrociously ill-used, were plundered.
The murders had been committed at the order of the "Staff." This latter now caused bottles of petroleum ​to be distributed among their men. After three more murders on peasants the neighbouring village was set fire to, and its twenty-two farms soon formed one sheet of fire. Now the enemy might come if he liked!
At Viborg prison a tragedy similar to that at Riihimäki was enacted, only with the difference that here the Red did not fire among the prisoners, but threw hand-grenades among them. The effect was terrible, a number of killed and wounded, and an unspeakable terror among the survivors.
Finally, only a few words about the great execution ground the Red established at the station of Kouvola, near Kymmene river. To this place prisoners were conducted from the whole river valley, from the cities of Frederikshamn and Kotka, from the big factories by the river, Karhula, Kymmene, Voikka. and Kuusankoski. The Red themselves thought they had executed about 400 persons here. More than 200 dead bodies have been found either buried in a swamp or thrown in the river. But many have been carried away by the current, and will perhaps never be found.
Among those murdered in this place was also the director of Finland's largest industrial plant, Kymmene Works, Gösta Björkenheim. He had not only been an able manufacturer, but he was also a humane man and a benefactor to his workmen. He had tried to make Kymmene factory town into a model place according to the most advanced social principles. Though his own workmen took his life, he was not the victim of personal hatred or private vindictiveness, but of the system. He was a capitalist, therefore he had to go.
During the whole of the insurrection Björkenheim had been kept confined in his villa. A representative of the Swedish Red Cross lived with him to protect his life. But one day he was taken by the Red, and he ​refused the Swede's offer of accompanying him. Instead he was accompanied by a young physician, who was very popular among the Red, because he had successfully nursed their wounded. The prisoners and their custodians reached the bridge across Kymmene river. Reports were heard, and the two fell down dead. They were stripped of all their clothes and thrown into the river. The clothes were sold by auction later on.
Such was the downfall of the Red power. Only the leaders and a few others succeeded in escaping to Russia. More than 70,000 people remained as prisoners in the hands of the victors. Among the prisoners, virtually all who had filled posts of trust carried lots of notes and valuable objects on their persons. But also on privates and women enormous sums were found. Two hundred thousand marks, sewn into the clothes of a prisoner, was no special rarity.