If you’ve been lying awake wondering about the results of the Spotify poll from the previous episode, I have good news for you: the votes have been counted and I’m ready to reveal the results. >>

On this day, but in 1648, the Thirty Years' War ended. The war had begun 30 years before as a religious dispute within the Holy Roman Empire and gradually expanded into a continent-wide exercise in destruction, power politics, and questionable decision-making. >>

Another two weeks have passed, which means that it's high time for a brand new episode. This time, we look at the interwar years in Scandinavia. Lots of things happened between 1918 and 1939, and the development was quite similar in all the countries we cover on the show. >>

On this day, but in 1254, the Flugmýri Arson took place. It happened during the Age of the Sturlungs–a time known for its instability and violent clashes between rivalling factions. Flugmýri was the home of the chieftain Gissur Þorvaldsson, who had recently returned home from Norway. >>

On this day, but in 1833, Alfred Nobel was born. He was a Swedish chemist who made a fortune from inventing dynamite and selling it to anyone who a) wanted to blow someone up, b) had money. >>

Eyewitness accounts tell how Finnish soldiers on the White side snickered at the softness of some Swedish volunteers when they first faced the harsh treatment of defeated Red fighters in the Finnish Civil War. But in most cases, it didn’t take long for the Swedes to adopt the White attitude. >>

In the throne room at Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen, stand three silver statues of lions in natural size. They were commissioned by Frederik III in the 1660s, and they function as a ceremonial–and highly symbolic–guard of the coronation chair used by the Absolute monarchs of Denmark. >>

"The Memorial of Reconciliation and Hope" is a memorial stone located in the Vihti church cemetery. This is one of only a handful of memorials that commemorate victims from both sides of the Finnish Civil War. >>

On this day, but in 1941, the combined Norwegian cargo and passenger ship “Vesteraalen” was steaming north from Tromsø with 39 passengers and a crew of 22. While approaching Øksfjord, around four in the afternoon, the ship was struck by a torpedo from an unidentified submarine. >>

This is a photo taken of the so-called Rump Parliament of Finland. It was the first time the Lantdag convened after the end of the Civil War. Of the 92 Social-Democratic members elected before the war, only Matti Paasivuori was present. He hadn’t participated in the revolution or the fighting. >>

In the latest episode of the podcast, I spoke about the prison camps for defeated Reds in Finland. It’s less known that Finnish Reds were also interned in Sweden. In February 1918, the Swedish military set up a camp in a former school in Morjärv, some 90 km from the Finnish border town Tornio. >>

On this day, but in 1920, Finland and Soviet Russia signed the Treaty of Tartu in the Estonian town by that name. The treaty regulated the border between newly independent Finland the Soviet Russia. >>

On this day, but in 1949, Vilhelm Moberg’s classic novel “The Emigrants” was published. It depicts a group of Swedes emigrating to the US in the mid-1800s. Today, the novel is officially a part of the Swedish culture canon, but back when it was published not everyone was enthusiastic. >>

In the latest episode of the podcast, I rattled off the names of places with the largest prison camps following the defeat of the Red side in the Civil War 1918. As usual, though, I didn't give you any indication of where these camps were located, so I decided to put together this handy map. >>

“Last year, Kyiv agreed to Mr. Trump’s call for an immediate, unconditional cease-fire, but Moscow flatly rejected it. That first round of diplomacy established a dynamic that still defines negotiations: Ukraine received no reward for saying yes, and the Kremlin paid no price for saying no.”

Rebuking Ukraine Over Oil Strikes, Trump Says It Should ‘Get a New President’ (Gift Article)

Hours after President Trump said the United States would buy Russian diesel, the Kremlin said there would be no immediate resumption of discussions to end the war.

nytimes.com

On this day, but in 1722, Fredensborg Palace was inaugurated. That date was also King Frederik IV’s birthday, which of course was no coincidence. The palace got its name (“Castle of Peace”) in celebration of the end of the Great Northern War, where Denmark had retrieved a chunk of Slesvig back. >>

The votes from the Spotify poll about the last episode have been counted, and we have a result. The question was: What do you think secured the White victory in the Finnish Civil War? 1) The superior military organization 2) The fall of Tampere 3) The German intervention >>

new episode of the Scandinavian History Podcast has dropped. Last time, the civil war in Finland ended--but that didn't mean that the killing stopped. In fact, the conflict would claim more victims in the six months after the war than in the war itself. Links in the comments.

Kullervo Manner (the guy in the hat) was the official leader of the revolutionary government, the People’s Commissariat, that features prominently in the latest episode of the Scandinavian History Podcast. >>

As I mentioned in the last episode, even though the Swedish government officially refused to get involved in the Finnish Civil War, there were Swedes who went to Finland as volunteers. The vast majority (but not all) went to fight for the White side. >>

Yesterday I posted an image of the unofficial flag used by the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland. Some of you asked why they use the same flag as Scania. They don't, but I can see why you'd think that, so here are a few words of Scandinavian vexillology. >>

As listeners of the Scandinavian History Podcast surely know by now, Finland and Sweden have a long common history. This fact is still reflected in many ways in Finnish society. Finland still has a Swedish-speaking minority, and the state is officially bi-lingual. >>

There were special Red Guard units for women during the Finnish Civil War. These units attracted mostly young factory workers or servants. The first unit was set up in February 1918, and by the end of March there were already 15. Approximately 2,000 women served in these units. >>

Over the last few days, I’ve published a couple of maps showing Finland during the Civil War in 1918. Several of you have asked why these maps don’t include the Petsamo Corridor as a part of Finland, or “the right arm of the Finnish Maiden”, as it’s sometimes called. >>

During the Finnish Civil War, the Ostrobothnian city of Vaasa became important for the White side. Already on January 18 1918, Mannerheim went there to disarm the Russian troops in Finland. Later, the Senate also reconvened in Vaasa, making the city the temporary capital of the White side. >>

Since the latest episode was heavy of Finnish geography, I feel the need to add yet another map to give you a visual aid. Hopefully it'll give you a clearer picture of the battle of Tampere. >>

The other day, September 25 to be exact, King Frederik X of Denmark unveiled the first official portrait of him painted after he became king. The portrait, painted by Cathrine Raben Davidsen, hangs in the Great Hall at Frederiksborg Castle. So do the portraits of many of Frederik's ancestors. >>

On this day, but in 1560, the king of Sweden, Gustav Eriksson Vasa, died. He's one of the Swedish monarchs who've had the most influence on the development of the country. Arguably, no other king has changed Sweden more than he did. >>

In order to help you get a better picture (literally) of the geography of the Finnish civil war, here's a map with (almost) all the towns and cities mentioned in episode 143.

Not everyone in the world may have a clear mental image of the map of Finland in 1918. If you fall in that category, here's a map giving you a rough idea about the division of Finland when the civil war broke out in January 1918. >>