Originally printed: 1948

Artist: Osmo K. Oksanen

Size: 59 x 98 cm

Price: 19 € (+ shipping)

Background:

During the winter of 1944–1945, after the wars, everyone in Finland was already aware of the bitter truth when the newspapers reported that ‘Northern Finland will be a lost paradise for a long time’.

Similarly, Jorma Tolonen, one of the leading activists in tourism, said the following in an address to the Helsinki General Tourist Association:

‘Nothing has escaped the destructiveness of the retreating German troops. The proud network of Lapp tourist cabins and hotels has been reduced to rubble. Not a single bed remains.’

Terijoki, Suursaari (Hogland), Petsamo and Viipuri- all large and well-loved tourist resorts- were now gone. Lapland was blown to smithereens. All the money was gone. The only conclusion to be drawn was that tourism had to be relocated from the east and north to the west, south and centre of Finland. The future lay in the archipelago and the lakes, it was thought – Lapland would have to wait.

True, the elegant Airisto hotel had opened for business in the Pargas archipelago in the west even during the war, but Lapland was never actually abandoned: Pallas soon got a new and appealing hotel and the Pohjanhovi hotel in Rovaniemi was also resurrected. It seemed as if tourism in the fells just couldn’t be broken.

There were enough dedicated people out there who realised the importance of getting tourism back on its feet. The tourists were able to bring in precisely what the nation so desperately needed – foreign currency and international goodwill.

For all we know this must be the first poster marketing the Finnish winter and Lapland after the war.

Hungry for more?

This poster can be found in the book Come to Finland. It's a quality coffee table book filled with vintage travel posters from Finland – and many travel tales and historical anecdotes. The book is the result of a long and successful cultural history project. You can order the book here.

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