COMMISSION OF FINNISH LABOUR TRADITION

The Commission of Finnish Labour Tradition, which operates in connection with the Finnish Labour Archives, collects and preserves oral history and memoirs and makes them available for research.

The Commission of Finnish Labour Tradition was established in 1960 on the initiative of the Workers' Educational Association WEA Finland. Among the founders were researchers, representatives of workers and employers, and the director of the National Workers' Savings Bank, Mauno Koivisto. The main purpose of the commission was to gather recollections from the early days of the labour movement, as well as information about the 1918 Finnish Civil War from the experiences of the labor movement - a perspective that educational and archival institutions had rejected.

Over the years, the commission's objectives have expanded to include recording interviews and memoirs describing the social history and development of liberation in society for research purposes. Several edited anthologies of the materials have been published as part of a series focusing on the heritage of Finnish workers.

THE COLLECTION

The collection of the Commission of Finnish Labour Tradition consists of biographical memoirs and interviews written from the perspective of internal solidarity within the working class, mostly of politically active people. The collection offers the opportunity to take a closer look at the world view of individuals and their experiences and what the sense of community among Finnish workers has been like.

The informational core of the collection consists of approximately 10,000 oral history interview transcriptions and written reminiscences arranged as volumes and supplemented by other written materials as attachments. Some of the interview recordings have been digitised and can be listened to at the Finnish Labour Archives.

The largest single theme in the collection is the memories of the losing Red side of the Finnish Civil War concerning the years 1917 and 1918. It is a unique depiction of the fates of the members of a losing party of the war. Other topics that stand out from the diverse material include the transitional periods in Finnish history from independence and war years to the recession of the 1990s, professional memories about working life from industry and service sectors, and memories from persons who worked as officials.

Other themes include activities of political parties, workers' theatre and sports activities, cooperative, women's and trade union movements, everyday life, the environment, sexual and gender minorities and conscientious objection. The collection include Finland's first oral history collection targeting LGBT people.

USING THE COLLECTION

The collection is open to all for research. The researcher is required to comply with the Rules of Use of the Commission of Finnish Labour Tradition and the guidelines for the Responsible Conduct of Research. Due to the sensitivity and copyrights, copying and photographing the oral history materials is subject to permission.

For further information, please contact:
Pete Pesonen, Senior Archivist
tel. +358 40 455 3198
pete.pesonen@tyark.fi

CITATION GUIDELINE

For example, referring to Lasse Dahlroos’s memoir “Merikarvialaisen merimiehen muistelmat”:

Citations: (The Commission of Finnish Labour Tradition [TMT], storage unit, archival unit, Finnish Labour Archives)

TMT : 396 : 11991 : Finnish Labour Archives (TA)

Reference list: (archive, records creator, [title,] storage unit: archival unit)

Finnish Labour Archives (TA), Helsinki

Collection of the Commission of Finnish Labour Tradition (TMT)

- Merikarvialaisen merimiehen muistelmat 396 : 11991