Karelian Isthmus
See Karelia (disambiguation) for other meanings of the name Karelia.For the Amorphis album, see The Karelian Isthmus.The
Karelian Isthmus () is the narrow stretch of land between the
Gulf of Finland and
Lake Ladoga in northwestern
Russia. The
city of
Vyborg and the
town of
Priozersk are situated on the northwestern end of the isthmus. In the southeast it reaches to
Saint Petersburg. Since
World War II, when the fronts moved back and forth over the isthmus, it belongs to the
Leningrad Oblast of
Russia.
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Map of the Karelian isthmus. Shown are important towns, the current Finnish-Russian border in the North-West and the pre-Winter War border further South. |
Prehistory and Medieval
In the first millennium,
Finnic people wandered to the Karelian Isthmus.
In 11th century,
Sweden and
Novgorod started to compete tax holding rights. Sweden gained them in area near Viipuri and Novgorod in other parts of isthmus.
Modern Times
During 17th century Sweden gained the whole isthmus and also
Ingria. In this time many Karelians escaped to Tver's Karelia.
From
1721-
1812 the isthmus belonged to the
Russian Empire, won in the
Great Northern War that started with the Russian conquest of Ingria where the new imperial
capital, Saint Petersburg, was founded (
1703) in the southern end of the isthmus, in place of old Swedish town Nyenskans. Then in 1812, the northwestern half was transferred, as a part of
Old Finland, to the semi-autonomous
Grand Duchy of Finland, created in
1809 and in a
personal union with Russia.
Due to the rich soil, rich fishing waters and the proximity to Saint Petersburg, the Karelian Isthmus became the wealthiest part of Finland once the
industrial revolution had gained momentum in the
19th century. When Finland declared its independence in
1917, the isthmus remained Finnish.
Winter War and World War II
In November
1939, the
Soviet Union invaded Finland in what became known as the
Winter War. Soviet forces were able to penetrate the well-defended
Mannerheim Line across the isthmus in early
1940. Finland ceded the Karelian isthmus to the Soviet Union in the
Peace of Moscow.
in
1941, During
World War II, Germany invaded the Soviet Union in
Operation Barbarossa. At the same time
Continuation War as it is known in Finland (it is considered to be one front of World War 2 by Russians) started. Finland initially regained the lost territory (
co-belligerent with
Nazi Germany), reaching the Russian side of the border of 1939 and seen by the Russians as indirectly contributing to the
Siege of Leningrad.
On
9 June,
1944, strong Soviet forces opened a counter-offensive and pushed the front from Leningrad to Vyborg in ten days. In the
Battle of Tali-Ihantala,
25 June–
9 July, the Finns concentrated their military strength and brought the offensive to a halt at the
River Vuoksi, in the northwesternmost part of the isthmus, at the closest point only 40 kilometers from the border of 1940, that again was recognized by Finland in the
Peace of Paris,
1947. Since then the isthmus has belonged to the
Leningrad Oblast and been inhabited by Russian people.
After the wars most of the old Finnish names were renamed to Russian ones.
Finnish
heavy metal band
Amorphis titled their first album
The Karelian Isthmus .
