The Border Museum in Imatra documents the history of the Finnish Border Guard. It is located on a barracks site north of the city center, which also serves as a training center for the Finnish Border Guard. “The museum was actually set up as an additional place of learning for the training of border guards,” explains museum employee Mikko Veijalainen. "Last year, we revised and updated the entire exhibition. It is now so informative that we have also opened the museum to the public." However, this is only possible with prior registration and verification of data.
The Finnish Border Guard (Rajavartiolaitos) was founded in 1919, shortly after Finland's independence and the end of the Finnish Civil War. Its development is inextricably linked to the eventful history of Finland as a nation, which was under foreign rule for a long time and only gained its independence in 1917. The surveillance of the long border with Russia in the east, which stretches partly through impassable terrain, was the focus of the work from the very beginning. The Finnish Border Guard is subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior. In the event of war, the border guard force becomes part of the Finnish army.
The museum focuses on the challenges of border protection over the decades. There is always a sense of pride in the work of the border guards - past and present. It is not just about facts, but also about the stories and legends of the various generations of border guards. For example, one museum wall is dedicated to the Olympic champions from the ranks of the border guards. Ida Lindfors, a cultural studies student who is currently completing an internship at the Border Museum, explains: "You have to be fit for this job. With these role models, current employees are motivated to take part in sporting activities."
The museum exhibits many curious things about the work of the border guards. For example, the first border guard dog “Cesar”, a German shepherd, is stuffed in the display case. Doping agents used by the German “Wehrmacht” are also on display. Methamphetamine, also known as “crystal meth”, was intended to increase the performance of soldiers. These pills were used by Finnish long range reconnaissance patrol units during the Continuation War. The Finns received so called Perivitin pills from the German Wehrmacht.
Military historian Mikko Veijalainen explains that border guard tactics have not changed significantly over the decades. “What has changed, however, is the technology used for border protection.” There have always been different challenges depending on the threat situation.
During the Cold War, the work of the border guard was shaped by the 1948 “Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance” between Finland and the Soviet Union. “Officially, we had a good neighborly and friendly relationship,” says the military historian from today's perspective. "But in reality, we always saw the Russians as a threat. There was always a fear of sabotage and threats." At the same time, everything that could upset the large neighbor was to be avoided. For example, the border guards made sure that car headlights did not shine in the direction of the Soviet Union. “That was part of the regulations between the two states.” Talking to or making contact with Soviet border guards was also undesirable. The Finnish side was responsible for preventing this.
Mikko Veijalainen tells of another curiosity from the 1970s and1980s. An increasing number of religious material and texts in Finnish were smuggled across the border - initially by car and later via the border rivers. “This irritated the Russians, and we were asked under the friendship treaty to ensure that this no longer happened.” In the beginning the books and texts were usually hidden behind their car seats. However on the Soviet side the border checks were so thorough that they usually got caught. Then the Finnish smugglers got the idea that they could use waterways. Certain rivers like Vuoksi flow across the border from west to east, so they started sending their materiel via these waterways. This once again irritated the Soviets a lot and they told us to put an end to this phenomena. So, accordingly the Finnish Border Guard started to erect barriers into these cross-border waterways.
Now the country's own security is the focus of the border protection authority's work. “We're not afraid of Russia,” says the museum employee. "It's difficult for the Russians to surprise us. We are prepared and on alert. We monitor the border with all the means at our disposal, including on the other side." Mikko Veijalainen comments on what can be seen there with the words “ongoing crisis”.
