1835: First published version of the “Kalevala,” the national epic.
1836-1886: Under Tsar Alexander II, Finland enjoys autonomy. Finnish becomes an official language alongside Swedish. Alexander III forgoes state control of telephone, allowing multiple companies to enter the new market.
1917-1919: Finland declares independence from Russia. Civil war soon breaks out, and Gen. Gustaf Mannerheim leads the Whites to victory.
1939-1944: Russia attacks Finland; Mannerheim returns to duty, and what’s called the Winter War ends with a peace treaty in 1940. After Germany invades Russia in 1941, Finland enters the war against Russia. Peace is declared in 1944. Mannerheim becomes president.
1946-1982: J. K. Paasikivi becomes president and signs the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance with the Soviet Union. Urho Kekkonen succeeds him, holding office for 26 years.
1991-1992: Fall of the Soviet Union. Finnish government celebrates by applying to join the EC; Finnish rockers the Leningrad Cowboys celebrate by hiring the Alexandrov Red Army Ensemble to sing backup in Senate Square in Helsinki.
1992-1999: Nokia’s business takes off; electronics draws even with and then surpasses forest products as a source of export earnings. Finland gets the EU presidency this spring.
