Kola Norwegians
Encyclopedia
The Kola Norwegians were Norwegian
settlers along the coastline of the Kola Peninsula
in Russia
.
Alexander II
granted permission for Norwegian settlements on the Kola. Around 1870, scores of families from Finnmark
in northern Norway
departed for the Kola coast, attracted by the prospects of fishing and trade. The Russian authorities granted them privileges to trade with Norway.
Most of them settled in Tsyp-Navolok on the easternmost tip of the Rybachiy Peninsula
. Others settled in Vaydaguba at the northwestern tip of the same peninsula. A vibrant society developed, retaining contact with Norway, especially with the town of Vardø
. Some settlers returned to Norway shortly after the Russian Revolution of 1917
, but most of them remained at Tsyp-Navolok. In 1917 perhaps about 1000 lived on the Kola.
In 1930, the fishermen were gathered into a kolkhoz
"Poljarnaja Zvezda" ' onMouseout='HidePop("59028")' href="/topics/Polaris">Polaris
). Beginning in 1936, persecution by the Soviet authorities under Joseph Stalin
hit the small community hard. At least 15 were shot after summary trials, or starved to death in Soviet labour camps
. It is alleged that some were denounced, sentenced and executed for having talked in Norwegian.
On 23 June 1940 Lavrenty Beria of the NKVD
ordered the Murmansk Oblast
, encompassing the entire Kola Peninsula, to be cleaned of "foreign nationals". As a result, the entire Norwegian population was deported for resettlement
in the Karelo-Finnish SSR
. Soon they had to move from there too, because of pressures caused by the Finnish invasion
of the Soviet Union in 1941. In spring 1942, a large proportion died of starvation and malnutrition.
Despite many having served in the Red Army
, they were not allowed to return home to the Kola after the end of the Second World War. Many children were raised without learning to speak Norwegian.
After 1990, some descendants of the original settlers began to emphasise their family backgrounds, although only a few had been able to maintain a rusty knowledge of the Vardø dialect of the Norwegian language. Some have now migrated to Norway. There are special provisions in the Norway's immigration law which eases this process, albeit generally being less permissive than those which pertain in other countries which operate a "right of return
". In order to obtain a permit to move to Norway and work there, a foreign citizen must show an adequate connection to the country, such as having two or more grandparents who were born there. As for citizenship, it is awarded on the same basis as to anyone else - which basis includes the formal renunciation of the original citizenship. By 2004 approximately 200 Kola Norwegians had settled in Norway.
Norwegians
Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...
settlers along the coastline of the Kola Peninsula
Kola Peninsula
The Kola Peninsula is a peninsula in the far northwest of Russia. Constituting the bulk of the territory of Murmansk Oblast, it lies almost completely to the north of the Arctic Circle and is washed by the Barents Sea in the north and the White Sea in the east and southeast...
in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
History
In 1860 the Russian TsarTsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Alexander II
Alexander II of Russia
Alexander II , also known as Alexander the Liberator was the Emperor of the Russian Empire from 3 March 1855 until his assassination in 1881...
granted permission for Norwegian settlements on the Kola. Around 1870, scores of families from Finnmark
Finnmark
or Finnmárku is a county in the extreme northeast of Norway. By land it borders Troms county to the west, Finland to the south and Russia to the east, and by water, the Norwegian Sea to the northwest, and the Barents Sea to the north and northeast.The county was formerly known as Finmarkens...
in northern Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
departed for the Kola coast, attracted by the prospects of fishing and trade. The Russian authorities granted them privileges to trade with Norway.
Most of them settled in Tsyp-Navolok on the easternmost tip of the Rybachiy Peninsula
Rybachiy Peninsula
Rybachy Peninsula is the northernmost part of continental European Russia. Its name is translated as Fisher Peninsula. It is connected with the Sredny Peninsula, Middle Peninsula by a thin isthmus. So the peninsula is in fact nearly completely surrounded by water...
. Others settled in Vaydaguba at the northwestern tip of the same peninsula. A vibrant society developed, retaining contact with Norway, especially with the town of Vardø
Vardø
is a town and a municipality in Finnmark county in the extreme northeast part of Norway.Vardø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . The law required that all cities should be separated from their rural districts, but because of a low population and very few voters, this was...
. Some settlers returned to Norway shortly after the Russian Revolution of 1917
Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
, but most of them remained at Tsyp-Navolok. In 1917 perhaps about 1000 lived on the Kola.
In 1930, the fishermen were gathered into a kolkhoz
Kolkhoz
A kolkhoz , plural kolkhozy, was a form of collective farming in the Soviet Union that existed along with state farms . The word is a contraction of коллекти́вное хозя́йство, or "collective farm", while sovkhoz is a contraction of советское хозяйство...
"Poljarnaja Zvezda" ' onMouseout='HidePop("59028")' href="/topics/Polaris">Polaris
Polaris
Polaris |Alpha]] Ursae Minoris, commonly North Star or Pole Star, also Lodestar) is the brightest star in the constellation Ursa Minor. It is very close to the north celestial pole, making it the current northern pole star....
). Beginning in 1936, persecution by the Soviet authorities under Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
hit the small community hard. At least 15 were shot after summary trials, or starved to death in Soviet labour camps
Gulag
The Gulag was the government agency that administered the main Soviet forced labor camp systems. While the camps housed a wide range of convicts, from petty criminals to political prisoners, large numbers were convicted by simplified procedures, such as NKVD troikas and other instruments of...
. It is alleged that some were denounced, sentenced and executed for having talked in Norwegian.
On 23 June 1940 Lavrenty Beria of the NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
ordered the Murmansk Oblast
Murmansk Oblast
Murmansk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia , located in the northwestern part of Russia. Its administrative center is the city of Murmansk.-Geography:...
, encompassing the entire Kola Peninsula, to be cleaned of "foreign nationals". As a result, the entire Norwegian population was deported for resettlement
Involuntary settlements in the Soviet Union
Forced settlements in the Soviet Union took several forms. Though the most notorious was the Gulag labor camp system of penal labor, resettling of entire categories of population was another method of political repression implemented by the Soviet Union. At the same time, involuntary settlement...
in the Karelo-Finnish SSR
Karelo-Finnish SSR
The Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic was a short-lived republic that was a part of the former Soviet Union. The republic existed from 1940 until it was merged back into the Russian SFSR in 1956 ....
. Soon they had to move from there too, because of pressures caused by the Finnish invasion
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
of the Soviet Union in 1941. In spring 1942, a large proportion died of starvation and malnutrition.
Despite many having served in the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
, they were not allowed to return home to the Kola after the end of the Second World War. Many children were raised without learning to speak Norwegian.
After 1990, some descendants of the original settlers began to emphasise their family backgrounds, although only a few had been able to maintain a rusty knowledge of the Vardø dialect of the Norwegian language. Some have now migrated to Norway. There are special provisions in the Norway's immigration law which eases this process, albeit generally being less permissive than those which pertain in other countries which operate a "right of return
Right of return
The term right of return refers to a principle of international law, codified in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, giving any person the right to return to, and re-enter, his or her country of origin...
". In order to obtain a permit to move to Norway and work there, a foreign citizen must show an adequate connection to the country, such as having two or more grandparents who were born there. As for citizenship, it is awarded on the same basis as to anyone else - which basis includes the formal renunciation of the original citizenship. By 2004 approximately 200 Kola Norwegians had settled in Norway.