The Evacuation Journey of Kuhmo Residents to Ostrobothnia
When the Winter War broke out on November 30, 1939, civilians in Kuhmo were still in their homes. The provincial government granted evacuation permission late. From Kainuu, Sotkamo, Kuhmo, Suomussalmi, and half of Puolanka were evacuated. In Kuhmo, the evacuation was organized by the local Civil Guard chief Aarne Kontio and sheriff Lauri Korteniemi.
Evacuation began after the war started, with border patrols delivering the message to households and urging evacuees to move to the roadside to wait for trucks. From the most remote houses, it was several kilometers to the road. Not everyone had a horse, so skis and sleds were used. Travel was slow because men had been called to extra refresher exercises, leaving the responsibility largely to women. Fear of nearby fighting and concern for their homes added to the strain. Not all livestock could be taken; some remaining animals were shot and burned to prevent them from becoming food for the enemy.
Evacuees gathered at the Kuhmo parish school, where they were fed and directed to onward transport. They traveled to evacuation destinations by trucks, trains, and horse-drawn vehicles. There were not enough buses, so many rode on open truck beds. In trains, cattle cars were used due to the lack of passenger coaches.
Kuhmo evacuees were placed in Haapajärvi, Nivala, Pyhäjärvi, Ylivieska, Alavieska, Hattula, Kärsämäki, Lumijoki, Oulu, Pulkkila, Sievi, Kalajoki, Kestilä, Kajaani, Paltamo, Sotkamo, Vuolijoki, Säräisniemi, Tornio, and Vieremä. Efforts were made to keep village communities together. About 8,250 people were evacuated from Kuhmo. Of these, 127 died (mostly children and the elderly), and 151 children were born during evacuation.
Some were left behind, such as the pregnant mistress of Naavala in Lentiira with her five children, the elderly couple of Pulkkisenvaara in Lentiira, and the old master of Kusianvaara in Saunajärvi. They were evacuated during the Winter War.
Life in Evacuation
At first, life in evacuation was complicated by different dialects and misunderstandings. For example, the word kehtaa in Kuhmo means “doesn’t feel like doing,” while in Kalajoki Valley it refers to “being able to manage.” Food culture also differed: Ostrobothnia favored porridge, bread soup, dumpling stew, and oat porridge, while Kuhmo residents preferred meat stews and were unfamiliar with heavy grain-based meals. The state paid a special maintenance allowance if evacuees cooked their own food. If they ate the host family’s meals, the host received compensation: 7.50 marks for adults and 5.50 marks for children.
Accommodation was often cramped. Up to three families might share a single room, including several children as well as grandparents. Women helped with barn work and assisted with chores such as cleaning and carding sheep’s wool. Young boys chopped firewood and hauled hay with horses.
Children made friends with locals most easily. Some found evacuation exciting because they could see new places and meet new friends. Adults were slower to connect, partly due to religious differences. Ostrobothnia had many körttis, followers of the Finnish Awakening movement, whose distinctive clothing and hairstyles were unfamiliar to Kuhmo residents. Initial awkwardness faded as interaction became closer. Romance also entered the picture, as there were many young women among the evacuees. Some married after the war and stayed in their evacuation towns. Contact did not end when Kuhmo residents returned home. Letters were exchanged, and visits continued on both sides.
