Helsinki 1917: Escape from the Russian Empire

Helsinki seems to rise organically from the restrained and even austere nature that surrounds it. Across these waterways, forests, and rocky landscapes, thousands of former subjects of the Russian Empire fled to the city after 1917, escaping the revolution, civil war, and Bolshevik repressions—both aristocrats and ordinary people alike.


Many chose Helsinki because of its proximity to Saint Petersburg, but émigrés also arrived from Ukraine, the Baltic states, and the Caucasus, seeking refuge from persecution and striving to preserve their culture and language.


For many, the move was seen as a temporary measure, in the hope that the situation in Russia would soon stabilize. However, Finland, which gained independence in 1917, became a permanent home for many. Over the years, Helsinki hosted notable figures such as Alexander Kuprin, Ilya Repin, Igor Severyanin, Sofia Kovalevskaya, and others.