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The Aaland Islands Question

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2017

Norman J. Padelford  and
K. Gösta A. Andersson
Norman J. Padelford
Affiliation:
Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
K. Gösta A. Andersson
Affiliation:
Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
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Extract

Among the problems recurrently agitating European chancelleries and military strategists is that of the status of the Aaland Islands. Located between Sweden and Finland athwart the entrances to the Gulfs of Bothnia and Finland, these islands long have played a role of importance in North European affairs which bids fair to increase in significance in the immediate future. The islands have a direct bearing upon the military and naval strategy of all countries bordering upon the Baltic Sea, and their status must be of concern to all nations having shipping interests in this region. The so-called Aaland Islands Question is now a complex of questions regarding sovereignty and title to the islands, as well as their neutralization and militarization.

Type
Research Article
Information
American Journal of International Law , Volume 33 , Issue 3 , July 1939 , pp. 465 - 487
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of International Law 1939

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References

1 A very considerable literature has appeared in European countries on the islands, the most essential portions of which will be referred to in footnotes postea. The question has been briefly treated in two editorial comments in this Journal: Brown, P. M., “Aaland Islands Question,” Vol. XV, (1921), p. 268 Google Scholar; Gregory, C. N., “Neutralization of the Aaland Islands,” Vol. XVII, (1923), p. 63 Google Scholar.

2 Jörgensen, C. R., “Kann Skandinavien im Kriegsfalle neutral bleiben?” Zeitschrift für Politik, January, 1938 Google Scholar.

3 Statistiek Arsbok för Finland, 1936.

4 Finnish: Helsinki (Helsingfors) and Turku (Åbo).

5 Statistiek Årsbokför Finland, 1936: “98% Swedish, Jan. 1, 1936.”

6 Schybergson, M. G., La Position ď Aland (Helsingfors, 1919), p. 9 Google Scholar.

7 For text see Dumont, , Corps universel diplomatique, Vol. VIII, Pt. II, p. 36 Google Scholar.

8 For text see D’Hauterive, et DeCussy, , Recueil des traités de commerce et de navigation, 2nd Pt., Vol. V, p. 472 Google Scholar.

9 Martens, , Supplément au Recueil des Principaux Traités, Vol. III, pp. 36–41 Google Scholar.

10 Denier, Jean, L’Attribution des Iles d’Aland (Paris, 1919), p. 38 Google Scholar.

11 Söderhjelm, J. O., Demilitarisation et neutralisation des Iles ď Aland (Helsingfors, 1928), p. 86 Google Scholar.

12 Hamburger, R. C. S., Twee rechtsvragen aangaande Finland (Utrecht, 1925), p. 19 Google Scholar.

13 For text see Martens, , Nouveau Recueil des Traités, Vol. I, p. 19 Google Scholar.

14 von Holstein, L. Stael, Sverige och Aland (Lund, 1916), p. 4 Google Scholar.

15 Jegou du Laz, René, La Question des Iles d’ Aland (Cartraix, 1923), p. 9 Google Scholar.

16 Boureot, Raymond, La Question des Iles ď Aland (Dijon, 1923), p. 32 Google Scholar.

17 Popovici, Jean, La Question des Iles ď Aland (Paris, 1923), p. 22 Google Scholar.

18 Martens, De, Nouveau Recueil Général, Vol. XV, p. 628 Google Scholar.

19 British and Foreign State Papers, Vol. XLVI, p. 23.

20 Schlump, Erich, Die politisch-geographische Bedeutung der Ostsee (Königsberg, 1934), p. 39 Google Scholar.

21 Poison-Newman, E. W., Britain and the Baltic (London, 1930), p. 219 Google Scholar, says “Great Britain could not tolerate the formation of a policy which would transfer the Baltic from a mare apertura to a mare clausum.”

22 Stael von Holstein, op. cit., p. 26.

23 Boeck, Maximilian, Die Alandsfrage (Wuertsburg, 1927), p. 18.Google Scholar Sjöstedt, Erik, La Question des lies d’ Aland (Paris, 1919), p. 23 Google Scholar; Boursot, op. cit., p. 48.

24 Report of the League of Nations Commission of Rapporteurs on The Aaland Island Question, April 16, 1921, Council Document B 7. 21/68/106, p. 35.

25 Br. & For. St. Pap., Vol. CI, p. 974; this Journal, Supplement, Vol. 2 (1908), p. 270.

26 Berliner Tageblatt, April 25, 1908.

27 Report of Commission, ibid., p. 35.

28 Stael von Holstein, op. cit., p. 41.

29 Boursot, op. cit., p. 58. See interesting correspondence between the British and Swedish Governments respecting submarines and commerce in the waters between Sweden and the Aaland Islands in the autumn of 1916. Br. & For. St. Pap., Vol. CX, pp. 561-566. The Swedish Government is supposed to have had confidential information about these fortifications as early as January, 1915. Söderhjelm, op. cit., p. 126.

30 This Journal, Vol. 15 (1921), p. 268 Google ScholarPubMed.

31 United States Foreign Relations, 1918, Russia, Vol. II. p. 733 Google Scholar.

32 Söderhjelm, op. cit., p. 129.

33 There is reason to believe Sweden hoped for an invitation to Brest-Litovsk to discuss and settle the question. Peace Handbooks (London, 1920), Vol. VIII, No. 48, p. 23 Google Scholar.

34 U. S. For. Rel., ibid., Vol. I, pp. 427-428. There is no reference to the islands in the peace proposals handed to the Russians by the German Government on Feb. 21,1918. Ibid., pp. 432-433.

35 Die Acdandsfrage (Berlin, 1918), p. 23.Google Scholar

36 Sjöstedt, op. cit., p. 44.

37 U. S. For. Rel., ibid., Vol. II, p. 754.

38 The American Minister in Sweden said that these actions “would seem to indicate that the Swedish Government intends to take over the islands eventually in accordance with the desires of the population.” Ibid., pp. 752-753.

39 Ibid., pp. 773-776.

40 The Grand Duchy of Finland was first created in 1556, at which time it included “the provinces of Åbo and Kymmenegard, as well as the whole of Aaland.” League of Nations, Report on The Âaland Islands Question, ibid., p. 8.

41 Texts of the Russian “Peace” (Washington, 1918), p. 13 Google ScholarPubMed.

42 Br. & For. St. Pap., Vol. CXII, p. 1006.

43 In a secret agreement between Germany and Finland drawn up the same day the Finnish Government “admits Germany’s right to establish bases anywhere on Finnish territory for the German naval forces during the period of military support,” which would seem to embrace the islands. U. S. For. Rel., ibid., p. 771.

44 Söderhjelm, op. cit., p. 134.

45 Br. & For. St. Pap., Vol. CXIII, p. 993.

46 Söderhjelm, op. cit., pp. 145-146.

47 Ibid., p. 146.

48 Uggia, Johan, La Question d’Alami (Helsingfors, 1919), p. 21.Google Scholar

49 U. S. For. Rel., 1919, Russia, pp. 723, 735.

50 Soviet Russia (Official Organ of the Soviet Republics), 1920, p. 43.

51 Van der Vlugt, , La Question des Iles ď Aland (Leyden, 1921), p. 42 Google Scholar. See Swedish note to Peace Conference, dated April 22, 1919. League of Nations Official Journal, Spl. Supp., No. 1, August, 1920, pp. 33-34; Report of the League Commission of Rapporteurs, ibid., p. 24.

52 See Swedish communications, ibid., pp. 45-51.

53 Br. & For. St. Pap., Vol. CXII, p. 1025.

54 Text in League of Nations Official Journal, ibid., Annex II.

55 Söderhjelm, op. cit., p. 148.

56 Official Journal, ibid., pp. 57-60.

57 Ibid., pp. 61-63.

58 League of Nations, Procès-Verbal of the Seventh Session of the Council, London, July 9-12, 1920, p. 35.

59 Ibid., pp. 1-31. See also Official Journal, ibid., pp. 1-67, for documentation of cases of Finland and Sweden.

60 Procès-Verbal, ibid., pp. 9, 41.

61 Ibid., pp. 43-45.

62 Ibid., p. 13.

63 Ibid., p. 11.

64 Ibid., pp. 61-63.

65 The Commission of Jurists was composed of Professor F. Larnaude of France, Professor Max Huber of Switzerland, and Professor Stycken, A. S., in State Councillor of The Netherlands. The American Ambassador at London was asked to serve as one of the members of the commission, but the invitation was declined. U. S. For. Rel., 1920, Vol. I, pp. 32–33 Google Scholar.

66 Official Journal, Spl. Supp., No. 3, October, 1920.

67 Ibid., p. 9.

68 Ibid., p. 14.

69 Ibid., p. 16.

70 Ibid., p. 19.

71 Söderhjelm, op. cit., p. 150.

72 Council Minutes of the 9th Session, pp. 30, 76. The commission consisted of Baron Bajens of Belgium, M. Felix Calonder, formerly President of the Swiss Republic, and Mr. Abram I. Elkus, former American Minister to Turkey. Regarding membership of latter, see U. S. For. Rel., 1920, Vol. I, pp. 34–36 Google Scholar.

73 Text in Br. & For. St. Pap., Vol. CXII, p. 977; League of Nations Treaty Series, No. 91.

74 Council Document B 7. 21/68/106.

75 Ibid., p. 3. A careful examination of the British Admiralty chart for the Gulf of Bothnia, Sheet II, will do much to support the commission’s thesis in this respect.

76 Council Document B 7. 21/68/106, pp. 23-24.

77 Ibid., p. 25.

78 Ibid., pp. 29-30.

79 Ibid., pp. 27, 32.

80 Ibid., pp. 32-34.

81 Ibid., pp. 36-37.

82 Official Journal, Sept., 1921, pp. 694-695, 699-700.

83 Ibid., p. 700.

84 Ibid., pp. 701-702.

85 Rappard, W. E., in International Relations Viewed from Geneva (New Haven, 1925), p. 11 Google Scholar.

86 This Journal, Vol. 17 (1923), p. 76 Google ScholarPubMed.

87 The Soviet Government was at this time recognized by only three of the states invited: Estonia, Finland, Latvia. Nevertheless, it sent vigorous protests to the Swedish and Finnish Governments against League consideration of the matter. It held that it had a rightful interest in the islands and argued that procedure without Russian participation would be regarded as an unfriendly act. Söderhjelm, op. cit., pp. 170, 184.

88 For proceedings and treaty, see Conférence Relative à la Non-Fortification et à la Neutralisation des Iles d’Aland, Actes de la Conférence. (Published under the Auspices of the Permanent Secretariat of the League of Nations, Geneva, 1921 Google Scholar.)

89 See Council Document B 7. 21/68/106, pp. 50-51.

90 The text of the convention will be found in Conférence Relative à la Non-Fortification, ibid., pp. 71-75; British Treaty Series, 1922, No. 6; Br. & For. St. Pap., Vol. CXIV, p. 421; League of Nations, Treaty Series, Vol. IX, p. 212; Hudson, M. O., in International Legislation, Vol. I, p. 744 Google Scholar. The first reference is the only one containing the map officially demarking the Aaland Islands.

91 Conférence, ibid., p. 31.

92 Text of Soviet note to Finnish Government reproduced in Söderhjelm, op. cit., pp. 183-186. It appears that the Soviet Government recognized Finnish sovereignty, but contested the right of the Powers to settle the question in its absence. During negotiations between the two governments in 1926 concerning a non-aggression treaty, the Soviet Government said that it was willing to enter into a bilateral special agreement with Finland respecting the islands, but that such agreement should be expressly annexed to and made a part of the non-aggression pact. Ibid., p. 194.

93 On Dec. 22, 1930, Finland joined with the other states in the Oslo Agreement.

94 Nordisk Tidsskriftfor international Ret, 1932, p. 103.

95 See Neue Züricher Zeitung, Oct. 10, 1934.

96 New York Times, Nov. 17, 1935.

97 Ibid., Nov. 24, 1935.

98 Ibid., Dec. 7, 1935, reports that Izvestia (Moscow) denounces the Finnish viewpoint.

99 Völkischer Beobachter, April 17, 1936; Deutsche Wehr, April 18, 1936; Geopolitik, November, 1937.

100 New York Times, Jan. 15, 1938.

101 Ibid., Jan. 26, 1938.

102 This Journal, Supplement, Vol. 32 (1938), pp. 141–143 Google Scholar; note by N. J. Padelford, pp. 789-793.

103 New York Times, Sept. 9 and 13, 1938.

104 Journal de Moscou, Sept. 13, 1938. “Scandinavian neutrality is just a catch word to cover up their sympathies with the dictator states. Fortification of the Aaland Islands is with Germany’s agreement. Those behind the move in Helsingfors are Kansali Pankii, and in Sweden the Wallenberg interests.” Izvestia, Sept. 20, 1938. “The fortification of the Aaland Islands is just a face in the Anschluss with their blood-parents.”

106 London Times, Dec. 4, 1938; Glasgow Herald, Dec. 20, 1938.

106 London Times, Jan. 9, 1939.

107 Texts in League of Nations Document C.142.M.91.1939.VII, dated Geneva, May 13, 1939.

108 Texts in League Document C.142.M.91.1939.VII.

109 London Evening Standard, Feb. 1, 1939.

110 League of Nations Document, cit. supra.

111 New York Times, May 24, 26, 28, 1939. Russia did not contest Finnish sovereignty over the islands.

112 Ibid., May 28, 1939.

113 Ibid., May 27, 1939. The attitude of the Swedish General Staff will be found set forth in the Sydevenska Dagbladet Snällposten, May 10, 1939. It is recommended that there be a joint commission composed of representatives of the Swedish and Finnish General Staffs and Foreign Offices to supervise and administer the military works. The islands which are to be fortified in the southern zone include Langskär, Kökar, and Björkör. The first, of these is but a short distance from existing Swedish fortifications and will provide a ready means of linking the two systems together.

114 Economic Geography, Jan. 1939.

115 See speech by Papinin at the 18th Congress of the Communist Party in Russia on March of 1939, World News and Views, March 31, 1939, p. 3.

116 In the course of his speech to the Supreme Soviet on May 31, 1939, Premier Molotoff laid emphasis upon the Aaland Islands question. While admitting that title to the islands had been made over by Russia to Finland, he maintained that the interest of the U.S.S.R. in the status of the islands was greater than that of Sweden. Pointing to the fact that by fortifying the islands Finland could “close for the U.S.S.R. all entrances into and outlets from the Gulf of Finland,” he asserted that the Soviet Government had a right to be informed of the nature of the projected fortifications, and that “we do not deem it possible to reconcile ourselves to any attempt to ignore the interests of the U.S.S.R. in this question of great importance to the defense of our country.” New York Times, June 1, 1939.

117 On June 2 the Swedish Government informed the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riksdag that the bill authorizing the government to cooperate with Finland in the fortification of the islands was to be withdrawn from action, on the ground that the attitude of the Soviet Government necessitated “further negotiations.” New York Times, June 3, 1939.