Authors

Ainur Elmgren¹; Orsolya Sild²;  ¹ University of Oulu, Finland;  ² Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary

Discussion

The Treaty of Tartu (1920) and the Treaty of Trianon (1920) inaugurated two decades of political activism among schoolteachers in Finland and Hungary, many of whom were attracted to pan-ideologies. As the Hungarian teacher Jószef Fekete saw it, pan-movements appeared as “a new problem of world politics” after the World War and the end of Empires. Due to the small size of the scattered Finno-Ugric nations, their ambitions had to be limited to cultural, educational, and economic fields. Finnish educators, such as school inspector Matti Pesonen, saw pan-ideological contacts as a geopolitical opportunity in the struggle of small nations against enduring empires. Through cultural exchange, the Finno-Ugric peoples, according to Pesonen, would unite “to forge that horseshoe which must squeeze our ancient enemy if our tribe intends to survive”. We explore the interest in pan-ideologies (for example, Pan-Turanism and Pan-Finno-Ugrism), among schoolteachers and teacher organizations in Finland and Hungary. Our source materials include publications by teacher associations, public interventions by educators, and private archives. What impact did pan-ideologies have on educators during this time period? We also explore the practical motivations that may have driven educators to participate in transnational activities. Our research period ends with the signing of cultural cooperation agreements between Finland and Hungary in 1937, as a concrete result of these activities.