Survey on the participation of Finnish SS soldiers in killing Jews and civilians in 1941-1943

The Prime Minister’s Office has ordered an independent archive-based survey on the participation of Finnish voluntary Waffen-SS soldiers in the homicide of Jews and civilians during 1941-1943. The National Archives of Finland will conduct the survey that is to be completed by the end of November. The decision on any follow-up measures will be taken after this.

Dr Efraim Zuroff, the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s chief Nazi hunter, made an appeal to President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö in January 2018 to launch an official inquiry into the participation of Finnish volunteers of the Waffen-SS Wiking Division in war crimes during their service. A representative of the Office of the President replied to Zuroff, saying that in response to recent concerns the Finnish government will fund a further independent survey of the operations of the Finnish Volunteers’ Battalion of the Waffen-SS.

A project group and a supervision group contribute to the survey that can also use external experts. The supervision group will have representatives designated by the Prime Minister’s Office, the Office of the President of the Republic and the National Archives of Finland and it will be chaired by the representative of the Prime Minister’s Office. The cost of the survey is not expected to exceed EUR 69 000.

Inquiries: Director General Jussi Nuorteva, National Archives of Finland, tel. +358 029 533 7001, and Secretary General Pekka Timonen, Prime Minister’s Office, tel. +358 295 160 239.