Scarred City. Exploring Lifespan and Mortality Patterns among Former Finnish Civil War Participants 1918-2000

Jarmo Peltola, University of Helsinki
Leena Enbom, University of Helsinki

Between 1917 and 1918, about 5,000 residents of Tampere, Finland joined the Red Guards. This accounted for about 12% of the city’s population. The Tampere Guard mainly involved young working people, mostly descendants of the urban and rural working classes. In the Civil War, including the prison camps, about 15 % of the Tampere Red Guards affiliates died. Three quarters of the survivors continued their lives in Tampere. In this study, we investigate the lifespans and mortality patterns of individuals who participated in the civil war. Specifically, we aim to determine whether former affiliates of the Red Guard experienced comparatively shorter lifespans. We seek to uncover the factors associated with variations in lifespan among this cohort. Furthermore, we endeavour to identify the most prevalent causes of death among former Red Guard members and ascertain whether these patterns diverge from those observed at the population level. In the analysis, we make use of a database compiled from several registers, covering both the Red Guards and the rest of the city's population. By addressing these questions, we aim to contribute to a deeper understanding of the long-term health implications of the civil war on the population. For instance, we will investigate the impact of unemployment on individuals' lifespans by linking the data of Red Guard affiliates with unemployment records.

No extended abstract or paper available

 Presented in Session 61. States, Politics, and Labor