EUI The political economy of Einsatz Finnland: Organsation Todt in Finland 1941-1944

The project focuses on the German construction- and engineering organisation Organisation Todt (OT) and its activities in allied Finland during the years 1941-1944. The starting point of the study is how a German organisation operated in a non-occupied country, and which impact the absence of occupation had on OT's presence and activities in Finland. Not only did OT have to relate to and follow the wishes and demands of the Finnish authorities, the unit also had to navigate and balance the relationship to other German institutions such as the Wehrmacht and other units of OT. Organisation Todt was established in the 1930s as a civilian organisation which engaged in building projects within Germany. Towards the end of the decade OT started to work with constructing fortifications, and was designated a new position as an auxiliary unit for the Wehrmacht. Hereafter, most of OT's activities took place abroad, and a number of OT-units were established all over Europe. The main tasks were to facilitate the campaigns of Wehrmacht through various construction works and the improvement of infrastructure. From OT?s headquarters in Berlin, companies, labour, materials and equipment were distributed to the many units and construction projects across Europe. The total number of people directly involved in OT has been estimated to approximately one million, of which the majority was forced labourers and prisoners of war. In addition OT's work force consisted of German engineers and volunteered workers from all over Europe. In the fall of 1941 OT established a separate unit in Finland; Einsatz Finnland (EF). The unit operated in northern Finland, working with development of the local infrastructure and through this to ease supply and transportation lines for the German troops in the area. This research project has EF as a starting point from which to discuss economic, political and social aspects of OT's presence in an allied country, as well as how Finnish authorities related to German organisations that operated in Finland during the war.

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