Upcoming Finnish Civil War, Second World War and Cold War Conflict Archaeology projects in Hanko and Western Uusimaa

Spring is coming and with it some very interesting old and new modern conflict archaeology projects.

Already in late April we will kick off the 2025 field season with field surveys and trial excavations of Finnish Civil War (1918) sites in Espoo, Kirkkonummi and Inkoo.

German field artillery in Espoo (Kilo) in April 1918. Photo Espoo City Museum.

In May we will continue our excavations in the area of the Soviet Cold War era tank training gounds in Kirkkonummi. We will also do some field surveys in the larger Kirkkonummi area.

A Soviet Cold War period (tank) traffic sign. Photographer unknown.

In late May we will continue ou research of the battlefields of the Hanko front in co-operation with Thure Galléns stiftelse, Hanko Front Museum, SFV:s somaruni and students from Swedish speaking highschools in the Uusimaa region. 

A Finnish MG post in the archipelago during the battles of the Hanko front (1941). Photo SA-kuva.

Making plans for future conflict archaeology research on the Åland Islands 2025-2026

Today we applied for funding for a unique Modern Conflict Archaeology project on the Åland Islands. If all goes well some 200 schoolchildren from local schools will be able to participate in excavations of First World War sites on Åland in 2026.

German troops landed on the Åland Islands in 1918.

Needless to say I´m extremely proud of all of you who contributed to the application process.