Ajan Suunta
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Rauno Kallia (1935–1939)
Niilo Vapaavuori (1940–1944)
 Cover of the newspaper, 30 June 1939: "Strike now for the Fatherland!" | |
| Type | Daily newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Tabloid |
| Editor-in-chief | Arne Somersalo (1932–1935) Rauno Kallia (1935–1939) Niilo Vapaavuori (1940–1944) |
| Founded | 1932 |
| Political alignment | Patriotic People's Movement |
| Language | Finnish language |
| Ceased publication | 4 October 1944 |
| Country | Finland |
| Circulation | +30,000 |
Ajan Suunta (Direction of Time) was the newspaper of the Finnish Patriotic People's Movement (IKL) that ran from 1932 to 1944. IKL published thirty newspapers and magazines, but the daily newspaper Ajan Suunta was the main organ of the party.[1] Ajan Suunta was preceded by the newspaper Ajan Sana (Word of Time) published from 1930 to 1932.[2]
Our faith and trust in the historical mission of the National Socialist Germany is unshakable. If it were to shake, then so would shake the foundation on which we stand, and we would deny the achievements and victories which we have fought with great sacrifices in loyal brotherhood-in-arms with the soldiers of the mighty German army.
The newspaper was aggressive in its style, referring to itself as a "fighting journal", "weapon in the combat against un-Finnish forces". This was especially true under Arne Somersalo, when the magazine got in trouble with censors multiple times.[4] Ajan Suunta was also deeply hostile to Jews, published anti-Semitic caricatures and connected Judaism to everything the IKL stood against like Marxism, freemasonry and liberalism. Ajan Suunta in general praised Hitler, taking the side of the Nazi government, blaming the anti-Semitic measures and the Night of Broken Glass on the "Jewish parasites", noting the restrain shown by the Nazis. Ajan Suunta would also frequently refer to and quote the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Editor-in-chief Arne Somersalo even visited Hitler and Mussolini and gifted them Ostrobothnian knives.[5][4][1]
In addition to strong antisemitism, Ajan Suunta was also anti-Swedish and anti-Russian. As the Jews in Finland mostly spoke either Russian or Swedish, the anti-Swedishness, Russophobia and antisemitism all complemented one another, leading Ajan Suunta to rail against "Swede-kikes" and "Russkie-loving Judeo-internationale".[4][1] However, Ajan Suunta was not the most extreme newspaper published in Finland, for example the newspaper's competitors Hakaristi (Swastika) and Työrintama (Labor Front) continuously agitated for a "solution" to the Jewish Question, Työrintama publishing "humorous" cartoons of Jews digging their own graves. During the Continuation War the magazine reported ecstatically on the Finnish-German cooperation and brotherhood in arms.[1][4]