War Children, Evacuations, and State Politics in Europe During WWII: A Local Case of Sick Finnish War Children in Sweden

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Part of the Geographies of Children and Young People book series (GCYP, volume 11)

Abstract

In Europe during World War II, evacuations of children without parents from war zones and war-affected areas were common. Evacuations required administration and extensive logistics, and financial resources had to be obtained. Governments and government agencies were involved but their political aims and motivations differed. The following chapter examines the evacuation of Finnish war children to Sweden during World War II. It focuses on the sick Finnish war children whose evacuation and medical care in Sweden became a concern of the Swedish state. Based on an analysis of medical records, the construction of children and the state’s role in the evacuations is discussed. A historical perspective on evacuations of war children during WWII offers an opportunity to reflect on the current situation of unaccompanied refugee children and their arrival to European countries today.

Keywords

Europe, child evacuation in Finnish war children, evacuation of France, child evacuation in Germany, child evacuation in Great Britain, child evacuation in Soviet Union, child evacuation in War child Europe, evacuation in Finnish war children France, evacuation in Germany, evacuation in Great Britain, evacuation in Soviet Union, evacuation in World War Two Child evacuation in Europe 
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Singapore 2015

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of Thematic Studies – Child StudiesLinköping UniversityLinköpingSweden

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