Paper, the universal right to vote, and the urban legend of the unbreakable 3310. What do these three have in common?
At one point, they were all made a reality by the people and products of a Finnish company named Nokia. The brand we know best for its cellphones started out as a paper pulp manufacturer in the late 19th century. In 1865, Fredrik Idestam started a paper mill in the Southwest of Finland in Tampere – then a part of the Russian Empire. It did well enough to warrant making the second one.
In 1871, he met with Leo Mechelin and founded Nokia Ab. It got its name from the Nokiavirta river that ran through the Tampere. Mechelin later helped Finland gain its independence from Russia and turned the country into the world’s first democracy with a universal adult franchise.
Nokia, in the beginning, focussed solely on paper, but then diversified gradually into electrical power after Idestam’s death. They merged with the Finnish Rubber Works, and Finnish Cable Works and an old forestry business to become a three-firm coalition. Nokia was now making rubber boots – something they still do to this day.
Finland played an important role in the Eastern Front of the Second World War – despite facing impossible odds, they held the Soviet invaders back and caused heavy casualties. They fought the Soviets again alongside the Axis powers, before breaking ranks and fighting the Germans as well. Nonetheless, for supporting the Axis side, Finland ended up paying reparations to the Soviet Union after the war.
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