Primary Source Analysis: "The Baltoscandian Confederation"
Sarah R. Magaletta
SCAND 344: The Baltic States and Scandinavia, Spring 2002
"The Baltoscandian Confederation" was written by Kazys Pakstas and originally published by the Lithuanian Cultural Institute (Chicago) in 1942 and reprinted in 1994 by Lituanica (Kaunas). The 1942 preface to the booklet states that themajority of the material was taken from lectures Pakstas gave to geographical societies and universities in Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, and Tallinn in 1934. The 1994 edition has a preface that states that the booklet is being republished to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Pakstas.
Pakstas’ purpose is clear: to promote the idea of a Baltic-Scandinavian union (consisting of Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) and to win the necessary support from Sweden, Great Britain, and the United States.
Pakstas, a Lithuanian-American geographer, first argues (in Section I) that "Baltoscandia" exists as a geographical and cultural unit. He states that the term Baltoscandia was first used by a Prof. Sten de Geer in an article in "Geografiska Annaler" in 1928 and was the first effort by anyone to "geographically separate" the eastern Baltic countries from the Russian plains. Pakstas gives de Geer’s nine characteristics of the Baltoscandian region due consideration, but then describes his own modified set of anthropogeographic characteristics which unite the Scandinavian and Baltic states. The Baltoscandian states share similar geography, a "northern character" (the assumption that permeates the entire booklet), are all part of small language groups, are of Western Christian religious denominations, and the zone is a complete unit of "common cultural interests and mutual sympathies". These characteristics emphasize all the nations’ natural ability to coexist peacefully and harmoniously (6-14).
In Sections II and III, he describes Baltoscandia as an economic unit, and as a political and military unit. Pakstas supports the theory of microstatism — that smaller nations provide balance between the larger nations — but acknowledges that a united Baltoscandia would be a great commercial power: the 4th largest in the world, behind Great Britain, the United States, and Germany. Pakstas says that however economically powerful Baltoscandia might be, its reliance on outside commodities from all over the world would prevent it from becoming an autarchic, aggressive nation (16-18). As a political entity, Baltoscandia would be of great assistance to the United States and Great Britain in maintaining peace and coordinating defence after the end of the war (21). He also sees how a the Baltoscandian federation would also aid Russia: Baltoscandia would serve as a buffer between Russia and Germany, allowing Russia to concentrate on the "possible dangers" from Asia. Although he does not explicitly state it as such, he clearly means for Great Britain and United States to see how Baltoscandia would be a useful geographic prevention of more conflict between Germany and the Soviet Union; Baltoscandia would effectively push the Soviet Union westward (21).
Pakstas titles Section IV "The Historical Background of the Baltoscandian Idea", but focuses on the current — in 1942 — practicality of a Baltoscandia Confederation. He says that the creation of such a union would solve the problem of Eastern Prussia: those Germans would be allowed autonomy within the confederation, and this would help, rather than antagonize, Poland. He assures his readers that Baltoscandia would not have any expansionist aspirations to the Slavic nations.
Pakstas’ intended audience are not those Balts or Scandinavians who have already given their tacit support (intellectual or moral) to a Baltoscandia union. He is really addressing Sweden, the United States, and Great Britain. He states that the plan will never be realized without Sweden, but that Sweden’s hesitation would dissipate if Great Britain and the United States gave their approval and support.
The sentence that best summarizes Pakstas’ (and his publishers’) opinion is in Section IV, page 26: "The people of the Baltic States face toward the West and Scandinavia, and not toward the East."
The early nineties nicely coincided with the 100th anniversary of Pakstas’ birth, but that is not the only reason for the reissue of the pamphlet. Baltic organizations and governments are keen to emphasize the Western and Scandinavian traits of their culture and history. This booklet serves as a reminder that the idea of the Baltic nations as important, albeit small, parts of Western Europe is not an idea born in the late twentieth century nor are these smaller nations opportunistic scoundrels looking for an easy way into the EU and NATO. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were tragically left behind at an inopportune time in history and are now simply taking their rightful place at Europe’s table of independent and free nations, to the benefit of all nations.