Association of Finnish Culture and Identity was established 100 years after Johan Vilhelm Snellman

Johan Vilhelm Snellman

Johan Vilhelm Snellman was an influential Fennoman philosopher and Finnish statesman, ennobled in 1866.Snellman was born in Stockholm, Sweden, as son of Kristian Henrik Snellman, a ship's captain...

's birth. Johannes Linnankoski

Johannes Linnankoski

Johannes Linnankoski was a Finnish author. His most famous work is the sensual Laulu tulipunaisesta kukasta...

 was the first chairman. The Association was founded for preserving Finnish culture and language. It's founding members represented different parties. Due to its activities many Finns changed their family name from the Swedish surname to Finnish one. Also before 1906 this had happened among those persons, who wanted to show their support for the national idea of making Finland independent.

In the 1930s Suomalaisuuden Liitto take part in the language strifes in the university of Finland. Urho Kekkonen

Urho Kekkonen

Urho Kaleva Kekkonen , was a Finnish politician who served as Prime Minister of Finland and later as the eighth President of Finland . Kekkonen continued the “active neutrality” policy of his predecessor President Juho Kusti Paasikivi, a doctrine which came to be known as the “Paasikivi–Kekkonen...

 became a member of Suomalaisuuden Liitto in 1926. Also Risto Ryti

Risto Ryti

Risto Heikki Ryti was the fifth President of Finland, from 1940 to 1944. Ryti started his career as a politician in the field of economics and as a political background figure during the interwar period. He made a wide range of international contacts in the world of banking and within the...

 joined it the very same year. The language question became the dominant issue for the second time in 1988 when Suomalaisuuden Liitto adopted a new programme. In June 2001, chairman Pentti Huttunen wrote an article in the magazine Suomen Mieli, that giving family names by the Swedish authorities before 20th century was unjust and "the free Finn do not accept unjust actions, he acts like Lalli

Lalli

Lalli is an apocryphal character from Finnish history. According to legend, he killed Bishop Henry on the ice of lake Köyliönjärvi in Finland on January 20, 1156.- Legend :...

 and kills his suppressor" ("Vapaa suomalainen ei alisty vääryyksiin; hän tekee niin kuin Lalli eli surmaa sortajansa").
Because of the article an MP, Christina Gestrin as well as four other MPs in the parliamentary group of the Swedish People's Party made a written parliamentary question to the Minister of Justice asking, in what sense the minister considers, that the article did not mean, incitement to ethnic group (ie. Swedish-speakers in Finland) according to the criminal codex of Finland, 11th chapter, 8 paragraph. Also the Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen

Paavo Lipponen

Paavo Tapio Lipponen is a Finnish politician and former reporter. He was Prime Minister of Finland from 1995 to 2003, and Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Finland from 1993 to 2005...

 commented the matter encouraging Suomalaisuuden Liitto to check its policies. The next year the state subsidies for consultation on the use of the flag of Finland

Flag of Finland

The flag of Finland , also called Siniristilippu , dates from the beginning of the 20th century. On a white background, it features a blue Nordic cross, which represents Christianity. The state flag has a coat of arms in the centre, but is otherwise identical to the civil flag. The swallow-tailed...

 for Suomalaisuuden Liitto were abolished as they did not serve in Swedish language, instead directing the inquiries to the Ministry of the Interior.

The board

Jussi Niinistö

Jussi Niinistö

Jussi Niinistö is a Finnish politician and member of Finnish Parliament, representing the True Finns. He was elected to Finnish Parliament in 2011...

 (chairman), Matti Ahdeoja, Antti Huhtala, Kalevi Hiltunen, Teemu Lahtinen, Aki Härkönen, Jarmo Mero, Hannu Lakee

Chairmen
Johannes Linnankoski Johannes Linnankoski Johannes Linnankoski was a Finnish author. His most famous work is the sensual Laulu tulipunaisesta kukasta...	1906
Kaarle Krohn Kaarle Krohn Kaarle Krohn was a Finnish folklorist, professor and developer of the geographic-historic method of folklore research. He was born in Helsinki. He was the son of journalist and poet Julius Krohn, and his sister was Aino Kallas, a Finnish author. Krohn is best known outside of Finland for his...	1907
J. J. Mikkola	1907–1909
Väinö Voionmaa Väinö Voionmaa Kaarle Väinö Voionmaa was a Finnish professor, member of the parliament of Finland, senator, minister and chancellor. He also was one of the most influential politicians during the early times of independent Republic of Finland...	1915–1916
A. A. Koskenjaakko	1917–1918
Väinö Salminen	1919
Rafael Engelberg	1920–1924
J. R. Koskimies	1925–1926
Yrjö Ruutu	1928
Elpiö Kaila	1929
Urho Kekkonen Urho Kekkonen Urho Kaleva Kekkonen , was a Finnish politician who served as Prime Minister of Finland and later as the eighth President of Finland . Kekkonen continued the “active neutrality” policy of his predecessor President Juho Kusti Paasikivi, a doctrine which came to be known as the “Paasikivi–Kekkonen...	1930–1932
Veikko Heiskanen	1933–1947
Niilo Kallio	1948–1954
Veikko Heiskanen	1955–1956
Erkki Salonen	1957–1968
Kauko Sipponen	1968–1970
Kari Tarasti	1970–1974
Jouko Hulkko	1974–1978
Veikko Löyttyniemi	1978–1986
Martti Häikiö Martti Häikiö Martti Johannes Häikiö , is a Finnish historian and writer. In 1978 Häikiö became an associate professor in political history at Helsinki University...	1986–1988
Erkki Pihkala	1988–1996
Seppo Heikinheimo	1996–1997
Pentti Huttunen	1998–2003
Heikki Tala	2003–2009
Sampo Terho Sampo Terho Sampo Terho is the chairman of Suomalaisuuden Liitto , and Member of the European Parliament . He is a Master of Arts, having studied the history of Finland, and has worked as a researcher in the Finnish National Defence University. Terho has also served as a peace-keeper in Kosovo...	2009–