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The Säkkijärvi (Karelian Isthmus) Locality Project
A genealogical research project for Säkkijärvi and its surrounding area.
In addition to the locality project, join the larger effort building the family tree of all Finland and Karelia in the Finland and Karelia project, as well as relevant village projects (no village projects yet for Ahnus). To join the projects: on each project page, click "Actions" > "Join Project."
Also join the regional project for the Karelian Isthmus: Karelian Isthmus
The Facebook page maintained by the Säkkijärvi Society of Finland: Säkkijärvi
Introduction to Säkkijärvi
Säkkijärvi was a municipality in Southern Karelia located on the western shore of the Bay of Vyborg and part of the Vyborg Province of Finland. About 90 percent (448.7 km²) of the municipality was ceded to the Soviet Union after the wars. The part of Säkkijärvi that remained on the Finnish side (43.9 km²) was annexed to the municipalities of Ylämaa and Miehikkälä in 1946. The name of the Säkkijärvi church village in Russian is Kondratjevo (Russian: Кондра́тьево).
Säkkijärvi was located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland, about 60 kilometers east of Hamina and about 40 kilometers west of Vyborg. Neighboring municipalities were Virolahti, Miehikkälä, Ylämaa, Vahviala, and the rural municipality of Vyborg. The northern part of the municipality consisted of a hilly area called "Ylämaa" (Upper Land), while the southern part was flatter, a former seabed. Additionally, there were a few islands in the Gulf of Finland, such as Teikarsaari. The Santajoki and Vilajoki rivers flowed through the area into the Gulf of Finland. The church village of Säkkijärvi was located on the banks of the Santajoki River, near the former Säkkijärvi lake.
The population consisted mainly of typical Karelian peasant families. Agriculture and fishing were the main livelihoods. Trade, called Sepra or bartering, was conducted in the area between Vyborg and Virolahti, and along the eastern coastline of Estonia. In the 19th century, shipbuilding also took place. The craftsmanship in woodworking in Säkkijärvi was well-known. There was little industry in the municipality. The Ylämaa area, which remained on the Finnish side, is now one of Finland's most significant producers of natural stone. However, no stone was quarried before the wars. Most residents were evacuated, mainly to Northern Kymenlaakso, especially to the municipalities of Valkeala and Elimäki. The dialect spoken in the area was a Southern Karelian one, differing from the more well-known Karelian dialects of the Isthmus.
Säkkijärvi was mentioned as a chapel of the Vyborg parish in 1541 and became independent in 1572. Between 1678 and 1710, the parish was first annexed to the Vyborg Castle Congregation and later to the Lyceum prebendary. Säkkijärvi was mentioned as a locality in 1396. In the early modern era, Säkkijärvi was divided into six taxation districts: Niemenlautta, Kurkilahti, Laiha, Lammas, Padas, and Säkkijärvi. There are many Stone Age findings from the area. The coastline features Bronze Age burial cairns, known as "munkkilaisten linkokivet" (the monks' sling stones).
Säkkijärvi was split in two by the Treaty of Nystad in 1721 (Sweden retained more of the area than Finland did under the border set in 1940). During the Russo-Swedish War of 1741–1743, 1,348 people were killed or died in the Virolahti and Säkkijärvi areas. In the Treaty of Åbo in 1743, Säkkijärvi was entirely ceded to Russia and became part of Old Finland. By the end of the 18th century, Säkkijärvi included the villages of Monola and Kälvälä in Lappee, Suo-Anttila in Luumäki, Muurikkala, Alaurpala, and Yläurpala in Virolahti, and Gammalby and Repola in the Vyborg parish. There was significant emigration to the United States and Canada in the early 20th century.
In 1921, the villages of Häsälä and Rakkola were separated from Säkkijärvi to form the new Vahviala municipality. During the preparation of the Ylämaa municipality in 1924, Näppi and Hermunen villages were transferred from Säkkijärvi to Luumäki. In 1929, the new Ylämaa municipality was established from Säkkijärvi’s northwestern villages, including Hujakkala, Hyttilä, Ihaksela, Lahnajärvi, Sirkjärvi, Säämälä, Timperilä, Villala, and Ylijärvi. Ylämaa was merged into Lappeenranta in 2010.
The population of Säkkijärvi before the wars was approximately 7,000, with 4,729 people (67.6%) returning by July 31, 1943. The municipality was exceptionally granted civil administration from January 1, 1943.
The recaptured municipality was ceded to the Soviet Union after the Moscow Armistice on September 19, 1944.
The area that remained in Finland (the villages of Väkevälä, Nurmela, and Laisniemi, along with smaller parts of other villages) was annexed to the Ylämaa and Miehikkälä municipalities.
The church village ceded to the Soviet Union was initially renamed Ulyanovka in 1948, after Vladimir Lenin's original surname, but within six months it was renamed Kondratjevo (Russian: Кондратьево), in honor of Colonel Pyotr Kondratyev, who died after being shot down over Suursaari in 1943.
Source: https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A4kkij%C3%A4rvi
Detailed Projects for Säkkijärvi
Säkkijärvi’s founding ancestors (quality improvement project)
Village Projects
Alahäme | Alaoutila | Heinlahti | Huovila | Hyppälä | Iivanala eli Niemenlautta | Jokikylä | Kallola | Karvala | Kaukiala | Kirkonkylä | Kolhola | Lahtiala | Laihajärvi | Laisniemi | Lavola | Muhulahti | Nisalahti | Nurmela | Paakkala | Ristsatama | Salajärvi | Santajoki | Siissala | Suurpäälä | Tapiola | Teikarsaari | Vilajoki | Vilaniemi | Väkevälä | Ylähäme | Yläoutila |
In 1921, the northeastern villages of Säkkijärvi were annexed to the newly formed Vahviala municipality.
Häsälä | Rakkola
In 1929, the northwestern villages of Säkkijärvi were annexed to the newly established Ylämaa municipality.
Hujakkala | Hyttilä | Ihaksela | Lahnajärvi | Sirkjärvi | Säämälä | Timperilä | Villala | Ylijärvi
"On January 1, 1936, Tuppura Island was transferred from the Rural Municipality of Vyborg to Säkkijärvi (by decision of the Council of State on June 20, 1935).
Villages that formerly belonged to Greater Säkkijärvi but were annexed to neighboring parishes starting in the early 1800s (i.e., those bordering the Urpala and Tervajoki rivers):
Lappvesi, later part of Lappee and Luumäki, Säkkijärvi’s northern villages:"
Kälvelä | Monola | Suo-Anttila
Virolahti, the western coastal villages of Säkkijärvi:
Muurikkala | Ala-Urpala | Ylä-Urpala
Viipuri and later Vahviala the eastern coastal villages of Säkkijärvi:
Gammalby eli Vanhakylä | Repola | Tervajärvi
In the church records, there are frequent references to Patrusjärvi, which included the villages:
Alahäme | Alaoutila | Huovila | Lahtiala | Siissala | Tapiola
and sometimes also
Ylähämeen Hämäläinen | Tervajärven Turtia
Famous people from Säkkijärvi:
Eino Laisi, Knight of the Mannerheim Cross, No. 115
Toivo Kirppu, Knight of the Mannerheim Cross, No. 154
Emppu Pönni, Developer of the Säkkijärvi polka
Simo Toukoaho, Chairman of the Säkkijärvi Council
Tauno Nurmela, Linguist and academician
Projects for Nearby Localities
Locality projects
Aunus Karelia:
Ahnus I Aunus I Danilova I Jallahti I Karhumäki I Kiimasjärvi I Kontupohja I Kotkatjärvi I Latva I Lintujärvi I Lotinapelto I Munjärvi I Mäkriä I Mäntyselkä I Mätässyvä I Paatene I Petroskoi I Petrovski Jam I Porajärvi I Poventsa I Puudoži I Pyhäjärvi I Repola I Riipuskala I Rimoila I Rukajärvi I Soutjärvi I Sunku I Suoju I Suurlahti I Säämäjärvi I Tiutia I Tolvoja I Tulemajärvi I Vaaseni I Veskelys I Vieljärvi I Vitele I Vuohtjärvi I 'Southern Karelia: Imatra I Joutseno I Kesälahti I Lappee I Lappeenranta I Lauritsala I Lemi I Luumäki I Nuijamaa I Parikkala I Rautjärvi I Ruokolahti I Saari I Savitaipale I Simpele I Taipalsaari I Uukuniemi I Ylämaa I Karelian Isthmus: Antrea I Heinjoki I Johannes I Jääski I Kanneljärvi I Kaukola I Kirvu I Kivennapa I Koivisto I Kuolemajärvi I Kyyrölä I Käkisalmen kaupunki I Käkisalmen maalaiskunta I Lavansaari I Metsäpirtti I Muolaa I Pyhäjärvi I Rautu I Räisälä I Sakkola I Seiskari I Suursaari I Säkkijärvi I Terijoki I Tytärsaari I Uusikirkko I Vahviala I Valkjärvi I Viipurin kaupunki I Viipurin maalaiskunta I Vuoksela I Vuoksenranta I Äyräpää I Ladoga Karelia: Harlu I Hiitola I Impilahti I Jaakkima I Korpiselkä I Kurkijoki I Lumivaara I Pälkjärvi I Ruskeala I Salmi I Soanlahti I Sortavalan kaupunki I Sortavalan maalaiskunta I Suistamo I Suojärvi I North Karelia: Eno I Ilomantsi I Joensuu I Juuka I Kiihtelysvaara I Kitee I Kontiolahti I Kuusjärvi-Outokumpu I Lieksa I Liperi I Nurmes I Pielisensuu I Pielisjärvi I Polvijärvi I Pyhäselkä I Rääkkylä I Tohmajärvi I Tuupovaara I Valtimo I Värtsilä I Tikhvin Karelia: Klimovo I Tver Karelia: Lihoslavlja I Maksuatiha I Ruameška I Spiirova I Toršku I Tver I Valdai Karelia: Ivantejeva I Jedrovo I White Sea Karelia: Jyskyjärvi I Kantalahti I Kemi I Kieretti I Kiestinki I Kontokki I Kouta I Kuolisma I Laapina I Njuhtša I Oulanka I Paanajärvi I Pistojärvi I Ponkama I Sorokka I Suiku I Suikujärvi I Tunkua I Uhtua I Usmana I Vitsataipale I Voijärvi I Vuokkiniemi
Larger Projects
Counties that Säkkijärvi belonged to at different times:
Viipuri Castle County 1290-1635, Sweden
Viipuri and Savonlinna County 1635-1720, Sweden
Savonlinna and Kymenkartano County 1721-1743, Sweden (~Villages north of Viipuri road)
St. Petersburg Governorate 1721-1743, Russia (~Villages south of Viipuri road)
Viipuri Governorate 1744-1811, Russia
Viipuri Province 1812-1917, Russia
Viipuri Province 1917-1940, Finland
Military Administration of the General Headquarters 1941-1944, Finland
For clarity and mutual agreement, Finnish profiles should always list "Finland" as the country.
Automatically generated discrepancy report for missing and incorrect profiles linked to the Säkkijärvi project:
[https://www.ysj.fi/poikkeamat/project-44300.html]
LINKS:
Säkkijärvi Parish Books on Digihakemisto
KATIHA - Karelia Database
HisKi Säkkijärvi