kotirintama

Kotirintama, meaning "home front" in Finnish, is the historical term used to describe the civilian and non-military part of Finnish society mobilized to support the country’s war effort during World War II, notably in the Winter War (1939–1940) and the Continuation War (1941–1944). The concept highlights how civilians contributed alongside the armed forces through production, logistics, and civil readiness.

The kotirintama encompassed agricultural and industrial production, food supply, fuel and raw-material management, and the maintenance of civilian infrastructure to sustain the war economy. State and local authorities implemented rationing, price controls, and distribution systems, while volunteer and civil defense organizations coordinated mutual aid, emergency services, and civil protection. Women played prominent roles in farming, manufacturing, and home-front administration, reflecting broad-based civilian participation.

Historians view the kotirintama as a defining element of Finnish wartime society, shaping attitudes toward collective effort, sacrifice, and the relationship between citizens and the state. In memory, it is associated with resilience and practical mobilization, as well as wartime hardship that affected everyday life and social norms in the postwar era.