Operation Northern Light : remote sensing a Second World War conflict landscape in northern Finland

• Main Authors: Stichelbaut, Birger, Suzie, Thomas, Oula, Seitsonen, Gheyle, Wouter, De Mulder, Guy, Plets, Gertjan
• Other Authors: Saunders, Nicholas, Cornish, Paul
• Format: Book Part
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 2021
• Subjects: History and Archaeology; Norway; Northern Finland; Lapland
• Online Access: https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8653556; http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8653556; https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003149552-14; https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8653556/file/8653557

The temporal proximity of the Second World War in particular has allowed archaeologists to integrate ethnographic approaches to the study of memory and heritage-making. In 2010–2015, the Finnish National Board of Forestry mapped all heritage sites, including those of the Second World War, found within their forest regions, partly directed by LiDAR data. This chapter presents the results of an interdisciplinary investigation of a Second World War conflict landscape in northern Finland. During the Finnish–German Lapland War the German Army retreated towards Norway and made use of extensive defensive positions in northern Finland. During the Continuation War Finland and Nazi Germany co-operated in northern Finland in the war against the Soviet Union. Historical aerial photographs are a rich and textured source of Europe’s past.