Profit under the Soviets: Timber concessions, Western interests and the monetary reforms under NEP

In 1921, at the beginning of the New Economic Policy (NEP), V.I. Lenin pointed to the timber industry of the North as a promising opportunity for cooperation with Western interests and the Soviet state soon introduced timber concessions. However, these concessions were not particularly profitable and ended up as a short-lived experiment. This article analyses why timber concessions failed to make a profit, a critical question for the NEP’s semi-capitalist economy. It finds that monetary reforms that began with the re-establishment of central banking in October 1921 and ended in May 1924 with the new ruble clearly contributed to the failures of the timber concessions. The relative stability of the new currency was seen as an important achievement, but with the exchange rate initially fixed, the new ruble became overvalued. Thus, the export of goods purchased in new rubles became less profitable, or simply unprofitable. This led to severe difficulties for timber concessions such as Russangloles, Russhollandoles and Russnorvegoles. We focus on the important Russnorvegoles concession. We also find that there were two occasions when this concession succeeded in circumventing the problem of the overvalued ruble for short periods, yet acting contrary to Soviet interests in this way contributed to the end of Western interests in the company

In the northern periphery of Russia abroad. The Norwegian destiny of Anatol Ye. Heintz (1898–1975), palaeontologist and native of St Petersburg

This article provides an exposé of the life and work of Anatoliy Yevgenyevich Geynts, in Norway known as Anatol Heintz. Heintz was born and raised in St Petersburg, became a Russian refugee after the revolutionary events in Russia in 1917–1918, and ended up in Norway with his family. Later Heintz became renowned in the world of science as a Professor, Academician, and one of the founding fathers of Norwegian palaeontology, as well as a wellknown promoter of scientific knowledge among the common people in Norway. At the same time, he was an active participant in and organizer of scientific expeditions to Spitsbergen (Svalbard) in search of fish fossils, but he also became one of the pioneers in the protection of wild animals and establishment of natural parks on this Arctic archipelago. Heintz’s life is examined against the background of social and cultural processes that Russian emigrants faced in this so-called “first wave” of emigration in the twentieth century, processes of socio-cultural adaptation and integration into their new country of residence. The conditions for finding oneself and ways of preserving one’s Russianness in the large colonies of the Russian diaspora, which appeared in Berlin, Prague, and Paris, are compared with the conditions in the northern periphery of Europe and a small country like Norway. The paper focuses on what Anatol Heintz did to preserve his Russian identity, and how he simultaneously struggled to become fully recognized as a Norwegian citizen

Arctic energetics in the sphere of politicians and scientists interest

Source at http://eng.arctica-ac.ru/article/375/.About 600 people from 14 countries participated in The Arctic Boundaries International Conference in January, 2012 in Tromsø (Norway). Sixth time this seaport often called “Gate to the Arctic” gathered politicians, scientists, representatives of industrial, financial, transport and other companies, teachers, graduate students and doctoral candidates to elaborate recommendations for sustainable and safe development of the northern areas

Russian timber industry in the 1920s: on the short history of Russnorvegoles

After the Russian Revolution, with civil war and interventions, war communism (1918–1921) led to a period of great economic difficulties in Russia. The New Economic Policy was the solution, and concessions offered to Western business interests were a part of it. In the timber industry of the 1920s, the jointly Western and Soviet controlled company Russnorvegoles was an important concession. The majority of the Western interests were Norwegian, and the company was registered as a Norwegian limited liability company with seat in Oslo. The four-and-a-half-year history, involving Western interests in the operations of Russnorvegoles, is both interesting and dramatic. Profitability was undermined, and intricate currency arrangements played a significant role during the last eighteen months in which Western interests were involved. The prominent Norwegian fascist politicians Quisling and Prytz were both involved, and the latter emerged a wealthy man. Living on his means for some years following 1928, he contributed financially to the formation in 1933 of a Norwegian Nazi party (Nasjonal Samling/National Reunion). This dimension of Norwegian political history demonstrates the role that Russnorvegoles played beyond the timber industry

Russian timber industry in the 1920s: on the short history of Russnorvegoles

After the Russian Revolution, with civil war and interventions, war communism (1918–1921) led to a period of great economic difficulties in Russia. The New Economic Policy was the solution, and concessions offered to Western business interests were a part of it. In the timber industry of the 1920s, the jointly Western and Soviet controlled company Russnorvegoles was an important concession. The majority of the Western interests were Norwegian, and the company was registered as a Norwegian limited liability company with seat in Oslo. The four-and-a-half-year history, involving Western interests in the operations of Russnorvegoles, is both interesting and dramatic. Profitability was undermined, and intricate currency arrangements played a significant role during the last eighteen months in which Western interests were involved. The prominent Norwegian fascist politicians Quisling and Prytz were both involved, and the latter emerged a wealthy man. Living on his means for some years following 1928, he contributed financially to the formation in 1933 of a Norwegian Nazi party (Nasjonal Samling/National Reunion). This dimension of Norwegian political history demonstrates the role that Russnorvegoles played beyond the timber industry

A large-scale meeting of Nordic and Russian historians, philologists and archaeologists in the Arctic Norway

The history of Russia and Norway and their areas in the Arctic and Russian-Norwegian relations are traditionally important for the residents of both states. Opportunities to present new documents and materials, to discuss the significance of centuries-old ties between Russia and Norway, especially in the North, are not provided so often. In early April 2019, a large-scale scientific seminar of Russian and Scandi-navian historians, philologists, and archaeologists was held at the University of Tromsø — the Arctic University of Norway. It was precisely dedicated to the issues listed above. One of the reasons for the meeting was the jubilee of the Honorary Doctor of the Northern (Arctic) Federal University named after M.V. Lomonosov, Professor J.P. Nielsen. Also, the seminar hosted the presentation of a collective scientific collection written by associates of J.P. Nielsen from various countries — “In the North, the East and the West meet.