The Resurrection of a Lie: A Comprehensive Analysis of the 2020 Publication of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion in Finland
Executive Summary: The Anatomy of a Modern Disinformation Event
The year 2020 stands as a pivotal moment in the contemporary history of information warfare and political extremism within Finland. Amidst the global turmoil of the COVID-19 pandemic—a crisis that itself became a breeding ground for conspiratorial thinking—Finland witnessed the concerted republication, distribution, and commercialization of the most notorious antisemitic forgery in history: The Protocols of the Elders of Zion (Fin: Siionin viisaiden pöytäkirjat).1 This was not an accidental archival release or a scholarly critical edition intended for academic study. Rather, evidence suggests it was a strategic initiative by specific actors within the Finnish far-right ecosystem, most notably the publishing entity Kielletyt Kirjat (Banned Books) and the retail empire of department store tycoon Juha Kärkkäinen, to weaponize historical antisemitism against modern societal structures.3
This report provides an exhaustive examination of this phenomenon. It explores the textual origins of the Protocols, tracing its lineage from Tsarist secret police forgeries to its 2020 resurrection in Finnish department stores. It analyzes the specific actors involved, including the "Nordic Heritage" group and the neo-Nazi Nordic Resistance Movement, and details the legal collisions between freedom of expression and the penal code’s prohibition on "agitation against an ethnic group".3 Furthermore, it contextualizes the Finnish case within a global framework, referencing parallel utilizations of the Protocols in American political discourse and Middle Eastern geopolitics.6
The analysis indicates that the 2020 publication was not merely a commercial endeavor but an ideological operation designed to exploit the "counter-media" ecosystem. By offering simple, malicious explanations for complex global problems—from economic instability to pandemics—the publishers sought to erode trust in democratic institutions and incite hostility toward the Jewish community.4 This report serves as a detailed documentation of how a century-old lie is maintained, adapted, and sold in the 21st century.
Part I: The Artifact and Its Origins – Deconstructing the Forgery
To understand the severity of the 2020 Finnish publication, it is essential to first deconstruct the text itself. The Protocols of the Elders of Zion is not a coherent political manifesto but a composite forgery, a "plagiarism of a plagiarism" that has nevertheless functioned as a "warrant for genocide" for over a century.1 Its persistence in the Finnish market is a testament not to its literary merit, but to its utility as a tool for scapegoating.
1.1 The Mechanics of Fabrication: From Satire to Conspiracy
The foundational deception of the Protocols lies in its origin. The text claims to be the confidential minutes of a secret conclave of Jewish leaders ("The Elders") plotting to enslave the world. However, historical scholarship has definitively proven that the text was fabricated by the Okhrana, the Tsarist Russian secret police, at the turn of the 20th century.6
The primary source material for this fabrication was not a Jewish text at all, but a French political satire published in Belgium in 1864 by Maurice Joly, titled The Dialogue in Hell Between Machiavelli and Montesquieu.1 Joly’s work was a critique of the authoritarian regime of Napoleon III. The Russian forgers, likely operating under the direction of Pyotr Ivanovich Rachkovsky in Paris, engaged in a crude act of literary theft: they effectively swapped Joly’s "Machiavelli"—who represented the cynical use of power by the French Emperor—with the "Elders of Zion".9 By doing so, they transformed a liberal critique of despotism into an antisemitic confession of conspiracy.
In addition to Joly, the forgers drew upon Hermann Goedsche’s 1868 novel Biarritz. Specifically, they utilized a chapter titled "The Jewish Cemetery in Prague and the Council of Representatives of the Twelve Tribes of Israel," a gothic fiction scene in which representatives of the twelve tribes meet at midnight in a cemetery to report on their progress in undermining Christian civilization.6 In this fictional narrative, the Devil listens sympathetically as the conspirators detail their subversion. The creators of the Protocols stripped away the novelistic framing of the cemetery and the Devil, presenting the fictional speeches as factual administrative minutes.6
1.2 The Themes of the Protocols: A Blueprint for Hatred
The 2020 Finnish editions, largely reprints of translations from the 1940s, contain the standard thematic pillars of the forgery. These themes are designed to create a totalizing worldview where every negative aspect of modernity is attributed to a single malevolent source.
The Theory of "Right Lies in Might"
Protocol 1 establishes the brutal philosophy attributed to the Elders, asserting that "Right lies in Might" and that politics has nothing in common with morals.1 The text argues that the "Elders" will use the cry of "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" to destroy the landed aristocracy, which was the only defense of the Gentile peoples against Jewish financial power.9 This theme resonates with modern far-right narratives in Finland that view liberal democracy as a mechanism for weakening the "traditional" nation-state.4
Economic Enslavement and the "Invisible Hand"
A central obsession of the Protocols is the control of gold and the economy. The text claims that the Elders have the power to create economic crises by withdrawing money from circulation, thereby bankrupting governments and forcing them to submit to Jewish financiers.9 Protocol 20 and Protocol 21 delve into the mechanics of loans and interest, framing the entire global banking system as a trap designed to enslave the "goyim" (non-Jews) through debt.1 This narrative finds fertile ground in contemporary discussions regarding the European Union, central banking, and the "Great Reset," themes frequently explored in Finnish "counter-media" publications like Magneettimedia.4
The Destruction of Religion and the "King of the Jews"
The Protocols are explicitly anti-Christian in their purported intent. Protocol 17 outlines an "Anti-Christian Agenda," asserting a plan to infiltrate and destroy the Papal court and lower the prestige of the clergy in the eyes of the people.11 The ultimate objective described is the installation of a "King of the Jews" who will serve as the "real pope of the universe" and the patriarch of an international church.11 This messianic despotism is presented as the terrifying endgame of the conspiracy, a theme that appeals to religious traditionalists who feel marginalized by secularization.
Control of Information and "Fake News"
Long before the modern concept of "fake news," the Protocols described a strategy of media manipulation. Protocol 12 claims that the Elders control the press and use it to manufacture consent, distract the populace with trivial amusements, and spread disinformation to create confusion.9 In a perverse irony, modern publishers of the Protocols in Finland often cite this section to accuse mainstream media of being "controlled," while they themselves disseminate the actual fabrication.4
Table 1: The Genealogical Structure of the Forgery
Source Material
Original Context
Transformation in the Protocols
2020 Finnish Relevance
Maurice Joly's Dialogue in Hell (1864)
Satire of Napoleon III's authoritarianism. Machiavelli argues for tyranny.
Machiavelli's dialogue is attributed to the "Elders." Tyranny becomes a "Jewish plot."
Used to frame EU/Government restrictions as "Zionist tyranny."
Hermann Goedsche's Biarritz (1868)
Fictional chapter regarding a meeting in a Prague cemetery.
Fictional speeches converted into "minutes" of a meeting.
Provides the narrative of a "secret meeting" central to the conspiracy.
Pyotr Rachkovsky (Okhrana, 1890s)
Head of Russian secret police in Paris. Anti-Dreyfusard.
Commissioned the forgery to justify Tsarist antisemitism and influence French politics.
Represents the state-sponsored origin of the disinformation.
Sergei Nilus (1905)
Russian mystic. Published The Great Within the Minuscule.
Included Protocols as an appendix to his book on the Antichrist.1
Established the religious/apocalyptic framing used by modern Christian Zionists or antisemites.
Part II: The 2020 Finnish Publication – Actors and Artifacts
The 2020 resurgence of the Protocols in Finland was characterized by specific commercial and ideological choices. It was not a diffuse phenomenon but one driven by identifiable entities operating at the intersection of commerce and extremism.
2.1 The Editions: Echoes of the "Blue Cross"
The editions circulating in 2020 were not new translations but reprints of historical texts, specifically those from the era of Finland's co-belligerence with Nazi Germany. The primary text identified in the marketplace was based on the 1943 edition published by Siniristi (Blue Cross), titled Juutalaisten salainen ohjelma maailmanvalloituspyrkimystensä toteuttamiseksi (The Jews' Secret Program for Realizing Their World Conquest Ambitions).2
The "Siniristi" Connection: The original 1943 publication by Siniristi places the text firmly within the context of wartime fascist propaganda. Siniristi was a far-right organization; by reprinting this specific translation, modern publishers are not merely selling a text but are engaging in a deliberate act of heritage signaling, linking contemporary Finnish nationalism to the fascist movements of the 1940s.
Physical Artifacts: Research into the sales listings reveals that these books were sold at premium prices, with listings for "good condition" (K3/K4) copies reaching €60.00 and €80.00 respectively.2 The high price point and the notation of condition (e.g., "stain on cover and spine") suggest a collector's market where these texts are valued as historical artifacts of the far-right, in addition to their ideological value.
2.2 The Publisher: Kielletyt Kirjat and the Neo-Nazi Link
The publishing house responsible for the new editions in the 2020s is Kielletyt Kirjat ("Banned Books"). This entity is not a neutral champion of free speech but is operationally linked to the Nordic Resistance Movement (NRM), a pan-Nordic neo-Nazi organization that has been banned in Finland for its violent activities and revolutionary objectives.3
Strategic Framing: By branding themselves as purveyors of "banned" literature, the NRM attempts to reframe the consumption of hate speech as an act of rebellion and intellectual curiosity. They market the Protocols alongside other extremist texts, such as new editions of the 1941 translations of Mein Kampf.3
The "Thomas Dalton" Connection: The publishing network also involves a pseudonymous figure known as "Thomas Dalton," suspected of being a researcher at the University of Helsinki.3 This connection is particularly alarming as it suggests an attempt to lend an air of academic legitimacy to the project. Dalton has been involved in republishing Mein Kampf, and the association implies a strategy of infiltrating intellectual spaces with revisionist history.
2.3 The Distributor: Juha Kärkkäinen and "Department Store Nazism"
The most significant factor in the 2020 proliferation of the Protocols was the involvement of Juha Kärkkäinen, the owner of the Kärkkäinen department store chain. Kärkkäinen represents a rare instance of a wealthy, mainstream business owner actively using his commercial infrastructure to disseminate antisemitic propaganda.
Mainstream Availability: Unlike underground distro lists, Kärkkäinen’s stores and online shop sold the Protocols and Mein Kampf openly. This normalization—placing "The Jews' Secret Program" in the same shopping cart as winter tires or camping gear—desensitizes the consumer to the radical nature of the material.3
Ideological Funding: Kärkkäinen’s involvement goes beyond passive retail. In the 2000s, he funded a group called "Nordic Heritage" to reprint Mein Kampf.3 His commitment is ideological; he has been described by the Simon Wiesenthal Centre as a "national danger" and has faced boycotts from suppliers and condemnation from the Finnish President.13
The Propaganda Arm – Magneettimedia: Kärkkäinen also owns Magneettimedia, a free distribution newspaper and website. Academic analysis of Magneettimedia from 2014 to 2016 and beyond reveals that the publication consistently utilizes the themes of the Protocols. It constructs a narrative where Jews are responsible for global wars, the "destruction" of white nations through immigration, and the manipulation of the financial system.4 The newspaper acts as a marketing funnel, validating the conspiracy theories that the books sold in the department store purport to explain.
Table 2: Key Actors in the 2020 Finnish Dissemination
Actor
Role
Affiliation
Strategic Function
Kielletyt Kirjat
Publisher
Linked to Nordic Resistance Movement (NRM)
Production of materials; framing hate speech as "forbidden truth."
Juha Kärkkäinen
Funder/Distributor
Owner, Kärkkäinen Department Stores
Mainstreaming distribution; financial backing; normalizing presence in retail.
Nordic Heritage
Printing Group
Funded by Kärkkäinen 3
Facilitating the reprinting of historical fascist texts (Mein Kampf, Protocols).
Thomas Dalton
Editor/Translator
Suspected University of Helsinki researcher 3
Providing pseudo-academic veneer to revisionist texts.
Magneettimedia
Media Outlet
Owned by Kärkkäinen
Propaganda dissemination; creating the demand for the conspiratorial worldview.
Part III: The Legal Landscape – Agitation, Investigation, and Impunity
The publication of the Protocols in 2020 precipitated a significant legal conflict in Finland, centering on the crime of "agitation against an ethnic group" (kiihottaminen kansanryhmää vastaan). This legal battle highlights the challenges Western democracies face in regulating disinformation that disguises itself as history.
3.1 The Charge: Agitation Against an Ethnic Group
Under the Finnish Penal Code, agitation against an ethnic group is defined as spreading information or opinions that threaten, defame, or insult a group based on race, ethnicity, religion, or other protected characteristics.5 This law is the primary instrument used by the Finnish state to combat hate speech.
Prosecutorial Stance: The Office of the Prosecutor General (Valtakunnansyyttäjä) has taken a proactive stance in recent years. The Prosecutor General views the dissemination of the Protocols not as a neutral act of book-selling but as an active perpetuation of the "lie that kills." The argument posits that because the Protocols were designed to incite hatred and have historically led to violence (pogroms, the Holocaust), their distribution without critical context constitutes agitation.5
3.2 The 2020 Investigations
In 2020, police launched preliminary investigations (esitutkinta) into the sale of the Protocols.15 These investigations focused on whether the commercial availability of the text constituted a crime.
The Defense: The standard defense employed by Kärkkäinen and Kielletyt Kirjat is one of historical preservation and free speech. They categorize the books under "History" or "General History" in online stores.2 The argument is that banning the book amounts to censorship of a historical document, regardless of its factual accuracy.
The "Banned Book" Marketing: Paradoxically, the legal scrutiny serves the publishers' marketing strategy. By labeling the books as "banned" or "suppressed," they appeal to anti-establishment sentiments. The investigations themselves are spun by outlets like Magneettimedia as proof of the very conspiracy the Protocols describe—that the "system" is trying to hide the truth.8
3.3 The Limits of the Law
Despite the investigations and previous convictions of Juha Kärkkäinen for similar offenses related to Magneettimedia articles, the legal deterrents have proven limited.4
Fines as Business Costs: Kärkkäinen and his entity J. Kärkkäinen Oy have been fined in the past, but for a wealthy tycoon, these fines are often absorbed as the cost of doing business. The legal system struggles to impose penalties that effectively stop the ideological crusade of a well-funded actor.
The European Standard: The Finnish legal approach aligns with broader European standards, where Holocaust denial and the incitement of racial hatred are not protected speech. As noted by Roger Errera, the European answer to whether such authors should be protected is negative: such writings are an "aggression against the dead, their families, the survivors and society at large".13 However, the enforcement of this standard regarding the sale of a book (as opposed to the writing of an article) remains a complex legal frontier in Finland.
Part IV: Global Resonance – Why the Protocols in 2020?
The timing of the 2020 publication was not coincidental. It occurred against the backdrop of a global pandemic and rising political polarization, environments in which the conspiratorial logic of the Protocols thrives.
4.1 The Pandemic Connection: A New "Poisoning of the Wells"
The COVID-19 pandemic provided a modern context for the century-old accusations found in the Protocols.
Rewriting the Plot: Throughout 2020, antisemitic groups adapted the text to claim that Jews (or "Zionists") were responsible for the virus. This echoes the medieval "Black Death" libels where Jews were accused of poisoning wells.7 In the 2020 iteration, the Protocols were cited as proof that the "Elders" were engineering the pandemic to impose global tyranny, enforce vaccinations (viewed as a control mechanism), and destroy national economies.7
The Iranian Connection: The usage of the Protocols in 2020 Finland mirrors its usage by state actors globally. For instance, Iranian leadership, including former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (who drew heavily on Protocols themes in 2012), has long used the text to explain global events.7 The Finnish publishers are thus participating in a global discourse of antisemitism that transcends borders.
4.2 The US Context: The RNC Incident
The relevance of the Protocols in 2020 was also highlighted by a high-profile incident in the United States, which demonstrated how easily these narratives infiltrate mainstream politics. Mary Ann Mendoza, a scheduled speaker at the Republican National Convention, was removed from the program after retweeting a thread that urged followers to read the Protocols to understand the alleged plot to "enslave the goyim".6
Significance: This incident illustrates that the Protocols are not merely a dusty relic for neo-Nazis in Finnish basements; they are a live wire in the global right-wing populist movement. The Finnish publication was part of this broader resurgence, where the "Rothschilds" and "Soros" serve as modern placeholders for the "Elders".6
4.3 The "Vastamedia" Ecosystem and the Appeal of Simplicity
Researchers in Finland have noted that the appeal of the Protocols and similar conspiracy theories lies in their ability to offer simple answers to complex problems.
Simplification: In a world of confusing viruses, shifting geopolitical alliances, and economic precarity, the Protocols offer a stabilizing (albeit false) narrative: It is all happening according to a plan. As noted by Finnish researchers, the "counter-media" (vastamedia) leverages this psychological need, and the Protocols serves as the foundational text for this worldview.8
Part V: Second-Order Insights – The Corporatization of Hate
The analysis of the research material yields several critical insights that extend beyond the mere facts of publication.
5.1 The Shift from Underground to Corporate
The most disturbing aspect of the Finnish case is the corporatization of extremism. Typically, antisemitic literature is distributed via obscure mail-order lists or dark web forums. The involvement of Kärkkäinen—a major retailer—represents a structural shift. It signals that antisemitism in Finland has secured a funding stream and a distribution network that is integrated into the legitimate capitalist economy. This "mainstreaming" makes the ideology harder to isolate and combat.
5.2 The Weaponization of "History"
The publishers successfully exploit a blind spot in liberal education. By framing the Protocols as "history," they dare the state to become a "censor." This tactic forces the authorities into a defensive posture. The failure here is arguably educational; the fact that a 100-year-old forgery requires active debunking in 2020 suggests that the historical memory of the Holocaust and the tools used to perpetrate it has faded sufficiently to allow their reintroduction as "forbidden knowledge."
5.3 The Continuity of Fascism
The choice to reprint the 1943 Siniristi edition is a "dog whistle" of the highest order. It connects the modern Finnish far-right directly to the country’s wartime alliance with Nazi Germany. It is a rejection of the post-war consensus and an attempt to rehabilitate the fascist legacy under the guise of nationalism. It proves that for the publishers, the Protocols are not a historical curiosity but a living political manual.
Conclusion
The publication of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion in Finland in 2020 was a calculated act of ideological warfare. Spearheaded by the neo-Nazi-linked Kielletyt Kirjat and facilitated by the commercial power of Juha Kärkkäinen, this event successfully reintroduced the "warrant for genocide" into the Finnish marketplace. While the text itself is a demonstrable fraud—a patchwork of plagiarism from Maurice Joly and Hermann Goedsche commissioned by the Tsarist secret police—its power lies in its adaptability. In 2020, it found new life as the key to unlocking the "conspiracy" of the COVID-19 pandemic and the global economic order.
The response from Finnish society has been a mix of legal prosecution, public condemnation, and consumer boycotts, yet the books remain available, protected by the complexities of free speech laws and the determination of their wealthy backers. The persistence of the Protocols in 2020 Finland serves as a stark warning: the infrastructure of hate is resilient, well-funded, and capable of weaponizing the past to destabilize the future.
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