From Imports to Local Goods: Material Culture of the Luftwaffe Airfield in Pori, Finland

Abstract

<p>The Feldluftpark Pori project (2019–2021), coordinated by the University of Turku and the Satakunta Museum, represents the first systematic conflict archaeological study of the German Luftwaffe airfield in Pori, Finland. During the Continuation War (1941–1944), the airfield served as a key logistical hub for northern operations, with extensive barracks and technical facilities constructed by German forces. Excavations at the Pinomäki Hill barracks area revealed over 2,800 artefacts, including ceramics, food containers, hygiene products, and personal items. The assemblage shows that German provisioning was based primarily on standardized German imports, supplemented especially by Finnish industrial and agricultural products. Comparison with archival sources shows how archaeology provides insights into everyday practices such as diet, hygiene, and consumption that remain absent from written records. These findings contribute to broader discussions of German wartime presence in Finland and the adaptive strategies of military provisioning.<br></p>