Handelsgillet i Helsingfors

Handelsgillet i Helsingfors (The Commercial Guild in Helsinki) is a Swedish-speaking Finnish social club founded in Helsinki in 1857 during the era of the Grand Duchy of Finland. It is the oldest social club in Finland, currently boasting around 850–1,000 members. The association's goal is to promote Finnish business life and to provide its members with opportunities for social interaction, hobbies, and networking.^[1][2][3][4]

Handelsgillet i Helsingfors' Clubhouse at Kasarmikatu 23 in Helsinki

History

Main entrance

In the mid-19th century, Finland entered a period of notable economic expansion. Helsinki, then a modest capital of some 20,000 inhabitants, became increasingly frequented by German and Russian businessmen. In 1857, approximately fifty Finnish clerks submitted a petition to Emperor of Russia, Grand Duke of Finland, Alexander II, seeking permission to found an association through which they might exchange professional ideas and cultivate their skills. This initiative gave rise to the Handelsbiträdenas förening i Helsingfors, which, in time, developed into what is known today as Handelsgillet.^[5]

Handelsgillet was originally established as a professional and social organisation for assistants and employees in commerce to support Helsinki's growing business community. Its aim was to strengthen and develop Finnish trade and economy. The association also functioned as a meeting place for different cultures and language groups, especially serving the Swedish-speaking population.^[3][2]

In its early years, the association met in Helsinki at Hôtel de Rus, but later moved to its own premises. Since 1924, the association's activities have been based at Kasarmikatu 23, in a centrally located building in Helsinki, which later came into the association's ownership.^{[2][6][3][7][8]}

After the Second World War, Finland ceded parts of Karelia to the Soviet Union. Among the many institutions forced to leave Vyborg was Handelsgillet i Wiborg, a merchants' guild founded in 1883, and its founding was approved by Emperor Alexander III of Russia. Following the loss of its original home, the guild relocated to Kasarmikatu in Helsinki, where it continued its activities.^[9][3]

Activities

Handelsgillet regularly organises lectures, dinners, celebrations, and other social events for its members and supports the development of Finnish business life. There are about ten clubs within the association, where members can enjoy interests such as music, food culture, golf, billiards, and bridge. In addition, the guild assists members facing financial difficulties through its own Brödrafond (Brothers Foundation).^[10][3]

In 2015, Handelsgillet i Helsingfors, the Hanken School of Economics, and the Ekonomiska Samfundet organised a seminar at which professor Bengt Holmström – later a Nobel laureate in economics – was the keynote speaker.^[11]

The guild accepts women as members.^[12][13]

Members and their guests have access to restaurant and private dining services, and Handelsgillet also provides meeting facilities for several Swedish-speaking associations. The traditional framework of guild activities is the Swedish-speaking culture and a predominantly male membership, but over the years, people from other backgrounds have participated as well.^[14][2][3]

Traditions and significance

Handelsgillet has a long history as a communal influencer in Helsinki's and Finland's business and cultural life. Over the decades, it has served as a venue for many finlandssvenska (Finland-Swedish) associations' meetings and celebrations, and as a notable part of Swedish-speaking Helsinki's social life.^[2][3]

See also

• Helsinki Bourse Club
• Pamaus Society
• Svenska Klubben
• Helsingin Suomalainen Klubi
• Palace Restaurant