Today in Postal History

  

Finland to Sweden
May 7, 1940

This cover has an illustrated back.
It was sent shortly after the fierce Russo-Finnish
winter war of November 30, 1939, to March 12, 1940.
Censorship was still being done and this letter was sealed with  a censor tape.
The boxed handstamp on the front translates "Read by the war censorship"
in both Finish and Swedish (the two official languages of Finland).*

The stamp is franked with the 2 Marrka deep blue and blue
commemorative issued to honor the 300th Anniversary
of the founding of the University of Helsinki (Scott 220).
It had just been issued on May 1.

The stamp was cancelled using a mechanical roller cancel.

Turku Abo is at the mouth of the Gulf of Bothnia between Sweden and Finland.
It's about 150 km west of Helsinki.
Turku is a university town.

The destination, Gefle (Gävle), is on the coast of the
Gulf of Bothnia about 200 km north of Stockholm.

The cover was illustrated with what are probably pictures of the town of Turko Abo.
Note that the sender has added annotations on them.

*Thanks to Knud-Erik for the translation and confirmation of the use of the boxed handstamp.