In 1921, following Finnish independence and military expansion into neighboring Russian territory (which resulted in the annexation of the formerly Russian districts of Pechenga, Repola and Porajärvi by Finland), Soviet Russia was forced to cede the area of Pechenga to Finland in exchange for the return of Repola and Porajärvi according to the Treaty of Tartu.

In 1944, the whole of the former province of Petsamo was ceded to the Soviet Union as part of the preliminary peace agreement between Finland and the allies.

[1] The committee also suggested keeping Petsamo occupied, as the foreign policy of Norway and Soviet Russia was perceived as a threat.

In the autumn of 1920, the Parliament had approved a law enabling a state of emergency, which was used to prepare for communist political agitation across the border.

[1] The governor was Colonel Ilmari Helenius, who was considered by both the state and the people of Petsamo to be a suitable person to hold his office.

In practice, organizing swearing-in ceremonies was difficult as the people of Petsamo live widely scattered in their county.

However, the organization of the teaching was made difficult by the students' limited language skills and the teachers also acting as food distributors.

People-conscious presentations were given to the adult population once a week, and efforts were made to increase their adaptability to the new administration by also exempting them from paying taxes.

Granting the tax exemption was also influenced by the fact that the people of Petsamos did not have Finnish money at their disposal, and they were poor.

Cavalry colonel Ilmari Helenius was elected as governor, surveying engineer Väinö Ahla as county secretary, and deputy judge Lauri Itkonen as crown prince.

The county hired two public school teachers, a chancellor, an accountant, a midwife, a telegraph operator, a doctor, a forester, a priest and two nurses.

The good salary was not enough to attract personnel to Petsamo, which was located far away and where the conditions differed from the rest of Finland.

The lord moved out of Petsamo in October 1921, and he was satisfied with organizing the distribution of foodstuffs and starting to make the inhabitants Finnish.