Väinö Linna
Encyclopedia
Väinö Linna (20 December 1920 – 21 April 1992) was one of the most influential Finnish
authors of the 20th century. He shot to immediate literary fame with his third novel, Tuntematon sotilas (The Unknown Soldier
, published in 1954), and consolidated his position with the trilogy Täällä Pohjantähden alla (Under the North Star
, published in 1959–1963 and translated into English by Richard Impola).
in the Pirkanmaa
region. He was the seventh child of Viktor (Vihtori) Linna (1874–1927) and Johanna Maria (Maija) Linna (1888–1972). However, Linna's father, a butcher, died when Väinö Linna was only eight years old. Thus his mother had to support the entire family by working at a nearby manor. Despite his background, Linna's interest in literature began early on. As a child, Linna loved adventure novels which he borrowed from the local library. The author's education was, however, limited to six years at a public school which he finished in the mid-1930s. After working as a lumberjack and a farm hand at the same manor where his mother had worked, Linna moved to Tampere in 1938. Typical of his generation, the adolescent author-to-be moved from the countryside to a developing city in search of industrial labour which he found at the Finlayson textile mills.
In 1940, Linna was conscripted into the army. The Second World War had broken out, and for Linna's part it meant participation in the Continuation War
(1941–44). He fought on the eastern front. In addition to being a squad-leader, he wrote notes and observations about his and his unit's experiences. Already at this point Linna knew that writing would be his preferred occupation. However, failure to get the notes published led him to burn them. In spite of rejection, the idea of a novel, which would depict ordinary soldiers' views on war, would later lead him to write The Unknown Soldier.
After the war, Linna got married and started writing whilst working at the mills during the day. Throughout his time at Finlayson, Väinö Linna read avidly. Such authors as Schopenhauer, Dostoyevsky, and Nietzsche gained Linna's respect. Linna later said that Erich Maria Remarque
's All Quiet on the Western Front
had also had a great influence on him. However, Linna's first two novels Päämäärä and Musta rakkaus sold poorly; he tried to write poetry but did not succeed in that either. Not until the release of The Unknown Soldier (1954) did he rise to fame. It is evident that at the time there was a distinct social need for a novel that would deal with the war and ordinary people's role in it. A decade after the peace treaty with the Soviet Union
many Finns were ready to reminisce, some even in a critical manner. The Unknown Soldier satisfied that need completely, as its characters were unarguably more diverse, realistic yet heroic, than those of earlier Finnish war novels. The book soon became something of a best-seller, as it sold 175,000 copies in only six months — quite a lot for a Finnish novel in the 1950s. Yet, the reception of the book was harsh. In Finland's biggest newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat
, the critic Toini Havu argued in her infamous review that Linna did not present his characters in a grand historical and ethical context, which she thought was crucial. Also modernists
treated The Unknown Soldier with contempt. At the time Tuomas Anhava
referred to The Unknown Soldier as a "boy's book" because of its action-packed storyline. The acceptance of the general public and Linna's determination were, however, enough to outdo the criticism in the end.
In the mid-50s, Linna moved to Hämeenkyrö
and began to cultivate crops. In 1959, the first part of Under the North Star was released. The book was a success and other parts were to follow. The second part was published in 1960 and the final part in 1963. In 1964, Linna sold the farm and moved back to Tampere. This time he did not return to Finlayson, as he now could dedicate his life entirely to literature due to the financial success his works had earned him. In 1984, Väinö Linna had a stroke, which caused him to lose the ability to speak. After some time he contracted cancer, which tired him out, leading to his death on April 21, 1992.
, Seven Brothers
and other classics. Many quotations from his works are nowadays Finnish sayings. The opening line of Under the North Star, "In the beginning there were the swamp, the hoe — and Jussi", is recognized by most Finns as well as Rokka
's famous exclamation, "Where do you need a real good man, here you have one!", from The Unknown Soldier. Showcasing the value of his legacy, Linna was pictured on the 20 markkaa banknote
which was in use from 1993 to the introduction of the Euro
. In addition, both of his major works have been filmed twice.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
authors of the 20th century. He shot to immediate literary fame with his third novel, Tuntematon sotilas (The Unknown Soldier
The Unknown Soldier (novel)
The Unknown Soldier is author Väinö Linna's first major novel and his other major work besides Under the North Star. Published in 1954, it is a story about the Continuation War between Finland and the Soviet Union as told from the viewpoint of ordinary Finnish soldiers...
, published in 1954), and consolidated his position with the trilogy Täällä Pohjantähden alla (Under the North Star
Under the North Star
Under the North Star is a novel trilogy by Finnish author Väinö Linna published 1959–1962. It follows the life of a Finnish family from 1880 to about 1950 while simultaneously describing the effects of the important ideals and events of that period have on ordinary people...
, published in 1959–1963 and translated into English by Richard Impola).
Biography
Väinö Linna was born in UrjalaUrjala
Urjala is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Pirkanmaa region, near Forssa. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
in the Pirkanmaa
Pirkanmaa
Pirkanmaa , or the Tampere Region , is a region of Finland. It borders on the regions of Satakunta, Tavastia Proper, Päijänne Tavastia, Southern Ostrobothnia and Central Finland....
region. He was the seventh child of Viktor (Vihtori) Linna (1874–1927) and Johanna Maria (Maija) Linna (1888–1972). However, Linna's father, a butcher, died when Väinö Linna was only eight years old. Thus his mother had to support the entire family by working at a nearby manor. Despite his background, Linna's interest in literature began early on. As a child, Linna loved adventure novels which he borrowed from the local library. The author's education was, however, limited to six years at a public school which he finished in the mid-1930s. After working as a lumberjack and a farm hand at the same manor where his mother had worked, Linna moved to Tampere in 1938. Typical of his generation, the adolescent author-to-be moved from the countryside to a developing city in search of industrial labour which he found at the Finlayson textile mills.
In 1940, Linna was conscripted into the army. The Second World War had broken out, and for Linna's part it meant participation in the Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
(1941–44). He fought on the eastern front. In addition to being a squad-leader, he wrote notes and observations about his and his unit's experiences. Already at this point Linna knew that writing would be his preferred occupation. However, failure to get the notes published led him to burn them. In spite of rejection, the idea of a novel, which would depict ordinary soldiers' views on war, would later lead him to write The Unknown Soldier.
After the war, Linna got married and started writing whilst working at the mills during the day. Throughout his time at Finlayson, Väinö Linna read avidly. Such authors as Schopenhauer, Dostoyevsky, and Nietzsche gained Linna's respect. Linna later said that Erich Maria Remarque
Erich Maria Remarque
Erich Maria Remarque was a German author, best known for his novel All Quiet on the Western Front.-Life and work:...
's All Quiet on the Western Front
All Quiet on the Western Front
All Quiet on the Western Front is a novel by Erich Maria Remarque, a German veteran of World War I. The book describes the German soldiers' extreme physical and mental stress during the war, and the detachment from civilian life felt by many of these soldiers upon returning home from the front.The...
had also had a great influence on him. However, Linna's first two novels Päämäärä and Musta rakkaus sold poorly; he tried to write poetry but did not succeed in that either. Not until the release of The Unknown Soldier (1954) did he rise to fame. It is evident that at the time there was a distinct social need for a novel that would deal with the war and ordinary people's role in it. A decade after the peace treaty with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
many Finns were ready to reminisce, some even in a critical manner. The Unknown Soldier satisfied that need completely, as its characters were unarguably more diverse, realistic yet heroic, than those of earlier Finnish war novels. The book soon became something of a best-seller, as it sold 175,000 copies in only six months — quite a lot for a Finnish novel in the 1950s. Yet, the reception of the book was harsh. In Finland's biggest newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat
Helsingin Sanomat
Helsingin Sanomat is the largest subscription newspaper in Finland and the Nordic countries, owned by Sanoma. Except after certain holidays, it is published daily. In 2008, its daily circulation was 412,421 on weekdays and 468,505 on Sundays...
, the critic Toini Havu argued in her infamous review that Linna did not present his characters in a grand historical and ethical context, which she thought was crucial. Also modernists
Modernism
Modernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
treated The Unknown Soldier with contempt. At the time Tuomas Anhava
Tuomas Anhava
Tuomas Anhava was a Finnish writer and recipient of the Eino Leino Prize in 1989.-References:...
referred to The Unknown Soldier as a "boy's book" because of its action-packed storyline. The acceptance of the general public and Linna's determination were, however, enough to outdo the criticism in the end.
In the mid-50s, Linna moved to Hämeenkyrö
Hämeenkyrö
Hämeenkyrö is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Pirkanmaa region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
and began to cultivate crops. In 1959, the first part of Under the North Star was released. The book was a success and other parts were to follow. The second part was published in 1960 and the final part in 1963. In 1964, Linna sold the farm and moved back to Tampere. This time he did not return to Finlayson, as he now could dedicate his life entirely to literature due to the financial success his works had earned him. In 1984, Väinö Linna had a stroke, which caused him to lose the ability to speak. After some time he contracted cancer, which tired him out, leading to his death on April 21, 1992.
Literary works
- (1947) Päämäärä
- (1948) Musta rakkaus
- (1949–53) Messias, (unfinished)
- (1954) Tuntematon sotilasThe Unknown Soldier (novel)The Unknown Soldier is author Väinö Linna's first major novel and his other major work besides Under the North Star. Published in 1954, it is a story about the Continuation War between Finland and the Soviet Union as told from the viewpoint of ordinary Finnish soldiers...
, The Unknown Soldier - (1959–63) Täällä Pohjantähden alla I–IIIUnder the North StarUnder the North Star is a novel trilogy by Finnish author Väinö Linna published 1959–1962. It follows the life of a Finnish family from 1880 to about 1950 while simultaneously describing the effects of the important ideals and events of that period have on ordinary people...
, Under the North Star, translated by Richard Impola - (1967) Oheisia
- (1990) Murroksia
- (2000) Sotaromaani, uncensored version of The Unknown Soldier
Legacy
Linna's social realism has had a profound influence on Finnish social, political and cultural life. His novels have a place in Finland's literary canon, among KalevalaKalevala
The Kalevala is a 19th century work of epic poetry compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Finnish and Karelian oral folklore and mythology.It is regarded as the national epic of Finland and is one of the most significant works of Finnish literature...
, Seven Brothers
Seven Brothers
Seven Brothers is the first and only novel by Aleksis Kivi, the national author of Finland, and it is widely regarded as the first significant novel written in Finnish and by a Finnish-speaking author. Published in 1870, Seven Brothers ended an era dominated by Swedish-speaking authors, most...
and other classics. Many quotations from his works are nowadays Finnish sayings. The opening line of Under the North Star, "In the beginning there were the swamp, the hoe — and Jussi", is recognized by most Finns as well as Rokka
The Unknown Soldier (novel)
The Unknown Soldier is author Väinö Linna's first major novel and his other major work besides Under the North Star. Published in 1954, it is a story about the Continuation War between Finland and the Soviet Union as told from the viewpoint of ordinary Finnish soldiers...
's famous exclamation, "Where do you need a real good man, here you have one!", from The Unknown Soldier. Showcasing the value of his legacy, Linna was pictured on the 20 markkaa banknote
Banknote
A banknote is a kind of negotiable instrument, a promissory note made by a bank payable to the bearer on demand, used as money, and in many jurisdictions is legal tender. In addition to coins, banknotes make up the cash or bearer forms of all modern fiat money...
which was in use from 1993 to the introduction of the Euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
. In addition, both of his major works have been filmed twice.