Johan Ludvig Runeberg
Swedish-speaking Finnish priest, lyric and epic poet
Johan Ludvig Runeberg (Swedish: [ˈjuːhan ˈlʊdvɪɡ ˈrʉːnəbærj]; 5 February 1804 – 6 May 1877) was a poet from Finland. He is the national poet of Finland. He wrote in the Swedish language.[1]
Johan Ludvig Runeberg | |
|---|---|
 Johan Ludvig Runeberg (portrait by C. P. Mazer) | |
| Born | 5 February 1804 |
| Died | 6 May 1877 (aged 73) |
| Spouse | Fredrika Runeberg |
| Signature | |
 | |
Runeberg's most famous work is Fänrik Ståls sägner (The Tales of Ensign Stål, Vänrikki Stoolin tarinat in Finnish). He wrote it between 1848 and 1860. The book consists of 36 poems. The tales are about Finnish War of 1808–09. In the war Russia got Finland from Sweden. In the tales Runeberg tries to tell us that deep down inside people are similar on both sides of the war. In that book, small people from Finland become heroes in their own life. The first poem "Vårt land" (Our Land, Maamme in Finnish) became the Finnish National anthem.[2]
References
change- ↑ Johan Ludvig Runeberg 375 humanists
- ↑ Matti Klinge: Runeberg, Johan Ludvig (1804 - 1877) Finnish Dictionary of National Biography online.