Few, if any, poets in the world have given so much to their people and received such recognition from them as Runeberg. It is no exaggeration to say that his view of both human life and the fatherland is one of the most unshakeable cornerstones of our nation’s entire ideological structure.
The passage above was written by Valfrid Vasenius in his book Runeberg as a Poet of the Finnish People (Runeberg Suomen kansan runoilijana) (1903), which explores the life of the Finnish national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804–1877)—the very poet whose life and work are celebrated today, on Runeberg’s Day, with flying flags across the country.
Vasenius explores Runeberg’s life through a series of questions, such as: “What is the reason that Runeberg has achieved such a position in our spiritual development? How can one individual rise so high above all others that he can almost be said to be the conscience of his people?”
Delving into Vasenius’ inquiries lies outside the boundaries of this article’s ambitions, and while The Tales of Ensign Stål (Vänrikki Stoolin tarinat) (1848, 1860) may still be on the reading list (the English translation seems quite rare), one can always purchase a Runeberg’s Torte from every corner store and bakery in the country.
According to the legend, Runeberg was famously fond of the torte baked by his wife, Frederika, and enjoyed it for breakfast with punch.
As an “expert” tip, look for visible moisture on the surface of the torte through the package window. Generally, the more moisture you see, the better.
A few more words about the poet himself. Runeberg’s substantial body of work includes authoring the lyrics to Maamme, the poem that became Finland’s national anthem in composer Fredrik Pacius’ capable ears and hands.
Runeberg wrote in Swedish, and his work has been widely translated since the 1860s.
My copy of “Stoolit” is translated by Otto Manninen, a Finnish poet and translator whose translation of Runeberg’s classic work, I was told, is considered one of the most significant.
