Runeberginpäivä
On February 5th, we celebrate Runebergs Day in Finland. The Finnish-Swedish poet Johan Ludvig Runebergs special day was first celebrated in 1854, in Jakobstad, when Runeberg turned 50. It became a tradition for the upper-class students of the Porvoo gymnasium to sing under Runeberg's window every year on February 5th.
Currently, Runeberg Day is a flag day, and it is customary to eat Runeberg cakes on that day. 
Runeberg wrote his entire body of work in Swedish. In 1830, Runeberg published his first poetry collection, "Dikter" ("Poems"). Like the rest of his works, Runeberg wrote this collection in his native language, Swedish. As you know, Finland is a bilingual country.
His most famous work is "The Tales of Ensign Stål," consisting of a total of 35 poems. The opening poem of the collection, "Maamme" ("Our Land"), set to music by Fredrik Pacius, became the national anthem of Finland.
Source: Albert Edelfelt, Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Romanticism and Nationalism
Runeberg lived during a time when Romanticism dominated European literature. Romanticism emphasized emotions and imagination, idealised the past, and shunned everyday reality. Typical themes in Romantic literature included love, patriotism, heroes, the past, various adventures, and distant lands. Nature played a crucial role, using natural phenomena to depict the deepest human emotions. A significant shift was the inclusion of ordinary people as characters in texts, celebrating the life, traditions, history, and deeds of the common folk.
The Romantic era in Finland, as in the rest of Europe, sparked the collection of folk traditions and poetry. This led to the transformation of oral traditions into written literature.
A well-known saying with a Finnish twist is, 'Puhuu kuin Ruuneperi' ('Speaks like Runeberg'). This saying can be found in the collection of proverbs by the Institute for the Languages of Finland. The saying can refer to the fluency and skill of speech but also to verbosity and continuous talking.
Source: Pixabay
Runebergs two women
Runeberg got married to his wife Fredrika Tengström in 1831. Over the years they had 8 children, out of which 6 sons survived, two children died at a young age. Fredrika was also a novelist, she was one of the first female writers in Finland but is often forgotten in favor of her husband.
Writing was considered an almost inappropriate activity for women, and it was a difficult time. Especially if you happened to be a mother and a wife. So the time spent writing had to be stolen from doing other things. However, Fredrika Runeberg managed to become the first female journalist in Finland, when she edited a newspaper called Helsingfors Morgonblad together with her husband.
Runeberg also had a lover for over 20 years. Consequently, the lover, Emilie Björkstèn, was also a poet, and she had an important role in Runebergs life as they were inspired by each other's company. What they had, could nowadays be called an on and off relationship. They might even spend years apartn only to come back together, after having written love letters to each other for 3 years, for example.
In 1863, Runeberg suffered a stroke while on a hunting trip, resulting in paralysis on his right side and the loss of his ability to speak. He lived incapacitated for over thirteen years. His wife, Fredrika, read to him for many hours each day, even placing a mirror in his room so he could watch the street.
In March 1864, Emilie began visiting Runeberg, although initially distressed to see her lover so changed. Emilie was allowed to be with her lover for an entire week, as Fredrika, tired of caring for her husband, asked her to stay for a longer period. Such a request is not typically made to the another woman.
Johan Ludvig Runeberg passed away on May 6, 1877.
A romantic story tells that the Runebergintorttu (English: Runebergs Cake, or Swedish: Runebergstårta) was invented by his wife Fredika. In reality, it was a baker in Porvoo who invented the recipe a decade earlier and it was made famous by a Helsinki baker who started selling the cake under the name Runebergintorttu.
Finnish National Anthem Maamme-laulu
Oi Maamme Suomi Synnyinmaa/Oh Our Land Finland Fatherland
Soi Sana Kultainen/Echo Loudly Golden Word
Soi Sana Kultainen/Echo Loudly Golden Word
Ei Laaksoa Ei Kukkulaa/No Valley No Hill
Ei Vettä Rantaa Rakkaampaa/No Water Shore More Dear
Kuin Kotimaa Tää Pohjoinen/Than This Northern Homeland
Maa Kallis Isien/This Precious Land Of Our Fathers
Kuin Kotimaa Tää Pohjoinen/Than This Northern Homeland
Maa Kallis Isien/This Precious Land Of Our Fathers
Sun Kukoistukses Kuorestaan/One Day From Your Bud
Kerrankin Puhkeaa/You Will Bloom
Kerrankin Puhkeaa/You Will Bloom
Viel' Lempemme Saa Nousemaan/From Our Love Shall Rise
Sun Toivos Riemus Loistossaan/Your Hope Glorious Joy
Ja Kerran Laulus Synnyinmaa/And Once Your Song Fatherland
Korkeemman Kaiun Saa/Higher Still Will Ring
Ja Kerran Laulus Synnyinmaa/And Once Your Song Fatherland
Korkeemman Kaiun Saa/Higher Still Will Ring
Hyvää Runeberginpäivää kaikille!
Minna, OLS Community Manager – Finnish
Source: Pixabay