Runeberg – The National Poet of Finland

Today in Finland, we celebrate Runeberg Day.

Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804–1877) was a Finnish poet and lyric. He is the national poet of Finland.

Runeberg’s magnum opus or masterpiece is The Tales of Ensign Stål (Finnish: Vänrikki Stoolin tarinat). The first part of Ensign Stål was first published in 1848, the second in 1860.

Runeberg Day (Finnish: Runebergin päivä) is celebrated annually on February 5, the day of Runeberg's birth.

Happy Runeberg's Day!

Teisuka

P.S. Runeberg is also the author of the lyrics to Our Land (Finnish: Maamme) that became the Finnish National Anthem. Here is a little sample in the English language – actually the first and the last stanza of our National Anthem:

Our Land

O our land Finland, our land of birth,
sound, the golden word!
There's no valley, no hill
no water, shore more precious
than this northern homeland
the dear land of our fathers!

Your prosperity from its hide
shall break out once
yet our love it shall rise
your hope, joy in its brilliance,
and once, your song, the land of birth
shall get the highest echo.