Finland · 100th birthday of Väinö Linna

Issue date16 Nov 2020

Total mintage700,000

EU maximum800,000

Editions4

Edge letteringSUOMI FINLAND + 3 lion heads

InscriptionVÄINÖ LINNA / 2020 / FI

DesignerPetri Neuvonen

mintSuomen Rahapaja OY, Vantaa, Finnland

Issue occasion

The coin commemorates the 100th birthday of the Finnish writer Väinö Linna, who was born in 1920. The design features his portrait as well as letters depicted as woven fabric and threads running through his books, thus recalling his work in a textile factory. The inscription “VÄINÖ LINNA” appears on the left.

The design

The coin design pays tribute to the renowned Finnish writer Väinö Linna, who has since passed away. Born in 1920, he would have turned 100 this year. The design recalls Linna’s work in a textile factory and shows, alongside his portrait, letters as woven fabric and threads running through his books. The inscription VÄINÖ LINNA is located on the left side. At the bottom are the year of issue “2020”, the issuing country “FI” and the mintmark.
The twelve stars of the European flag are depicted on the outer ring of the coin.

Background on the topic

Väinö Linna grew up in modest circumstances in the municipality of Urjala in southwestern Finland. During the Continuation War between Finland and the Soviet Union, he served as a soldier. His wartime experiences later found their way into the novel *Tuntematon sotilas* (“The Unknown Soldier”), published in 1954. The book portrays a Finnish machine-gun company during the campaign from 1941 to 1944. Rather than presenting a heroic overall narrative, it focuses on different characters, social backgrounds, dialects and the soldiers’ everyday experiences.

The novel initially also provoked criticism because officers, military discipline and national ideals were portrayed, at times, unsparingly. At the same time, it shaped Finnish memories of the war. Several film adaptations and numerous stage productions made the characters known beyond the literary world. An abridged version had been published first; the more extensive manuscript later appeared under the title *Sotaromaani*.

Another of Linna’s major works is the trilogy *Täällä Pohjantähden alla* (“Here Beneath the North Star”), published between 1959 and 1962. Using the fictional locality of Pentinkulma and several generations as examples, it describes the social transformation of Finland from the late 19th century until after the Second World War. Its themes include the situation of tenant farmers, the workers’ movement, national independence and the Finnish Civil War of 1918. Linna placed particular emphasis on the experiences of the defeated “Reds”. This contributed to a broader public examination of the social causes and consequences of the Civil War.

Linna’s works combine fictional life stories with political conflicts in Finnish history. His characters often speak in regional and socially distinct forms of language, making social differences immediately apparent. His milestone birthday therefore provided an opportunity to commemorate not only an individual author but also his role in Finland’s engagement with war, class divisions and national memory.