author
Kaarle Krohn
1863–1933
A key figure in Finnish folklore studies, he helped turn the collecting of songs and stories into a serious field of research. His work on folk poetry and folktales made the "Finnish school" of folkloristics known far beyond Finland.
1 Audiobook
Suomalaisten runojen uskonto
by Kaarle Krohn
About the author
Born in Helsinki in 1863, Kaarle Krohn became one of Finland’s most influential folklorists and a professor who helped shape modern folklore research. He came from the notable Krohn family and carried forward scholarly work that was already important in his household.
Krohn is especially remembered for developing the geographic-historic method, an approach that compared versions of folk narratives from different places in order to trace their history and spread. He devoted much of his career to the study of the oral poetry behind the Kalevala, helping raise the study of folk tradition into a respected academic discipline.
Through his teaching and research, he helped establish the internationally known Finnish school of folkloristics. Even today, he is remembered as a major figure in the study of folktales, oral tradition, and Finnish epic poetry.