author
Niilo Aejmelaeus
1812–1854
A Finnish priest and early prose writer, he is best remembered for Haaksirikko (1838), often described as the first original novella or short novel written in Finnish. His work helped open the way for later Finnish-language fiction.
1 Audiobook
Haaksirikko: Suomalainen perustuskielinen Taru
by Niilo Aejmelaeus
About the author
Born in Vaasa on September 11, 1812, Niilo (Nils) Aejmelaeus was a Finnish clergyman and writer. He studied at the University of Helsinki and worked as a teacher before serving as a priest, eventually becoming a vicar in Porvoo.
His place in literary history rests mainly on Haaksirikko, published in 1838. The book is commonly noted as the first original novella—or, by some descriptions, a short novel—in Finnish, making him an important early figure in the development of Finnish-language prose.
Aejmelaeus died in Porvoo on August 20, 1854, at just 41 years old. Though his life was short, his writing remains a small but significant milestone in the story of Finnish literature.