author
Wäinö Kolkkala
A prolific Finnish writer and journalist, he turned four decades of observations into novels, short stories, poems, and memoirs shaped by rural life, small-town communities, and the world of newspapers. He is also remembered as the lyricist of “Varsinaissuomalaisten laulu.”
1 Audiobook
About the author
Wäinö Kalle Kolkkala (1883–1952) was a Finnish journalist, editor, author, and lyricist. Born in Loimaa, he studied at the Turku Lyceum and later traveled to Berlin before beginning a career in journalism. He worked as an editorial secretary and editor-in-chief in Loimaa, Jyväskylä, and eastern Finland, including at Keski-Savo and Itä-Savo. He also wrote under the names Väinö Kulo and Kulo.
Kolkkala began writing poetry as a schoolboy and went on to publish novels, stories, poems, sketches, and memoirs. His books often draw on rural communities, ordinary people, and newspaper life; notable titles include Lyyli, Elämän murhe, Naurun loppu, Maan suola, and Taipaleella tapaamiani. In 1930, he became a freelance journalist and writer, continuing his literary work until his death in Jyväskylä in 1952.