Johan Ludvig Runeberg

Johan Ludvig Runeberg (5 February 1804 – 6 May 1877) was a Finnish priest, lyric and epic poet. Writing exclusively in his native Swedish, he is considered a national poet of Finland. He is the author of the lyrics to Vårt land (Our Land, Maamme in Finnish) that became the unofficial Finnish national anthem. Runeberg was also involved in the modernization of the Finnish Lutheran hymnal and produced many texts for the new edition. Runeberg's main works included the idealist poem "Älgskyttarna" (Elk Hunters, 1832) and the epic Kung Fjalar (King Fjalar, 1844). The heroic poem Fänrik Ståls Sägner...