Väinö Linna Quotes (12 quotes) | Quotes of famous people

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The Unknown Soldier

Väinö Linna

Under the North Star

Väinö Linna

Väinö Linna: 12 quotes 0 likes

Famous Väinö Linna Quotes

“The younger troops assumed their ranks. There they stood, bumbling into lines with a bit of difficulty: Mother Finland's chosen sacrifice to world history.”

Väinö Linna book The Unknown Soldier

The narrator introducing the characters of the novel, p. 2.
The Unknown Soldier

“The battalion can operate very well without you. No man is indispensable in a war, no matter who he is.”

Väinö Linna book The Unknown Soldier

Major Sarastie to Rokka during a disciplinary hearing, p. 356.
The Unknown Soldier

“In the beginning there were the swamp, the hoe – and Jussi.”

Väinö Linna Under the North Star

Opening words.
Under the North Star

“See that officer out in front? Soon as his shadow hits that lil' spruce there, he's meetin' his maker. That's what I say. 'Nen after him, I start in on'na rest of 'em. Look at them all lined up! Waddlin' along one after the other like sittin' ducks. Poor bastards! Don't know what's about'ta hit 'em. Pretty soon you're gonna see how the Lord takes His own. Now, You lissen up up there, ol' man! If any a those fella's sinned, You take mercy on him, hear? Be quick now! They're gonna start headin' up to you soon.”

Väinö Linna book The Unknown Soldier

Rokka preparing to ambush a Soviet unit, p. 277.
The Unknown Soldier

“They made it to the swamp and Kaarna pounced immediately. 'What's going on here? What's this? Look here, you boys have made a mess of this whole thing. Ay-ay-ay! Boys, boys, this isn't how you fight a war. Noo-oo-ooo. Fighting like this isn't going to get you anywhere. Now, we're going to pull ourselves together and cross this little swamp. The others are already at the enemy positions.”

Väinö Linna book The Unknown Soldier

Source: The Unknown Soldier, P. 58.

“Rather dear, those boys.”

Väinö Linna book The Unknown Soldier

Closing words, p. 466.
The Unknown Soldier