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Väinö Linna Quotes

Väinö Linna was a Finnish author. He gained literary fame with his third novel, Tuntematon sotilas , and consolidated his position with the trilogy Täällä Pohjantähden alla . Wikipedia  

✵ 20. December 1920 – 21. April 1992
Väinö Linna photo

Works

The Unknown Soldier
Väinö Linna
Under the North Star
The Unknown Soldier
Väinö Linna
Under the North Star
Väinö Linna: 12 quotes0 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

“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

Väinö Linna Quotes

“Jorma Kariluoto had paid his dues into the common pot of human idiocy.”

Väinö Linna book The Unknown Soldier

The narrator after Kariluoto's death, p. 412.
The Unknown Soldier

“The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics won, but racing to the line for a strong second place came feisty little Finland.”

Väinö Linna book The Unknown Soldier

Vanhala, the eternal comedian, summarizing the war after it ends, p. 466.
The Unknown Soldier

“Once Koskela saw that the guns were ready to go, he called out, 'Shoot for their nuts!”

Väinö Linna book The Unknown Soldier

Source: The Unknown Soldier, P. 56.

“As we all know, the Lord is almighty – he knows all and sees far. And so, one day, he let forest fire burn a good swath of state land, laying waste to acres of the dry, pine forest around the town of Joensuu. The people did everything in their power to put a stop to his work, as they always did, but he burned the forest undeterred, just as far as it suited him. He had his own plans.”

Väinö Linna book The Unknown Soldier

Opening words, p. 1.
The Unknown Soldier

“Koskela the Finn. Eats iron and shits chains.”

Väinö Linna book The Unknown Soldier

Koskela introducing himself while intoxicated, p. 298.
The Unknown Soldier

“Are you motherfuckers deaf? Shoot here … down here … follow my voice … my gun … aaahh …”

Väinö Linna book The Unknown Soldier

An ambushed and dying Lehto criticising the enemy for lack of accuracy, p. 194.
The Unknown Soldier

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