Ilmari Kianto

Ilmari Kianto (7 May 1874 – 27 April 1970), also known as Ilmari Calamnius and Ilmari Iki-Kianto, was a Finnish author. He was born in Pulkkila, Northern Ostrobothnia, and is best known for his books Punainen viiva ("The Red Line", published 1909)^[1] and Ryysyrannan Jooseppi (published in 1924). In his books, he describes people and living at Suomussalmi municipality in Kainuu region.^[2] He was also a Karelian irredenitist and an anti-communist. He died in Helsinki, aged 95. Composer Jean Sibelius used Kianto's poem 'Lastu lainehilla' (Driftwood) as the lyric for the last of his Seven Songs, Op.17 (1902).

Ilmari Kianto portrayed on a postage stamp published in 1974.

Kianto's books have also been adapted into films, most notably the 1955 film Joseph of Ryysyranta [fi] directed by Roland af Hällström^[3] and the 1959 film The Red Line directed by Matti Kassila.^[4] In the year 1978 composer Aulis Sallinen made a libretto based on Kianto´s novel and composed an opera The Red Line.

References

1. David Arter Scandinavian politics today 2013 - 1847794939 "Hence at elections voters simply drew a red line under the candidate of their choice. Red Line (Punainen viiva) is the title of a novel by Ilmari Kianto, first published in 1909, in which the writer portrays the way social democracy became the new"
2. Korpikirjailija Ilmari Kianto – Yle Elävä arkisto (in Finnish)
3. Ryysyrannan Jooseppi – Elonet (in Finnish)
4. Punainen viiva – Elonet (in Finnish)

External links

• Media related to Ilmari Kianto at Wikimedia Commons
• Ilmari Kianto -seura ry (in Finnish)
• Text of 'Lastu lainehilla' (in Finnish)