Elias Lönnrot

Elias Lönnrot was a Finnish philologist and collector of traditional Finnish oral poetry, best known for composing the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic compiled from national folklore. His true passion lay in his native Finnish language, and through extensive tours of the countryside of Finland, Lapland, and Russian Karelia, he gathered folk tales and oral traditions. Lönnrot's collecting efforts resulted in a series of influential publications that captured the essence of Finnish folk literature. Recognized for his role in preserving Finland's oral traditions, he was appointed to the Chair of Finnish Literature at the University of Helsinki, cementing his lasting legacy in the literary world.