Paasilinna collection
The Paasilinna Collection celebrates the lives and work of the four Paasilinna brothers: Erno, Reino, Arto and Mauri. The collection includes books, manuscripts, articles and other materials created by or related to the brothers, offering a unique opportunity to explore their literary and cultural legacy. The collection is housed in the Paasilinna display case at Tervola library.
The aim of the Paasilinna Collection is to preserve the literary and cultural legacy of the Paasilinna brothers. The collection includes books, translations, audiobooks, films and other materials created by or related to Erno, Reino, Arto and Mauri Paasilinna.
More than half of the literary works in the collection have been donated by the authors and publishers, while the remaining materials have been acquired by Tervola library. The collection is continuously expanded and updated.
The collection is intended for research and reference use and offers a valuable resource for readers, students and researchers interested in the Paasilinna brothers and their work. Materials can be found in the online library by selecting Paasilinna Collection as the collection filter.
The Paasilinna writer brothers
The Paasilinna family produced four remarkable writers: Erno, Reino, Arto and Mauri Paasilinna. Although each brother had a unique voice and style, they shared many interests and values. Nature, Lapland and life in the northern wilderness are recurring themes in their works. The brothers also challenged unnecessary bureaucracy and unquestioned authority, while expressing sympathy for ordinary people and their everyday struggles. Through their writing, each sought to defend the rights and dignity of the individual.
Further information about the Paasilinna family and its literary heritage is available on the website of Kauko Kuusela, Chair of the Paasilinna Working Group.
Paasilinna display case
The Paasilinna Collection is housed in a custom-designed display case located at Tervola library. The display case was designed and created by designer Markku Jurmu, CEO of Jideart Oy, in collaboration with architect and interior designer Päivi Mikola. Jurmu and Mikola have received recognition in both national and international furniture design competitions. Their award-winning works include the Seitakivi glass display case and the Kalani hammock, which received a silver medal in an international Japanese furniture design competition in 1993.
The display case provides a fitting home for the Paasilinna Collection and highlights the importance of the collection as part of Tervola’s literary and cultural heritage.
Paasilinna Medal and Paasilinna Relief
Also displayed in the showcase are the Paasilinna Medal and the Paasilinna Relief, both designed by sculptor Paavo Halonen.
The obverse of the Paasilinna Medal features the sculptural element of the Paasilinna Monument located in front of the library. The monument consists of three large stones connected by stones brought from Petsamo and Kuikero in Varejoki.
The reverse side of the medal depicts themes connected to the Paasilinna family’s history and roots, including the fells and fjord of Petsamo, the Aunus fishing boat that carried the family to safety, Varejoki and the remote spruce forests of Kuikero. The bronze medal has a diameter of 65 mm and weighs 140 grams. It was cast by Ilkka Haapala.
The two-part Paasilinna Relief is an enlarged version of both sides of the medal. Cast in bronze, the relief measures 29.5 cm in diameter on each side and has a total weight of 12 kg. It is mounted on a patinated wooden base.