Elmer Diktonius

Elmer Rafael Diktonius was a Finnish poet and composer, who wrote in both Swedish and in Finnish.
He was born in Helsinki and studied at the Helsinki Music Institute. He undertook several study trips abroad, including to France and England in 1921–22, Paris in 1925–27, and Prague in 1934. In 1922, he established an avant-garde magazine, Ultra, which had Finnish and Swedish editions. He was also involved in the establishment of another avant-garde magazine Quosego. In addition to his editorial work, he was a literary and music critic for numerous publications, including Arbetarbladet, Elanto, Suomen Sosialidemokraatti, Nya Argus, and the Malmö-based Arbetet. He was a board member of the Society of Swedish Authors in Finland from 1927, and served as its vice-chairman between 1937 and 1944. He mainly lived in Tuomistonoja of the Röykkä village.
Diktonius died in Kauniainen, and is buried in the Hietaniemi Cemetery in Helsinki.

Private life

Dikotnius was the son of August Viktor Diktonius and Adelaide Maria Rosalie Malmström. He was married twice; first to Meri Rigmor Marttinen from 1923 until their divorce in 1926, and second to Anna-Leena Jäykkä from 1929.

Awards and honors

Source:

Lybeck Prize
State Prize for Literature
Swedish Literature Society in Finland Prize
Tollander Prize
Honorary member of the Swedish Literature Society in Finland

Publications

Original works

Source:Min dikt Hårda sånger Brödet och elden Taggiga lågor Onnela Stenkol Ingenting och andra novellistiska skisser Stark men mörk Janne Kubik Opus 12. Musik Mull och moln Medborgare i republiken Finland Gräs och granit Jordisk ömhet Medborgare. Andra samlingen Varsel Höstlig bastu Hård början Annorlunda Novembervår Dikter 1912—1942 Prosa 1925—1943

''Meningar''

Translations by Diktonius

Ungt hav Lyriskt urval by Eino Leino Dikter i urval by Carl Sandburg Karu nuoruus by Jan Fridegård Sju bröder by Aleksis Kivi

As editor

''Finland berättar. Trettio noveller''