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Tõde Eestist, Lätist ja Leedust
1941. aasta aprillis ilmus Rootsis soomekeelne teos pealkirjaga “Tõde Eestist, Lätist ja Leedust”. Autoriks oli märgitud Nauticus – üsna pea selgus, et see on soome kirjanik Mika Waltari. Oma väikesemahulises teoses kirjeldab autor üsna sapiselt ja kriitiliselt Balti riikide käekäiku 1939. aasta sügisest 1940. aasta suveni ning Eesti ühiskondlikke olusid pärast Nõukogude Liiduga liitmist. Riigi Teabeteenistuses propagandatööd tehes pääses Waltari pealtnägijate tunnistuste kõrval ligi ka luureandmetele ja kaitsepolitsei dokumentidele. Seetõttu sisaldab raamat palju haruldast materjali ja on muutunud kollektsionääride seas ihaldatud rariteediks. Eestikeelse tõlke aluseks on tänavu, Waltari 100. sünniaastapäeva puhul Soomes välja antud uustrükk, mis sisaldab ka Seppo Zetterbergi põhjalikku eessõna.
135 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1941
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About the author
Mika Waltari
239 books689 followersMika Toimi Waltari was a Finnish historical novelist, best known for his magnum opus The Egyptian.
Waltari was born in Helsinki and lost his father, a Lutheran pastor, at the age of five. As a boy, he witnessed the Finnish Civil War in Helsinki. Later he enrolled in the University of Helsinki as a theology student, according to his mother's wishes, but soon abandoned theology in favour of philosophy, aesthetics and literature, graduating in 1929. While studying, he contributed to various magazines and wrote poetry and stories, getting his first book published in 1925. In 1927 he went to Paris where he wrote his first major novel Suuri illusioni ('The Grand Illusion'), a story of bohemian life. In terms of style, the novel is considered to be the Finnish equivalent to the works of the American writers of the Lost Generation. (In Waltari's historical novel The Adventurer, taking place in the 16th century, the hero is a Finn who goes to Paris during his twenties and lives there a rather bohemian life). Waltari also was, for a while, a member of the liberal literary movement Tulenkantajat, though his political and social views later turned conservative. He was married in 1931 and had a daughter, Satu, who also became a writer.
Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Waltari worked hectically as a journalist and critic, writing for a number of newspapers and magazines and travelling widely in Europe. He directed the magazine Suomen Kuvalehti. At the same time, he kept writing books in many genres, moving easily from one literary field to another. He had a very busy schedule and strict work ethic. It has been claimed that he also suffered from insomnia and depression, sometimes to the extent of needing hospital treatment. He participated, and often succeeded, in literary competitions to prove the quality of his work to critics. One of these competitions gave rise to one of his most popular characters, Inspector Palmu, a gruff detective of the Helsinki police department, who starred in three mystery novels, all of which were filmed (a fourth one was made without Waltari involved). Waltari also scripted the popular cartoon Kieku ja Kaiku and wrote Aiotko kirjailijaksi, a guidebook for aspiring writers that influenced many younger writers such as Kalle Päätalo.
During the Winter War (1939–1940) and the Continuation War (1941–1944), Waltari worked in the government information center, now also placing his literary skills at the service of political propaganda. 1945 saw the publication of Waltari's first and most successful historical novel, The Egyptian. Its theme of the corruption of humanist values in a materialist world seemed curiously topical in the aftermath of World War II, and the book became an international bestseller, serving as the basis of the 1954 Hollywood movie of the same name. Waltari wrote seven more historical novels, placed in various ancient cultures, among which The Dark Angel, set during the Fall of Constantinople in 1453 is probably the best. In these novels, he gave powerful expression to his fundamental pessimism and also, in two novels set in the Roman Empire, to his Christian conviction. After the war, he also wrote several novellas, showing particular mastery in this genre. He became a member of the Finnish Academy in 1957 and received an honorary doctorate at the University of Turku in 1970.
Waltari was one of the most prolific Finnish writers. He wrote at least 29 novels, 15 novellas, 6 collections of stories or fairy-tales, 6 collections of poetry and 26 plays, as well as screenplays, radioplays, non-fiction, translations, and hundreds of reviews and articles. He is also the internationally best-known Finnish writer, and his works have been translated into more than 40 languages.
Waltari was born in Helsinki and lost his father, a Lutheran pastor, at the age of five. As a boy, he witnessed the Finnish Civil War in Helsinki. Later he enrolled in the University of Helsinki as a theology student, according to his mother's wishes, but soon abandoned theology in favour of philosophy, aesthetics and literature, graduating in 1929. While studying, he contributed to various magazines and wrote poetry and stories, getting his first book published in 1925. In 1927 he went to Paris where he wrote his first major novel Suuri illusioni ('The Grand Illusion'), a story of bohemian life. In terms of style, the novel is considered to be the Finnish equivalent to the works of the American writers of the Lost Generation. (In Waltari's historical novel The Adventurer, taking place in the 16th century, the hero is a Finn who goes to Paris during his twenties and lives there a rather bohemian life). Waltari also was, for a while, a member of the liberal literary movement Tulenkantajat, though his political and social views later turned conservative. He was married in 1931 and had a daughter, Satu, who also became a writer.
Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Waltari worked hectically as a journalist and critic, writing for a number of newspapers and magazines and travelling widely in Europe. He directed the magazine Suomen Kuvalehti. At the same time, he kept writing books in many genres, moving easily from one literary field to another. He had a very busy schedule and strict work ethic. It has been claimed that he also suffered from insomnia and depression, sometimes to the extent of needing hospital treatment. He participated, and often succeeded, in literary competitions to prove the quality of his work to critics. One of these competitions gave rise to one of his most popular characters, Inspector Palmu, a gruff detective of the Helsinki police department, who starred in three mystery novels, all of which were filmed (a fourth one was made without Waltari involved). Waltari also scripted the popular cartoon Kieku ja Kaiku and wrote Aiotko kirjailijaksi, a guidebook for aspiring writers that influenced many younger writers such as Kalle Päätalo.
During the Winter War (1939–1940) and the Continuation War (1941–1944), Waltari worked in the government information center, now also placing his literary skills at the service of political propaganda. 1945 saw the publication of Waltari's first and most successful historical novel, The Egyptian. Its theme of the corruption of humanist values in a materialist world seemed curiously topical in the aftermath of World War II, and the book became an international bestseller, serving as the basis of the 1954 Hollywood movie of the same name. Waltari wrote seven more historical novels, placed in various ancient cultures, among which The Dark Angel, set during the Fall of Constantinople in 1453 is probably the best. In these novels, he gave powerful expression to his fundamental pessimism and also, in two novels set in the Roman Empire, to his Christian conviction. After the war, he also wrote several novellas, showing particular mastery in this genre. He became a member of the Finnish Academy in 1957 and received an honorary doctorate at the University of Turku in 1970.
Waltari was one of the most prolific Finnish writers. He wrote at least 29 novels, 15 novellas, 6 collections of stories or fairy-tales, 6 collections of poetry and 26 plays, as well as screenplays, radioplays, non-fiction, translations, and hundreds of reviews and articles. He is also the internationally best-known Finnish writer, and his works have been translated into more than 40 languages.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 26, 2015
Written by Waltari during the "Interim Peace" in 1940-41, published under a pen name in Sweden in 1941 and forbidden after the World War II by the Allied Control Commission (led by Zhdanov who also makes an appearance in the book), "The Truth about Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania" tells what happened in those three countries from 1939 to 1941 when they were occupied and annexed by the Soviet Union. The deportations of June 1941 are not mentioned, the book was probably finalized just before that.
Working for the government information center since the beginning of the Winter War Waltari had had all the available sources at his disposal, including reports from the military intelligence, state police and diplomats, both Russian and Baltic newspapers, interviews and even some literature. Using all that information Waltari paints an sorry picture that can be considered accurate even by what is known today.
Even though the subject matter is serious, Waltari sometimes uses his humour while being clearly critical towards the Soviet actions. Some of the anecdotes are also funny, showing how people tried to cope with the ever more worsening situations. I have of course known what happened to the Baltic countries in general but the book gave me a clearer picture about what happened behind the scenes and how everything was orchestrated by Stalin and his acolytes. I wouldn't be surprised if the information of this nature was one of the reasons for the Finnish determination, especially in 1944 but also after that.
Working for the government information center since the beginning of the Winter War Waltari had had all the available sources at his disposal, including reports from the military intelligence, state police and diplomats, both Russian and Baltic newspapers, interviews and even some literature. Using all that information Waltari paints an sorry picture that can be considered accurate even by what is known today.
Even though the subject matter is serious, Waltari sometimes uses his humour while being clearly critical towards the Soviet actions. Some of the anecdotes are also funny, showing how people tried to cope with the ever more worsening situations. I have of course known what happened to the Baltic countries in general but the book gave me a clearer picture about what happened behind the scenes and how everything was orchestrated by Stalin and his acolytes. I wouldn't be surprised if the information of this nature was one of the reasons for the Finnish determination, especially in 1944 but also after that.
June 28, 2025
Virolaisena Totuus Virosta Latviasta ja Liettuasta on erittäin koskettava teos. Tässä käsitellään Latvian, Liettuan ja erityisesti Viron kohtaloa 1939-1941. Teoksen alkuosassa kuvaillaan kaikkien Baltianmaiden itsenäisyyden menetystä poliittisella tasolla ja tuonnemmin paneudutaan Viron sisäisiin oloihin yhteiskunnallisella tasolla. Waltari esittää asiat kriittisesti ja luotettavin lähtein.
Mika Waltarin toteamus Viron sisäistä oloista 1941:
"Olisi kuitenkin väärin Viroa ja virolaisia kohtaan, ellemme toteaisi, että elämä Virossa on todellisuudessa synkkää ja ahdistavaa ja käy kuukausi kuukaudelta raskaammaksi kantaa, kuta pitemmälle neuvostojärjestelmän toteuttaminen epäkohtineen ulottuu ja kuta laajemmalle NKVD saa levitetyksi vakoiluverkostonsa." (s.184)
Kukaan ei halua, että oman kotimaansa tapahtumia kuvataan tulevaisuuden historian kirjoissa tämäntapaisesti. Baltianmaiden kohtalo on äärimmäisen surullinen, on otettava oppia tapahtuneesta turvataksemme tulavaisuutemme, turvataksemme itsenäisyytemme nykyisen Venäjän rajanaapurina. Koska Putinin alkeet viittaavat vahvasti laajentuvaan imperialistiseen agendaan..
Mika Waltarin toteamus Viron sisäistä oloista 1941:
"Olisi kuitenkin väärin Viroa ja virolaisia kohtaan, ellemme toteaisi, että elämä Virossa on todellisuudessa synkkää ja ahdistavaa ja käy kuukausi kuukaudelta raskaammaksi kantaa, kuta pitemmälle neuvostojärjestelmän toteuttaminen epäkohtineen ulottuu ja kuta laajemmalle NKVD saa levitetyksi vakoiluverkostonsa." (s.184)
Kukaan ei halua, että oman kotimaansa tapahtumia kuvataan tulevaisuuden historian kirjoissa tämäntapaisesti. Baltianmaiden kohtalo on äärimmäisen surullinen, on otettava oppia tapahtuneesta turvataksemme tulavaisuutemme, turvataksemme itsenäisyytemme nykyisen Venäjän rajanaapurina. Koska Putinin alkeet viittaavat vahvasti laajentuvaan imperialistiseen agendaan..
February 16, 2017
Totuus Virosta, Latviasta ja Liettuasta on synkkä mutta samalla kiehtova kokoelma tekstejä Baltian maiden historiasta vuosilta 1939–1940. Teos on Mika Waltarin käsialaa, mutta se julkaistiin alun perin salanimellä Nauticus.
October 15, 2022
This should be mandatory reading in all schools and for all Western politicians. The short book details, in investigative journalism style, how Soviet Russia was able to coerce the Baltic republics into "freely" joining the Soviet Union and specifically how the Estonian society suffered in the aftermath. What immediately struck me is how Russia keeps using the same tactics even 70 years on, in the illegal annexation of Crimea and now the invasion of Ukraine. It makes you wonder if the West has learned any lessons from World War II and sadly I think not. Unfortunately there is no English translation of this book (which I think is insane) only in Latvian and Estonian and now Czech, which is why I was able to read it. My Finnish friend tried finding it in Finland and she couldn't even find it in the public library system. Apparently the book was banned even in Finland until 2008 because of Finland's attempt to appease its neighbor Russia. This is because Finland kept its independence after WWII but only at the price of ceding c.10 percent of its territory to Russia and the price of appearing "friendly" towards Russia and neutral to the West (anyone see any parallels here with the current situation?) Anyway, a distressing but important read, I hope it is translated to English soon.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews