Jaakko Juteini has been described as the first proper writer of Finnish. His principle occupation was that of secretary but his reputation rests on the works he wrote in both Swedish and Finnish, each according to the needs of the specific readership. His thinking was influenced by the spirit of the Enlightenment and national romanticism. Indeed, writing in what for his time was a liberal vein did occasion the odd difficulty. For all that, Juteini was a popular figure, not least for his role in the development of a written standard language.
Jaakko Juteini – Jacob Judén
Born July 14, 1781, Hattula. Died June 20, 1855, Viipuri.
Theological studies, Royal Academy of Turku , 1801-10
Honorary Doctor, Imperial Alexander University, 1840
Secretary to the Administrative Court in Hamina, 1812, and Viipuri, 1813-40
Photo: Museovirasto
Written by Tero Juutilainen
Translated by John Calton
Jaakko Juteini was born in the Häme region of southern Finland in June 1781. His family were of limited means and nor did the family’s new portion on crown lands guarantee the children a future. Partly under pressure from the local dean of his parish, Juteini was sent to the…
Read moreAs a writer, Jaakko Juteini had two identities. Under his Swedish name he wrote in Swedish for the Swedish-speaking officials, explicating the intricacies of the Finnish tongue. In Finnish he signed off as Jak. Juteini with the aim of raising the Finnish-speaking populace in terms of its command of…
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