Laila Hirvisaari
Laila Ellen Kaarina Hirvisaari (7 June 1938 – 16 June 2021), also known as Laila Hietamies, was a Finnish author and writer.
Also recorded as Laila Hietamies · Laila Ellen Kaarina Hirvisaari · Laila Ellen Kaarina Hietamies
Laila Hirvisaari

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- Name
- Laila Hirvisaari
- Born
- 7 June 1938
- Birthplace
- Viipuri, Finland
- Died
- 16 June 2021
- Place of death
- Helsinki, Finland
- Spouse
- Heikki Hietamies, m. 1958
- Full name
- Laila Ellen Kaarina Hirvisaari.
- Nationality
- Finland.
- Occupation
- writer and playwright.
- Fields
- creative and professional writing.
- Honours
- Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland, P. E. Svinhufvud Memorial Foundation Literary Prize, Finnish State Prize for Literature, Professor, Medal for Military Merits, Cross of Liberty and 4th Class.
- Languages
- Finnish.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
Laila Ellen Kaarina Hirvisaari (7 June 1938 – 16 June 2021), also known as Laila Hietamies, was a Finnish author and writer.
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Note VALÉORINE
Laila Hirvisaari (1938–2021) was a playwright and writer, of Finnish nationality. The playwright was born Laila Ellen Kaarina Hirvisaari in Vyborg and died in Helsinki.
Laila Hirvisaari worked in Helsinki. Activity centred on creative and professional writing.
The work spans fiction, fiction literature and historical fiction. Languages used include Finnish. Honours include Cross of Liberty, 4th Class, Finnish State Prize for Literature and Medal for Military Merits, among others.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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Authority files
wikidata · Q3117328 · wikipedia · Laila Hirvisaari
In this article
Biography
Biography
The recorded working language is Finnish. The field of work recorded is creative and professional writing. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are historical fiction and fiction. Places of work recorded in the authority are Helsinki. Distinctions recorded are Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland, P. Svinhufvud Memorial Foundation Literary Prize, Finnish State Prize for Literature and Professor.
Laila Hietamies (now Hirvisaari) intervieved at the Helsinki Book Fair in 2004
Anneli Salo
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Laila Hirvisaari • Born — 7 June 1938 • Birthplace — Viipuri, Finland • Died — 16 June 2021 • Place of death — Helsinki, Finland • Spouse — Heikki Hietamies, m. 1958 • Other Names — Laila Hietamies (1958–2004)
Biography
Biography
Hirvisaari's parents were farmer Aarne Hirvisaari and Saimi Pulli (née Pusa). When Laila Hirvisaari was three years old, her father Aarne died in the Continuation War between Finland and the Soviet Union, so she had no memories of him. After the war, she and her family were evacuated first to Lappeenranta and later to the western part of Finland. In 1958, she married Heikki Hietamies, a Finnish author also known for hosting the Tangomarkkinat ("Tango fair"), a tango competition (1985–1999).
Literary career
Literary career
Hietamies's first novel Lehmusten kaupunki ("City of the Lindens") was published in 1972 and began a series of novels about Lappeenranta; the seventh part was published in 2004. Hietamies wrote many other novel series, mostly about Karelia and the consequences of the wars of Finland in the 1940s. She wrote also books about a Russian princess, Sonja, during the Russian Revolution. In December 2004, Hietamies and her three cousins changed their name back to the maiden name Hirvisaari and from then on, her books were published under that name. Hirvisaari received many Finnish literature awards, including the P.E. Svinhufvud Foundation's recognition award in 1974. Her novel about Catherine the Great] (Minä, Katariina), however, was nominated for the Finlandia in 2011. Hirvisaari wrote 34 novels and many short stories and plays, such as Unohduksen lumet (1975) and Olga (1977). A movie was based on her novel Hylätyt talot, autiot pihat ("Abandoned houses, empty yards") in 2000. Several of her books have been translated into other languages:
Identity and overview
Identity and overview
The canonical record carries the following identifying particulars.
Origins and background
Origins and background
The following is established of origins and background. Recorded at birth as Laila Ellen Kaarina Hirvisaari. Hirvisaari died in 2021 at Helsinki. Born in 1938 at Vyborg.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Vyborg.
Birth place
Helsinki.
Death place
Published works
• Myrskypilvet (Tormipilved), Estonian, Eesti Raamat, 1996 • Satakielimetsä (Ööbikusalu), Estonian, Eesti Raamat, 1998 • Sonja (Vürstitar Sonja), Estonian, Eesti Raamat, 1995, translated by Debora Vaarandi • Valkoakaasiat (Valged akaatsiad), Eesti Raamat, 1996, translated by Debora Vaarandi • Vienan punainen kuu (Red Moon over White Sea), English, Aspasia Books/Canada, 2000, translated by Börje Vähämäki • Viktoria (Victoria), Estonian, Eesti Raamat, 1999, translated by Anne Karu
Primary material
Documents and archives
Institutional database
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q3117328: Laila Hirvisaari
Scholarly · Wikimedia Foundation
reference work
- “Laila Hirvisaari”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Vilkman, Sanna. Kirjailija Laila Hirvisaari on kuollut: "Hän oli historiallisen romaanin peruskallio". Yle Uutiset. Yleisradio Oy. 16 June 2021.
- 2.(30 September 2008). Laila Hirvisaaren teoksia myyty yli 4 miljoonaa kappaletta , Otava (in Finnish).
- 3.Writers in Finland 1945-1980
- 4.Laila Hirvisaari: Minä, Katariina (2011). Yle. n.d.
- 5.Seinäjoen tangomarkkinoiden Tango Finlandia -palkinto Heikki Hietamiehelle. Finland Festovals. 2010.
- 6.Laila Hirvisaari. Otava.
- 7.MTV. Hirvisaari Finlandia-ehdokkuudesta: 'Mykistyin, kyyneleet tulivat silmiin'. 2011.
- 8.Hylätyt talot, autiot pihat (2000) Elonet.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
Institutional database
Wikidata, structured authority record Q3117328: Laila HirvisaariWikimedia Foundation
Verifiedreference work
Partially resolved
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
This entry is compiled from 2 catalogued sources across 2 independent registers. The registers consulted are Wikipedia and Wikimedia Foundation. Every statement above is held against the register that stated it; where the registers are silent, the entry is silent.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 21 August 2026.
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