Ole Torvalds

Ole Torvalds (1916-1995) was a Finland-Swedish journalist and poet from Finland. He was the father of Nils Torvalds and grandfather of Linus Torvalds.

His full name was Ole Torvald Elis Saxberg, but he was also named Karanko after his step father, Toivo T. Karanko. In 1935 when he had moved to Helsinki for studies he changed his name to Torvalds. In 1944 he was awarded a literature prize from Svenska Dagbladet (shared with Harry Martinson, Lars Ahlin and Elly Jannes ). In 1978 he was declared an honorary doctor at Åbo Akademi.

His career as journalist was started as editor of Västra Nyland in Ekenäs where he stayed until after World War II.

He was married to Märta von Wendt and had three children with her. After a divorce he became editor of Österbottningen in Karleby. Then he remarried, begat two more children and later became editor of Åbo Underrättelser.

Works

• "Vi sjunger inte för dem", 1939
• "Ointagligt land", poems, 1942
• "Hemligt medansvar", poems, 1944
• "Svår glädje", short stories, 1946
• "Strängar av aska", poems, 1954
• "Mellan is och eld", poems, 1957
• "Vid källorna", 1961
• "Speglingar i en å", 1972
• "Livstecken", poems, 1986
• "Vågmärken", poems about the archipelago 1937-1987, 1988