Letters written by Tom of Finland during the war

The authors of the book, Letters from War,
at Vapriikki Museum Center auditorium on Friday 20th March.

The book includes a chapter about the letters written by Touko Laaksonen (aka Tom of Finland, 1920-1991) during the Continuation War. The chapter is entitled, “With the Help of Music”, and depicts the role of music in Touko’s life as he taught singing and the playing of different instruments to his fellow soldiers, formed and led a chorus, entertained men by playing piano and most of all gave them strength, through the power of music, when they most needed it.

Helsingin Sanomat: The anthology also presents Tom of Finland’s letters from the army to home.

Susanna Luoto’s article in the book presents letters of Touko Laaksonen. Luoto is a journalist who curated the Post Museum’s Tom of Finland exhibit, Sealed with a Secret, and is preparing a book on his life.

According to her, the young Laaksonen is shown in the letters to be “anything else than his later trademark of a seductively self-conscious and robust men’s men.”

Rather the young Touko was a clean-cut, wholesome family boy dedicated to classical music, who was shocked by crassness of his fellow comrades-in-arms. His abilities as a draughtsman already emerged during the war.

Laaksonen started the military service in the infantry training center in spring 1940, soon after the conclusion of the Winter War. NCO was followed by the Helsinki Air Defence Regiment.

In October of 1943 Laaksonen was promoted to Lieutenant due to his achievements as head officer in the air battles over Helsinki. For the last months of the war Laaksonen was sent to Vyborg Bay.

During his nearly five-year service Laaksonen wrote plenty of letters to his sisters and parents.

In his first letter from the army to the folks back at home, he spoke of his sudden longing: “I wouldn’t have believed that just after a week and a half I would miss the piano so terribly.”

Published: 21st March 2015

Categorised in: Friends of Tom