The Finland 2-euro theme honours Väinö Linna, an important Finnish writer whose works left an indelible mark on Finnish literature. His best-known and most important work is the novel "Tuntematon sotilas" (The Unknown Soldier), which deals with the Finnish-Soviet winter conflict of 1939–1940. The work became a classic and is regarded as one of the most important war novels in Finnish literature. Linna is also known for his ability to portray Finnish society, its conflicts, values and historical events. His works remain an important source for understanding Finland’s transition from war to a modern state.
