Så länge jag minns
My grandfather is the kindest, gentlest and most humble person you'll find. He has worked hard all his life and never once complained. I now know why...
"Så länge jag minns" means "As long as I remember" and is my grandfather, Ole Hagnäs', story from when he was called upon to protect his country in 1942, at just 18 years of age, until the end of the war. Our country owes so much to him and his generation, they made the greatest of sacrifices for our freedom and asked for nothing but peace in return.
Ole, "Faffa" as we grandchildren call him, never talked about his experiences in the war. This book is for all of us the heart-wrenching explanation as to why he doesn't want to talk about it - it describes events no one should be force to witness and the feeling of helplessness over what is happening around him. War is hell and there are very few heroes, mostly just young men dying. Writing this book caused many sleepless nights for Ole as he was forced to remember things he spent over 60 years forgetting, yet we are all so happy he wrote it down so it will never be forgotten. The book is written in the clear and simple swedish of an uneducated but thoughtful man and doesn't pretend to be anything but the personal memories and recollections of a simple infantryman. Obviously it has personal significance for me as the several close calls with death that Ole had show me how lucky I am to even exist! While I am hopelessly biased towards the book, it has been my most emotional reading experience ever, I also think that the book will be an interesting read for people that have grandparents with similar experiences or just wants to read a very personal account of the war from a simple infantryman's viewpoint. There are enough history-books and biographies of the leaders and heroes - this is from and about the people who actually fought the war and dug the trenches.
P.s.. The book should be on sale at "Luckan" at the Kokkola Library soon or if you are further away I can arrange a copy for you, price is 25 euros.
