Herrana ja heittiönä : Pommarin ja värvärin muistelmia sotavuosilta by Pekkola

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Herrana ja heittiönä : Pommarin ja värvärin muistelmia sotavuosilta by Pekkola

(2 User reviews) 773

By Taylor Carter Posted on Mar 30, 2026

In Category - Training Basics

Authors: Pekkola, Sulo-Weikko, 1890-1931 Published By : Pekkola, Sulo-Weikko, 1890-1931

Book Language: Finnish

Ever wonder what happened to the ordinary guys caught in the middle when Finland's Civil War tore the country apart? This isn't a general's memoir. 'Herrana ja heittiönä' (As Master and Outcast) is the raw, unfiltered story of Sulo-Weikko Pekkola, a man who fought for the Reds and then, after their defeat, was forced to work for the victorious Whites. Imagine the whiplash: one day you're a revolutionary, the next you're rounding up your former comrades for the other side. Pekkola's memoir pulls you right into that impossible position. It's a story of survival, moral compromise, and the strange, shifting loyalties of a brutal conflict. He doesn't paint himself as a hero or a villain, just a man trying to navigate a world where the ground kept moving under his feet. If you think history is about clear good guys and bad guys, this book will make you think again. It’s a gripping, firsthand look at the messy human reality behind the history books.

File: Herrana ja heittiönä : Pommarin ja värvärin muistelmia sotavuosilta by Pekkola

Let's set the scene: Finland, 1918. The nation has just declared independence from Russia, but instead of peace, it erupts into a short, vicious civil war between the socialist Reds and the conservative Whites. It was brutal, it was personal, and it left deep scars that took generations to heal. 'Herrana ja heittiönä' drops you right into the heart of this chaos, but not from a commander's tent. You're in the muddy trenches and back alleys with Sulo-Weikko Pekkola.

The Story

The book is Pekkola's own account, written from memory. He starts as a 'Pommar'—a Red Guard fighter. You feel the desperation and conviction of the cause. Then, the Whites win. For the defeated Reds, the consequences were severe. Here’s where Pekkola’s story takes a wild turn. To avoid prison or worse, he becomes a 'värväri'—a recruiter or agent for the White side. His job? To identify and help capture his former brothers-in-arms. The title says it all: one day he's a master of his fate, the next he's an outcast working for the enemy. The memoir follows his tense, dangerous life in this dual role, living a constant lie, knowing a single slip could mean betrayal from either side.

Why You Should Read It

Forget dry historical analysis. This book is valuable because it’s so uncomfortably human. Pekkola isn’t giving us a polished political treatise; he’s showing us what it felt like. The fear, the guilt, the gritty need to survive another day. You won’t find easy answers here. Was he a traitor? A pragmatist? A survivor? He lets you wrestle with that. Reading this, you understand that civil wars aren't just fought on battlefields; they're fought in the human heart. It complicates the simple 'Red vs. White' narrative in the best possible way, reminding us that history is made by flawed people making impossible choices.

Final Verdict

This is a must-read for anyone interested in Finnish history or the personal, moral complexities of war. It’s perfect for readers who enjoy firsthand accounts that don't shy away from ambiguity. If you liked the intimate perspective of a soldier's diary or the moral gray zones of a spy story, you’ll be gripped by Pekkola’s journey. Fair warning: it's not a cheerful tale, but it’s a powerful, sobering, and incredibly authentic look at a man trying to stay afloat when the tides of history tried to drown him.