Frans Eemil Sillanpää was a Finnish author. In 1939, he became the first Finnish writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature "for his deep understanding of his country's peasantry and the exquisite art with which he has portrayed their way of life and their relationship with Nature".

Hämeenkyrö is a municipality of Finland. It is part of the Pirkanmaa region, and is located 36 kilometres (22 mi) from Tampere. The municipality has a population of 10,319 and covers an area of 505.10 square kilometres (195.02 sq mi) of which 41.34 km2 (15.96 sq mi) is water. The population density is 22.24 inhabitants per square kilometre (57.6/sq mi).