Talk:List of Estonians

The original list has been taken from http://www.russiannewsnetwork.com/fameston.html

Jakob Mihkelson used to be the most famous of the Estonian emigrants in Sukhumi, Abkhazia, but he is far from being famous even in Estonia. - Andres

Kalevipoeg is a fictional hero and seems not to belong here. Andres

But could I make some order here? ABC etc.? Egon

Currently the persons are arranged alphabetically by surnames, except for Kalevipoeg. As they are quite many now, they should be ordered into groups by occupation. Andres 18:50, 26 Nov 2003 (UTC)

For an international encyclopedia, I think that locally known (but not famous) persons who are just public figures, journalists, etc., but w/o any scientific or political interest or relevance, should not be on such a list, i.e. they are "not worthy" by wikipedia standards. By this criterion, I would suggest deleting at least

• Peeter Kreitsberg, educationalist, politician
• Tõnu Luik, philosopher
• Sven Mikser, politician
• Mihkel Mutt, writer, critic, essayist
• Siiri Oviir, politician
• Rein Raud, japonologist, intellectual
• Hando Runnel, poet
• Märt Väljataga, intellectual
• Rein Veidemann, critic
• Jüri Vilms, politician

That's just suggestions, of course; if someone really wants to write an article on those, this would have to be looked at case-by-case.

Another issue is the problem of ethnicity, as is already clear with some ethnic or geographical descriptors above: Who is an "Estonian" in this context? Can it be ethnic background in the sense of blood? of language? What about the German Balts? What about German-Baltic and German scholars at Tartu, about politicians etc. from there? What about those who spent only a part of their lives in what is now Estonia? What about people of Estonian descent who went abroad? The list above has a heavy "ethnic" slant, but I think that, as is by now also the overall standard of all Estonian encyclopedias (Kes on Kes?, Eesti Entsüklopeedia, etc.), the criterion should be more inclusive (because the point here is the link to Estonia, rather the creation of an ethnic group), i.e. it should include all people whose life has been significantly linked to Estonia, i.e. Estonian origin, birth, or part of the life spent there. Clossius 09:09, 14 Mar 2004 (UTC)

The list began as a list of ethnic Estonians but now some others (as Eri Klas) are included. I agree that the list should be more inclusive. However, in these cases remarks such as "ethnic German", "lived in Estonia", "born in Estonia" etc should be added to avoid ambiguity.

The names you listed probably would because of size limitations never be included to any foreign (non-Estonian) general paper encyclopedia though they are important. Wikipedia has no such limitations. I think all of them are important enough. Wikipedia is meant to include not only people who are internationally famous. The situation that they have no articles will definitely change. Most of the list have no articles even in the Estonian Wikipedia. This is just there has been too little time.

There actually are some persons on the list who are not famous in Estonia: Carl Abraham Hunnius, Mihkel Jakobson, Steve Jurvetson and Evar Saar. Hunnius was a Baltic German doctor who founded the mud therapy resort of Haapsalu, so he is important. Mihkel Jakobson was an important figure of Estonian emigration in Abkhazia. The list began as the list of ten most famous Estonians composed by Abkhazian Estonians. I don't know Steve Jurgenson but probably he is famous somewhere. Evar Saar is not an important figure. However, if the article about him is not found to be unworthy by the community of Wikipedia, then it should be here because the list also is the guide to the articles about articles on Estonians. Mihkel Aitsam has a similar status though he is not on the list.