Juhan Smuul

Sculpture by Matti Varik, 1972

Memorial plaque for Juhan Smuul in Tallinn (Reval)

Juhan Smuul (born February 18, 1922 in Koguva on Muhu , † April 13, 1971 in Tallinn , Estonian SSR ) was an Estonian writer and poet .

Life

Juhan Smuul (until 1954 Johannes Schmuul) attended elementary school in the village of Piiri on the Estonian Baltic Sea island of Muhu from 1930 to 1936 . He then took lessons at the agricultural school in Jäneda for a short time . Then Smuul fell ill and had to break off his training, whereupon he traveled to a clinic in Tartu for a cure .

After the outbreak of World War II and the occupation of Estonia by the Soviet Union , Juhan Smuul was drafted into the Red Army . Because of his illness, however, he did not fight at the front. In 1944 he was discharged from the army.

Subsequently, Juhan Smuul was employed as editor of the communist Estonian newspaper Rahva Hääl ("People's Voice") in Leningrad . He was also a brief editor for the communist papers Sirp ja Vasar and Pioneer in Tallinn .

From 1947 Juhan Smuul worked as a freelance writer. From 1951 to 1953 he was deputy chairman of the Estonian Soviet Writers 'Union and from 1954 to 1971 chairman of its successor organization, the Estonian SSR Writers' Union.

In his works, Smuul confirmed the socialist state ideology. His Poeem Stalinile ("Poem to Stalin ") from 1949 is particularly well known . In addition, the sea remained one of the main sources of his inspiration. He was always drawn back to his home island of Muhu.

In 1955 he took part as a journalist and travel writer on a fishing boat in an expedition in the North Atlantic , in 1957/58 in a polar expedition to the Antarctic , in 1959 on a research ship in the Sea of ​​Japan and in 1960 in an expedition to Svalbard .

In addition to his literary work, Smuul was temporarily a member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic .

Juhan Smuul was married three times: with the translator Ita Saks , with the poet Debora Vaarandi and the radio journalist Ellen Nooda . He remained childless.

Awards

Juhan Smuul received numerous Soviet awards: in 1949 and 1950 the "Prize of Soviet Estonia", in 1952 the Stalin Prize and in 1961 the Lenin Prize . In 1965 he was "People's Writer of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic".

monument

In July 2006, a larger than life monument to Juhan Smuul, created by Tõnu Maarandi , was erected again on Smuul's home island of Muhu .

Especially the island museum of Muhu in Smuul's birthplace Koguva reminds of the life and work of Juhan Smuul.

Works (selection)

Poems, travel stories, prose

• "Tormi poeg" (poem, 1947)
• " Järvesuu poiste brigaad" (1948)
• "Poeem Stalinile" (1949)
• "Mina - communistlik noor" (1953)
• "Kirjad Sõgedate külast" (1955)
• "Jäine raamat" (travel diary, 1959; German: "Das Eisbuch", 1962)
• "Jaapani meri, detsember" (travel diary, 1963)
• "Muhulaste imelikud juhtumused Tallinna juubelilaulupeol" (1957)
• "Muhu monoloogid" (1968)

Poetry anthologies

• "Karm noorus" (1946)
• "Et õunapuud õitseksid" (1951)
• "Mere ja taeva vahel" (1959)

Plays

• "Atlandi ookean" (1957)
• "Lea" (1960)
• "Kihnu Jõnn ehk Metskapten" (1965)
• "Polkovniku lesk ehk Arstid ei tea midagi" (1965; German: "The widow and other comical monologues", 1972)
• "Enne kui saabuvad rebased (Pingviinide elu)" (1969)

literature

• Jaan Undusk : "Stalinismi müstilised ja maagilised märgid: Juhan Smuuli Poeem Stalinile oma retoorilises ümbruses". In: Akadeemia 1994, No. 9, pp. 1863-1889.

Web links

• Muhu Island Museum