Karl Ast

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Karl Ast ( pseudonym : Karl Rumor ; born February 19, 1886 in Orava / Livonia , † July 9, 1971 in New York City ) was an Estonian writer and politician.

Life

Karl Ast was born the son of a farm owner in the south of what is now Estonia. His older brother was the future mayor of Tallinn Gottlieb Ast (1874-1919). Karl Ast passed his Abitur at the renowned Hugo-Treffner-Gymnasium in Tartu . He was close to social democratic ideas. Ast supported the Russian Revolution of 1905 and was briefly imprisoned in Riga for it . Because of his criticism of the authoritarian regime of the Tsar , he spent the period between 1907 and 1910 again in Russian custody. As a Russian soldier, he took part in the First World War.

When the Republic of Estonia gained independence, Karl Ast went into politics. In 1919 he was a member of the Estonian Constituent Assembly ( Asutav Kogu ). From 1919 to 1933 he was a member of the Estonian Parliament ( Riigikogu ). From 1933 to 1939 he traveled the world (including the European capitals, North Africa , India , Japan , China ) and wrote numerous travel reports and reports. In 1939 he became an Estonian press attaché in Sweden .

Karl Ast emigrated from Europe during the Second World War . He settled in the service of the Estonian government-in-exile in Brazil until 1959 , then in Canada and finally in the USA .

writer

Karl Ast made his debut in 1911, shortly after his release from tsarist custody, with the collection of novels Sääsed tormis (“The mosquitos in the storm”). 1923/24 he was chairman of the Estonian Writers' Union . In addition to numerous short stories, he wrote a novel ( Krutsifiks , 1960), two volumes of memoirs and numerous travelogues. With his short prose he remained one of the most popular Estonian writers in exile of his time.

Most important works

  • Sääsed tormis (1911, short stories and sketches)
  • Lumiste kõrguste poole (1913, prose poem )
  • Tuled sügis-öös (1913, short stories and a short story)
  • Tiibuse Jaagu kojutulek: traagikomöödia 1 vaatuses (1920, under the pseudonym Kaarlo Orawa)
  • Siiruviiruline: novellid ja vested (1921, novellas)
  • Mürgine vili. Sõja ja revolutsiooni novellid (1926, short stories)
  • Sammud kaduvikku (1928, short stories)
  • Valge naine: romantiline draama kolmes vaatuses (1928, "romantic drama")
  • Kui Saara naerab (1929, erotic novels)
  • Palava päikese ja fanaatilise usu maal: reisukirjad Tseilonist ja Indiast (1930/31, travel reports)
  • Allah ja ta rahvas: tähelepanekuid ja elamusi Morocco (1936, travel report)
  • Kahe tule vahel (1943, political treatise )
  • Uned ja mured (1953, short stories)
  • Kuldlind (1959, short stories)
  • Krutsifiks. Jutustus inimhingede põuast ja põlemisest (1960, novel)
  • Tuuleviiul (1962, short prose)
  • Aegade sadestus (1963-65, Memoirs, 2 volumes)
  • Liivakella all (1971, miniatures)
  • Peeglite vahel (1991, collection of short stories)
  • Põlevad laevad (1995, short story)
  • Maailma lõpus (2007, essays, edited by Hando Runnel )

literature

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Ast, Karl
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Rumor, Karl
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Estonian writer
DATE OF BIRTH February 19, 1886
PLACE OF BIRTH Orava municipality
DATE OF DEATH July 9, 1971
Place of death New York City