Oskar Kallas

Oskar Kallas, 1892–93.

Oskar Philipp Kallas (born October 13 ^{. Jul} / 25. October  1868 ^greg. In Kaarma , Estonia ; † 26. January 1946 in Stockholm ) was an Estonian diplomat , folklorist and linguist . He was the husband of the Finnish- Estonian writer Aino Kallas .

education

Oskar Kallas was born as the youngest son of the Vicar of Kaarma on the island of Saaremaa . Even in his youth, Kallas was interested in Estonian folklore and folklore and Finno-Ugric languages . On the initiative of the folklorist Jakob Hurt , he helped with the collection of Estonian folk poetry. In 1889 he made his first trip to Finland , which shaped him very much. Kallas studied from 1887 to 1892 first classical philology at the University of Tartu , then in 1892/93 at the University of Helsinki Finnish folklore and Finno-Ugric languages .

Estonian national consciousness

Oskar Kallas was already politically active as a student at the University of Tartu. Together with his friend, the later politician and Estonian head of state Jaan Tõnisson , he was significantly involved in the nationally-minded Association of Estonians Students ( Eesti Üliõpilaste Selts ). It became a core element of Estonian independence efforts against tsarist Russia .

After graduating from university, Oskar Kallas worked as a teacher at various schools, including Narva and Saint Petersburg . During this time, Oskar Kallas and Jaan Tõnisson bought the prestigious Postimees magazine , which opposed Russification in Estonia.

Aino Kallas

Through studies at the University of Helsinki he came into contact with the scientist and folklorist Kaarle Krohn , under whose guidance he wrote his doctoral thesis. In the summer of 1901, Kallas defended the dissertation The Repeat Songs of Estonian Folk Poetry . On August 6, 1900, he married Krohn's sister, the writer Aino Kallas (née Krohn), in the German Church in Helsinki . He then found employment from 1901 to 1903 as a lecturer in comparative linguistics at the University of St. Petersburg .

Journalist, teacher, folklorist

In 1903 Kallas took on a job as a journalist for the newspaper Postimees and as a high school teacher in Tartu. From 1903 to 1918 Oskar and Aino Kallas lived there with their children. When the first Estonian-speaking girls' school (today's Miina Härma Gymnasium) was founded in Tartu in 1906, Kallas took over the position of director. In 1909 Kallas was one of the founding fathers of the Estonian National Museum ( Eesti Rahva Muuseum ) in Tartu and for many years honorary head of department. Kallas is particularly known for his research on the language and culture of Estonian villages in the area Ludza in Latgale . In 1912 his application for the editing of Estonian folklore was rejected by the Russian-dominated university administration in Tartu.

diplomacy

With Estonian independence in 1918, Kallas entered the diplomatic service of Estonia. He became the Estonian representative in Finland . He was then the Estonian envoy in London from 1922 until his retirement in 1934 . Then Oskar and Aino Kallas lived in Tallinn . They both spent a lot of time in their summer house on the island of Kassari near Hiiumaa (now a museum).

exile

Before the threatened Soviet occupation of Estonia, Oskar Kallas and his family had to flee to Sweden . He lived there in exile until his death. In February 1946 his body was buried in Helsinki.

publication

• Estonian Folklore: Folk-Lore: Transactions of the Folk-Lore Society, vol. 34 No 2, London June 30, 1923, pages 101-116

literature

• Kristin Kuutma: Oskar Kallas: En Envoy of Cultural Heritage , in: Studies in Estonian Folkloristics and Ethnology, pp. 121-139, Tartu University Press, Tartu, Estonia 2005 ISBN 9949-11-110-2

Web links

• Oskar and Aino Kallas (Estonian Literary Magazine, English)
• Biography (Estonian)
• Album academicum of the Imperial University of Dorpat , Dorpat 1889, page 864