Estonian Life Stories

Description: After a short period of independence, Estonia was occupied in World War II by the Red Army, then Nazi Germany, and again, for a lasting occupation, by the Soviets. No wonder that a greater part of the roughly one million Estonians had harshly eventful lives. This anthology contains 25 selected life stories collected from Estonians who lived through the tribulations of the 20th century, and describe the travails of ordinary people under numerous regimes. The autobiographical accounts provide authentic perspectives on events of this period, where time is placed in the context of life-spans, and subjects grounded in personal experience. Most of the life stories reveal sufferings under foreign (Russian) oppression. The volume is the product of a large-scale national project to record history by collecting autobiographical accounts, and a process of engaged selection for publication which followed. The variety of life-experiences recorded offers comparison across cultures, as well as an overview of the powerful neighbors as they relinquish and strengthen their hold on Estonia. Contents: Preface by Rutt Hinrikus Introduction by Tiina Kirss and Juri Kivimae Hilja Lill (1905) Tuuli Jaik (1910) Elmar- Raimund Ruben ( 1918) David Abramson (1923) Evald Matas (1921) Heljut Kapral (1923) Hans Karro (1923) Hillar Tassa (1923) Leida Madison (1925) Valter Lehtla (1924) Linda Poldes (1928) Tanni Kents (1920) Hans Lebert (1924) Voodel Vork (1925) Peep Vunder (1936) Selma Tasane (1926) Asta Luksepp (1932) Heljo Liitoja (1923) Juta Pihlamagi (1927) Volita Paklar (1937) Raimo Loo (1929) Aili Valdrand (1936) Valdur Raudvassar (1939) Ene Ergma (1944) Tiia Allas (1973) Glossary Chronology Author Biography: Tiina Kirss is professor of Estonian literature at the University of Tartu. She received her PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Michigan (1994). Her primary research interests are 20th century comparative European literary history, autobiography and life histories, oral history, Siberian deportations in the Baltics, trauma theory, feminist theory etc. Rutt Hinrikus, head of the Estonian Life Histories Association. Her main research fields are 20th century Estonian literature, Estonian life stories, and Estonian literature in exile.