Endel Laas (29 August 1915 in

Tartu Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia after Tallinn. Tartu has a population of 97,759 (as of 2024). It is southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres (152 miles) northeast of Riga, Latvia. Tartu lies on the Emajõgi river, which connects the ...

– 1 November 2009) was an

Estonian Estonian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Estonia, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe * Estonians, people from Estonia, or of Estonian descent * Estonian language * Estonian cuisine * Estonian culture See also

...

forest A forest is an ecosystem characterized by a dense ecological community, community of trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, ...

scientist A scientist is a person who Scientific method, researches to advance knowledge in an Branches of science, area of the natural sciences. In classical antiquity, there was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, philosophers engag ...

and

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other tertiary education, post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin ...

. Laas specialised in

forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests and woodlands for associated resources for human and Natural environment, environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and ...

and taught at the University of Life Sciences for many years. In 1999 he was awarded the

Order of the White Star The Order of the White Star (; ) was instituted in 1936. The Order of the White Star is bestowed on Estonian citizens and foreigners to give recognition for services rendered to the Estonian state. Design Classes The Order of the White Star ...

, third class.

Life and career

Endel Laas was born on 29 August 1915 in

as the ninth child in the family. His father had earlier been a

coachman A coachman is a person who drives a Coach (carriage), coach or carriage, or similar horse-drawn vehicle. A coachman has also been called a coachee, coachy, whip, or hackman. The coachman's first concern is to remain in full control of the hors ...

, but at that time he served as the

tea house A teahouse or tearoom (also tea room) is an establishment which primarily serves tea and other light refreshments. A tea room may be a room set aside in a hotel, especially for serving afternoon tea, or may be an establishment that only ser ...

and restaurant keeper. 1916−1924 the family lived in Kvissental near Tartu, but from 1930 inside Tartu. Endel first attended the Tartu IV elementary school in 1926. Between 1930 and 1935 Laas studied at the Tartu Boys' Gymnasium. That was followed by a military service at the

Kuperjanov Battalion The Kuperjanov Infantry Battalion () is a battalion of the Estonian Land Forces. It is a part of the 2nd Infantry Brigade. Battalion headquarters is at Taara Army Base, Võru. History Estonian War of Independence Julius Kuperjanov was a sc ...

and the Tondi military school, which he graduated the Forestry Division of the

University of Tartu The University of Tartu (UT; ; ) is a public research university located in the city of Tartu, Estonia. It is the national university of Estonia. It is also the largest and oldest university in the country.

, ''

cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sout ...

''. 1940–1941 he worked as a

forester A forester is a person who practises forest management and forestry, the science, art, and profession of managing forests. Foresters engage in a broad range of activities including ecological restoration and management of protected areas. Fores ...

, east of the

Narva River The Narva, formerly also Narwa or Narova, flows north into the Baltic Sea and is the largest Estonian river by discharge. A similar length of land far to the south, together with it and a much longer intermediate lake, Lake Peipus, all togeth ...

. During the

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, in 1941 Laas was mobilized to the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...

. After the war Laas continued his career as a scientist. In 1946 he became a lecturer at the University of Tartu, from 1951 he continued the job at the separated Estonian Agricultural Academy. In 1976 he became a professor and between 1960 and 1985 he served as the Dean of the Forestry and Land Reclamation Faculty. In the end of the Soviet reign in Estonia, Laas was one of the reestablishers of the Student Society Liivika in 1990. Laas died on 1 November 2009 at the age of 94. Endel Laas's son, Eino-Endel Laas (born on July 4, 1942), is also a forest researcher and teaches in Estonian University of Life Sciences. He received the Order of the White Star, fifth class, in 2016.Järvseljal tähistati professor Endel Laasi 100. sünniaastapäeva
SA Järvselja Õppe- ja Katsemetskond 26. sept 2015
Maamajanduse võtmeisikudMida uurivad Eesti teadlased, kellele president teenetemärgi annab?
ERR 04.02.2016

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Laas, Endel 1915 births 2009 deaths 20th-century Estonian scientists Forestry academics Estonian foresters Scientists from Tartu University of Tartu alumni Academic staff of the Estonian University of Life Sciences Recipients of the Order of the White Star, 3rd Class Soviet scientists