Kersti Merilaas ( in Narva – 8 March 1986 in Tallinn) was an Estonian poet and translator. In addition, she wrote poems and prose for children and plays.

Early life and education

Kersti Merilaas was born Eugenie Moorberg in Narva, Estonia shortly before the outbreak of the First World War. She spent her early childhood in St. Petersburg, Russia with her mother, Anna Moorberg and sister. The family returned to Estonia in 1917 because of the turmoil of the

Russian Revolution The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution that took place in the former Russian Empire which began during the First World War. This period saw Russia abolish its monarchy and ad ...

. From 1921 to 1927 she attended school in the village of Kiltsi, then furthered her studies in Väike-Maarja and

Rakvere Rakvere is a town in northern Estonia and the administrative centre of the Lääne-Viru ''maakond'' (county), 20 km south of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea. Rakvere is the 8th most populous urban area in Estonia. Rakvere has a tota ...

in Lääne-Viru County. In 1932, she completed high school in

Tapa Tapa, TAPA, Tapas or Tapasya may refer to: Media *Tapas (website), a webtoon site, formerly known as Tapastic * ''Tapas'' (film), a 2005 Spanish film * ''Tapasya'' (1976 film), an Indian Hindi-language film * ''Tapasya'' (1992 film), a Nepalese f ...

, Estonia.

Career

In 1935, she made her literary debut with a collection of poems titled ''Loomingus''. In 1936, Merilaas married the Estonian writer and translator

August Sang August Sang (27 July 1914 – 14 October 1969) was an Estonian poet and literary translator.Marcel Cornis-Pope, John Neubauer, ''History of the literary cultures of East-Central Europe: junctures and disjunctures in the 19th and 20th centuries, ...

(1914–1969) and the couple had a son named Joel Sang in 1950 who would go on to become a poet, literary critic, linguist, translator and publicist.Kiltsi Põhikool
From 1936, Merilaas lived in

Tartu Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia after the Northern European country's political and financial capital, Tallinn. Tartu has a population of 91,407 (as of 2021). It is southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres (152 miles) northeast of ...

, where she was employed as a librarian. She was a member of the influential group of Estonian poets brought together in 1938 by literary scholar Ants Oras who was greatly influenced by

T. S. Eliot Thomas Stearns Eliot (26 September 18884 January 1965) was a poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor.Bush, Ronald. "T. S. Eliot's Life and Career", in John A Garraty and Mark C. Carnes (eds), ''American National Biogr ...

. The small circle of poets became known as ''

Arbujad Arbujad (English as "sorcerers" or "soothsayers") was the collective name for a loose group of eight Estonian poets, which represented a new direction in Estonian poetry before the outbreak of World War II.Cornelius Hasselblatt, ''History of Est ...

'' ("Soothsayers") and included

Heiti Talvik Heiti Talvik (9 November 1904 – 18 July 1947) was an Estonian poet. Life and literary career Heiti Talvik's father was a family doctor based in Tartu and his mother was a pianist. In 1923 he left the school early and initially sought work ...

Paul Viiding Paul Viiding (22 May 1904 – 27 June 1962) was an Estonian poet, author and literary critic. Born in Valga, to Juhan and Ann Viiding (''née'' Rose), he was the oldest of two children; his sister Linda was born in 1907. He graduated with a de ...

Betti Alver Elisabet "Betti" Alver ( in Jõgeva – 19 June 1989 in Tartu), was one of Estonia's most notable poets. She was among the first generation to be educated in schools of an independent Estonia. She went to grammar school in Tartu. Writing S ...

Uku Masing Uku Masing (born Hugo Albert Masing, 11 August 1909 – 25 April 1985) was an Estonian philosopher. He was a significant figure in Estonian religious philosophy. Masing also wrote poetry, mostly on religious issues. Masing authored one novel, ''R ...

and

Bernard Kangro Bernard Kangro (18 September 1910 – 25 March 1994) was an Estonian writer and poet. Education Bernard Kangro was born the son of a farmer, Andres Kangro, and his wife, Minna. He grew up in rather humble circumstances. He attended primary schoo ...

That year, her anthology of poetry ''Maantee tuuled'' was published to much critical acclaim, particularly for its lyrical preoccupation with love and nature. Also in 1938 she joined the Estonian Writers' Union. After the Soviet occupation and annexation of Estonia in 1944, Merilaas' work was viewed by authorities as disreputable and promoting " bourgeois nationalism". In 1950, Merilaas was forced to resign from the Soviet Writers Association of Estonia. During this time, Merilaas was allowed to continue writing children's literature. In 1960, after the relaxation of Soviet authorities, Merilaas was again permitted to write literature for adults. Besides poetry and prose, Merilaas wrote libretti for three operas by Estonian composer Gustav Ernesaks and translated German works of

Bertolt Brecht Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known professionally as Bertolt Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a pl ...

, Georg Christoph Lichtenberg and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe into the Estonian language. Merilaas died in Tallinn, Estonia in 1986 at the age of 72.

Selected works

Poetry *''Loomingus'' (1935) *''Maantee tuuled'' (1938) *''Rannapääsuke'' (1963) *''Kevadised koplid'' (1966) *''Kuukressid'' (1969) *''Antud ja võetud'' (1981) Children's Books *''Munapühad'' (1940) *''Kallis kodu'' (collection of poems, 1944) *''Päikese paistel'' collection of poems (1948) *''Turvas'' (1950) *''Veskilaul'' (1959) *''Lugu mustast ja valgest'' (1962) *''Lumest lumeni'' (1982) *''Kui vanaema noor oli'' (poetry anthology, 1983) *''Kindakiri. – Варежки'' (poem in Estonian and Russian, 1986) *''Siit siiani. Piksepill'' (collection of poems, 1989. Posthumous) Plays *''Kaks viimast rida'' (1973) *''Pilli-Tiidu'' (1974)

Awards

In 1976, Kersti Merilaas was awarded the Friedebert Tuglas Short Story Award for her work ''Eilsete perest.''Under and Tuglas Literature Centre of the Estonian Academy of Sciencies, Fridebert Tuglas Short Story Award

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Merilaas, Kersti 1913 births 1986 deaths People from Narva People from Yamburgsky Uyezd 20th-century Estonian poets Estonian translators Estonian women poets 20th-century women writers 20th-century translators Soviet poets Soviet translators

Early life and education

Career

Selected works

Awards

Further reading

References