February 19, 2020
Jaan Kross’ 100th Birthday
"Kross introduced new themes to our poetry of galaxies, electrons, Milton, Homer [[and of course sputniks).”
—Estonian writer Jaan Kaplinski on Kross
Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Tallinn, Estonia-based guest artist Mirjam Laater, celebrates Estonian poet and writer Jaan Kross on what would have been his 100th birthday. Widely considered one of the nation’s most internationally recognized and translated writers, his work was critical in illuminating the realities of Soviet occupation in Eastern Europe.
Born in the capital city of Tallinn on this day in 1920, Kross studied at the distinguished Tartu University and eventually became an assistant professor of international law. In 1946, like many of his intellectual compatriots, Kross unexpectedly caught the attention of Soviet security forces and was sent to Siberia. Throughout this eight-year exile, Kross wrote numerous poems and translated published pieces, sowing the seeds for his later success.
In the 1970s, Kross began to write historical fiction to mask his political criticism. “Kolme katku vahel” [“Between Three Plagues,” 1970] and “Keisri hull” [“The Czar’s Madman,” 1978] are often considered his masterworks, with the latter selling over 30,000 copies. These novels highlight themes of censorship and state-led repression and served to foster a sense of solidarity among Europe’s Soviet Bloc writers.
In 1990, Kross won the Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger, France’s foreign book award, for “Keisri hull,” as well as the Amnesty International Golden Flame Prize. In 1992, Kross helped draft Estonia’s new constitution following their independence from the Soviet Union.
Palju õnne sünnipäevaks, Jaan Kross!
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