About
Lennart Meri was born in Tallinn in 1929. The son of a diplomat, he spent his childhood in Berlin, Paris, and Tallinn. Deported to Siberia in 1941, he returned to Estonia in 1946. After graduating in history from the University of Tartu in 1953, he turned to writing and filmmaking after being banned from teaching. His literary works and documentaries on Finno-Ugric peoples earned him international fame. Committed to restoring Estonian independence, he founded the Estonian Institute in 1988, then became Minister of Foreign Affairs (1990–1992) and the first president of independent Estonia (1992–2001). He negotiated the withdrawal of Russian troops and steered his country toward NATO and the EU.
* 1929-03-28 — † 2006-03-14
Major works
- Tulemägede maale (1964)travelogue
- Virmaliste väraval (1974)essay
- Hõbevalge (1976)historical essay
- The Winds of the Milky Way (1977)documentary film
Key milestones
- 1941Deported to Siberia with his family.
- 1988Founded the Estonian Institute to promote cultural contact with the West.
- 1992Elected first president of Estonia after the restoration of independence.
Themes
Finno-Ugric peoplesBaltic historyEstonian independenceCultural identityTravel and exploration
Sources: britannica.com · sisu.ut.ee