Enn Vetemaa facts for kids
Enn Vetemaa (born June 20, 1936 – died March 28, 2017) was an Estonian writer. People sometimes called him a "forgotten classic" or "the unofficial master of the Estonian Modernist short novel." This means he was a very important writer, especially known for his shorter novels that explored new ways of writing.
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About Enn Vetemaa
Enn Vetemaa was born in Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia. His father was an architect, someone who designs buildings.
Early Life and Education
In 1959, Enn Vetemaa finished his studies at Tallinn Polytechnic Institute. He earned a degree in chemical engineering, which is about designing and operating chemical plants. His grandfather, who was a pioneer in photography and radio, influenced his choice of study. His grandfather even experimented with radio signals very early on!
However, Enn Vetemaa decided engineering wasn't for him. He left his engineering job and started studying music at the Tallinn Conservatoire. He graduated from there in 1965. Even though he was a very good music student, he felt that other students, like the famous Arvo Pärt and Jaan Rääts, were even stronger. So, Enn Vetemaa decided to stop focusing on music and went back to writing poetry.
Becoming a Writer
Enn Vetemaa's first poems were published in 1958. He released poetry books like Critical Age in 1962 and Game of Snowballs in 1966. He became well-known among young Estonian poets. But his sharp, logical mind soon led him to write prose, which means stories and novels, instead of just poetry.
The Novel Monument
In 1964, Enn Vetemaa finished his most famous novel, Monument, which was published in 1966. This book was special because its main character was not a hero. This was unusual for Estonian literature at the time. The story makes readers think about a character they might not like or understand.
The main character, Sven Voore, is a young, successful architect and sculptor. He comes back to Tallinn from Moscow to work on a memorial for fallen Soviet soldiers. His job is to decorate the base for a statue designed by a talented young sculptor named Ain Saarema. But Ain's design is unusual: it shows only arms reaching up from the ground, as if the dead soldiers are rising from their graves. This design doesn't need a pedestal!
Sven Voore uses clever tricks to get what he wants. In the end, another artist named Magnus Tee finishes the monument. Sven gets the job of making the pedestal, a promotion in the Estonian art groups, and even marries Ain Saarema's wife. The final monument looks like traditional art from that time, but it has strange, long arms from Ain's original idea.
Publication and Impact
At first, the novel Monument was not allowed to be published. But Enn Vetemaa met the person in charge of approving books. After some time spent discussing with Vetemaa, the censor felt brave enough to allow the novel to be published. The book came out during a time when rules were becoming a bit more relaxed in the Soviet Union. It was very popular, and Vetemaa won a prize for the best novel from the USSR Writer's Union. Later, in 1978, the novel was turned into a play in Moscow. Many people consider it one of the best theater performances by the actor Konstantin Raikin.
Other Works
After Monument, Vetemaa wrote other "small novels," such as Tiredness (1967) and Chinese Eggs (published in 1972). In total, he wrote ten of these shorter novels.
Enn Vetemaa also continued to write plays. His play Dinner for Five, first performed in 1972, and the comedy Saint Susanna or the School of Masters, first performed in 1974, showed his sharp mind and funny writing. These plays are an important part of Estonian theater history.
In 1983, Vetemaa created a famous collection of texts called The Reference Book of Estonian Mermaids. This book mixed funny ideas with scientific facts. He also wrote many stories that were new versions of old Estonian epic poetry.
Later Views
Enn Vetemaa also shared his thoughts on important events. When there was a debate about moving the Bronze Soldier of Tallinn monument, he supported the idea of putting up a monument to Boris Yeltsin in its place. However, he said he would prefer to use that spot for a monument to Lennart Meri, who was the first president of Estonia after the Soviet Union ended.
