Karl Ristikivi facts for kids

Karl Ristikivi (born October 16, 1912, died July 19, 1977) was a famous Estonian writer. He is known as one of Estonia's best writers, especially for his exciting historical novels.

Karl Ristikivi's Early Life and School Years

Karl Ristikivi was born on October 16, 1912, in a place called Varbla in western Estonia. His mother, Liisu Ristikivi, was a maidservant. He spent his childhood on different farms where his mother worked. When he started village school in 1920, he sometimes felt sad because he was born out of wedlock and was not very strong.

He loved to read old German books he found in an attic. Even though he didn't know German at first, he enjoyed the pictures. He would ask adults what the words meant. This helped him create his own imaginary world filled with medieval knights and Christian heroes.

Karl was very good at history and learning languages. This made him a great student at his village school. In 1927, a rich relative helped him continue his studies. He went to the Tallinn Commercial School and then the Tallinn College, finishing in 1932. Hearing stories from older people in the city made him interested in how Estonian cities grew in the late 1800s.

Karl Ristikivi started his writing career by creating stories for family magazines. In the 1930s, he published several children's books with animal characters. Some of these were The Flying World (1935), The Blue Butterfly (1936), Pals (1936), and Chums (1938). The money he earned from these books allowed him to study at the Tartu University in 1936. He chose to study geography and sociology. He graduated with honors in 1941.

Life as a Writer in Sweden

When the German army took over Estonia in 1941, Karl Ristikivi's life changed a lot. He had to join the German army. As the war continued, many Estonians worried about what would happen if the Russians returned. Karl Ristikivi ended up working in Helsinki, Finland. In 1944, he decided to move to neutral Sweden. He even got a visa to enter the country legally. He never returned to Estonia. He lived the rest of his life, for 33 years, in the Stockholm area of Sweden.

In Sweden, Karl Ristikivi started writing articles for Estonian newspapers published by people living in exile. To earn enough money, he also worked at a health insurance office. This meant he had to do all his writing in his free time. His first two novels written in exile were about Estonia. But by the early 1950s, he started writing his most famous novel, The Night of Souls (1953).

Karl Ristikivi was a private person. He spent most of his free time writing his books. He mostly spent time with other Estonians who had also moved to Sweden. However, he traveled quite a bit, often to southern Europe. He visited places that were settings for his later historical novels.

Besides writing novels, Ristikivi also wrote many reviews and essays about Estonian literature. He helped his friend Bernard Kangro run a publishing house that printed books by Estonian writers living in exile.

Sadly, most of Karl Ristikivi's books have not been translated into other languages. Only a couple of his early novels were translated into Finnish. A few of his short stories were translated into Swedish, and some of his main novels have recently been translated into Russian.

Karl Ristikivi passed away on July 19, 1977, in his apartment in Solna, near Stockholm. He is thought to have died suddenly from a brain hemorrhage. He was buried in Stockholm. Later, in 2017, his ashes were brought back to Estonia and buried in Paadrema cemetery. A monument was also put up in his birthplace in Estonia in 1987 to honor him.

Karl Ristikivi's Famous Books

Karl Ristikivi wrote many different kinds of books. Here are some of his most well-known works:

The Tallinn Trilogy: Stories of City Life

This series of three novels tells the story of how Estonian cities grew. It shows how urbanization affected different groups of people: workers, merchants, and thinkers.

• Fire and Iron (1938): This book starts in the 1880s. It follows Jüri Säävel, who leaves farming to work in Tallinn. He becomes one of the first city workers in Estonia. The story covers big events like the 1905 revolution and Estonia's independence. Jüri always believes in hard work and honesty. His grandson becomes an engineer, showing how the family moves forward. This book won a prize and was praised by a famous Estonian writer, A. H. Tammsaare.

• In a Strange House (1940): This novel tells the story of Jakob Kadarik, an orphan. He is raised by a rich German merchant in Tallinn. Jakob is very ambitious and wants to succeed. He even tricks one of the merchant's daughters into marrying him. Years later, Jakob owns the department store, but he isn't truly happy. His wife never forgave him, and his business fails.

• The Herb Garden (1942): The main character, Juulius Kilimit, is a schoolmaster's son. He loves to escape into a fantasy world inspired by old German and Greek stories. He looks for freedom and his roots in the Estonian countryside. This book shows how romantic and positive ideas can win, even when the world around is changing.

The Unfinished Trilogy: Looking Back at Estonia

These two novels were started while Ristikivi was still in Estonia. They were published after he moved to Sweden. They are the last books he wrote that are set in Estonia.

• All That Ever Was (1946): This book is a nostalgic look back at Estonia. It describes beautiful Sundays and blooming fruit trees in spring. It's like a farewell song from an old clergyman as he faces death.

• Nothing Happened (1947): The title of this book is ironic. It's set during the difficult time when the Soviet Union took over Estonia. Many big events happened then, shaping Estonia's future for decades.

The Night of Souls: A Masterpiece of Alienation

• The Night of Souls (1953): This is considered Ristikivi's most important work. It's about a person feeling lost and alone in a new country. The main character enters a building in Stockholm on New Year's Eve. He wanders through it, meeting people but never truly connecting with anyone. The book explores feelings of being stuck between two places, unable to move forward or go back. It ends with a hopeful feeling, as some things become clearer for the main character.

The Chronicle Trilogy: Tales of the Crusades

Ristikivi changed his writing style for this trilogy. These novels are set during the Crusades between 1266 and 1311. They are written in a more formal, historical style.

• The Burning Flag (1961): This book tells the story of a young German count, Konrad von Hohenstaufen. He tries to take back control of the Kingdom of Sicily but is defeated and killed.

• The Last Bastion (1962): This novel describes the efforts of Christians to capture Acre in 1291. It's full of dramatic and brave events.

• The Horsemen of Death (1963): This book is about the end of the Crusades. It follows the adventures of the famous Catalan Company, also known as the Knights of Death. They had victories in Asia Minor in the early 1300s.

The Isle of Miracles: A Story of Utopia

• The Isle of Miracles (1964): This shorter novel is like a fable. It's inspired by famous stories about perfect societies. It describes an island group called Allotria, which is like our modern Western society. But here, people have become victims of their own freedom. The book is actually an "anti-utopia." It explores how democracies and powerful, aggressive countries interact.

The Biographical Trilogy: Lives of Important Figures

This trilogy tells the stories of real historical figures.

• The Bridal Veil (1965): This is the story of Catarina Benincasa, also known as Saint Catherine of Siena. Ristikivi focuses on her difficult journey to become a saint. She faces many challenges as an idealist in a tough world. The novel describes her personal struggles and the political problems in 14th-century Italy.

• The Song of Joy (1966): This book tells the story of David, a medieval Welsh musician. It asks if music can fight the bad things in the world. As David becomes a better musician, the world around him seems to get worse. It's about how much one person can change the world.

• The Apprentice to Sorcery (1967): This novel is about Johannes Faber, a medieval thinker and doctor. He is like the character Faust. He is caught between science and the rules of the church. The story takes place during the last three days of his life as he waits to be burned at the stake.

The Gates of Sigtuna: Short Stories of Dilemmas

• The Gates of Sigtuna (1968): This book is a collection of ten short stories. The stories explore moral puzzles and difficult choices. For example, one story is about Don Juan meeting Joan of Arc in what might be heaven.

The Last Trilogy: Looking at History and Morality

In his final trilogy, Ristikivi brings together and expands on many of his ideas.

• Noble Hearts or Two Friends in Florence (1970): This novel has a complex structure. It's set in 1960s London, where a play is being staged. The play is about England in the 1640s and also describes the life of Savonarola in Florence in 1398. Ristikivi uses this book to look at the politics of his own time through history.

• Dragon's Teeth (1970): This book is set in 16th-century Spain and the Low Countries. It also tells the story of a Catalan refugee in Paris in 1949. It's like a novel within a novel. It explores the idea that history often repeats itself.

• A Double Game (1972): This novel is another look at history and right and wrong. It's written like a murder mystery, where the reader has to help solve the puzzle.

A Rome Diary: A Poetic Journey

• A Rome Diary (1976): This was Karl Ristikivi's last book. It was published a year before he died. It's set in 18th-century Rome, among the old ruins. The book is a beautiful and poetic travelogue. It describes the feelings of the main character, Kaspar von Schmerzburg, as he walks among the ruins of the Roman Empire. He explores hidden tunnels and catacombs, seeing what is usually hidden. This book shows Ristikivi's more thoughtful and sometimes sad side.