Martin Körber facts for kids
Martin Georg Emil Körber (born on 29 July 1817 in Võnnu – died on 19 April 1893 in Kuressaare) was an important person from the Baltic German community. He was a church leader (pastor), a music composer, a writer, and a leader of choirs.
Martin Körber's Life Story
Martin Georg Emil Körber was the son of Edward Philipp Körber, who was also a pastor. Martin studied to become a pastor at the University of Tartu. His older brother, Carl Eduard Körber, was also a pastor and a writer.
From 1842 to 1845, Martin worked as a teacher in Kuressaare. In 1846, he became a pastor in Anseküla. There, he started a choir, which was a big step for music in the area.
Organizing Music Events
Martin Körber loved music and wanted to share it with others. In July 1862, he put together a large concert for choirs in Kuressaare. This was a special event for the community.
A year later, on 21 May 1863, he organized one of the very first song festivals in Estonia. This big event took place on the Sõrve Peninsula. Song festivals are huge gatherings where many choirs sing together. They are still very important in Estonia today.
Martin retired from being a pastor in 1875. He then moved back to Kuressaare. Even after retiring, he kept writing books and songs. He passed away in 1893.
Martin Körber's Works
Martin Körber wrote many songs. His songbooks contained over 1000 religious and everyday songs. He wrote them in both German and Estonian languages.
In 1846, he published a book called a catechism. This book explained the basics of the Christian faith. Over 300,000 copies of this book were printed, which shows how widely it was used.
He also wrote a three-part history book about Saaremaa. It was in German and called Oesel Einst und Jetzt, which means "Saaremaa, Then and Now". These books were published between 1887 and 1915.
See also
- Culture of Estonia
