Otto Strandman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Otto Strandman
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Otto Strandman c. 1929–1930
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| 10th State Elder of Estonia | |
| In office 9 July 1929 – 12 February 1931 |
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| Preceded by | August Rei |
| Succeeded by | Konstantin Päts |
| 1st Prime Minister of Estonia | |
| In office 9 May 1919 – 18 November 1919 |
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| Preceded by | Konstantin Päts as Prime Minister of the Provisional Government |
| Succeeded by | Jaan Tõnisson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Otto August Strandman
30 November 1875 Vandu, Kreis Wierland, Governorate of Estonia, Russian Empire |
| Died | 5 February 1941 (aged 65) Kadrina, Estonia |
| Political party | Estonian Radical Socialist Party (1917) Estonian Labour Party (1917–1932) National Centre Party (1932–1935) Independent (1935–1941) |
| Spouse | Lydia Strandman (née Hindrikson) |
| Alma mater | University of Tartu Saint Petersburg Imperial University |
| Profession | Lawyer, politician, diplomat |
Otto August Strandman (born November 30, 1875 – died February 5, 1941) was an important Estonian politician. He served as the first Prime Minister in 1919. Later, he became the State Elder of Estonia from 1929 to 1931.
Strandman was a key leader of the Estonian Labour Party. This party was popular after the elections in 1919 and 1920. He helped create important laws like the land reform and the 1920 Constitution.
He also held many other government jobs. He was Minister of Agriculture, Justice, Finance, Foreign Affairs, and War. As Minister of Finance, he worked to stop prices from rising too fast. He wanted Estonia to have a strong farming economy, like Denmark.
Strandman was also a diplomat. He represented Estonia in Warsaw, Poland, and Paris, France. He passed away in February 1941. This was after the Soviet Union took over Estonia in June 1940.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Otto Strandman was born in the village of Vandu. His father, Hans Strandman, was a schoolteacher. Otto was the third child in his family.
Schooling and University
Otto first learned from his father. In 1886, he started school in Rakvere. He later studied in Tallinn and Saint Petersburg. He finished his high school exams in Tallinn in 1896.
After high school, Strandman worked at the Tallinn branch of the State Bank of the Russian Empire. In 1899, he began studying law at the University of Tartu. He continued his law studies at the Saint Petersburg Imperial University. He graduated in 1903.
Political Journey
Starting as a Lawyer
After finishing university, Strandman worked as a lawyer. He practiced law in Narva and Tallinn. He was known for being a good speaker. From 1904 to 1905, he was a member of the Tallinn city council. As a lawyer, he often defended Estonians.
Strandman was also active in Estonian groups. He wanted Estonia to have more self-rule. During the Russian Revolution of 1905, he had to leave the country. He supported radical socialist ideas back then. Later, his views became more moderate.
Time in Exile and Return
During his exile, Strandman lived in Switzerland and other European countries. He worked with other Estonians to plan for self-rule. This plan was never put into action. He returned to the Russian Empire in 1906. However, he was not allowed to live in Estonia for three years. He lived in Narva and Saint Petersburg instead.
In 1909, he came back to Estonia. He worked as a lawyer, defending people from the 1905 Revolution. He also strongly supported free speech in the media. In 1917, he became a prosecutor in Tallinn.
Leading the Estonian Provincial Assembly
In March 1917, Strandman helped create a plan for self-rule. This plan led to the Autonomous Governorate of Estonia. He was again elected to the Tallinn City Council. In the summer of 1917, he joined the Estonian Provincial Assembly. He was part of the Estonian Radical Socialist Party.
He served as the leader of the assembly from October 1917 to November 1918. During this time, the October Revolution and German occupation caused interruptions. On November 28, 1917, Strandman led the assembly session. Here, the assembly declared itself the highest power in Estonia. He was praised for being fair and organized.
Becoming a Centre-Left Leader
After Jüri Vilms died in 1918, Otto Strandman became the acting Minister of Justice. He also became a leader of the Estonian Radical Socialist Party. This party later joined with another to form the Estonian Labour Party in 1919. Strandman was arrested by Germans in the summer of 1918.
After the German occupation ended in November 1918, Strandman continued in the Provisional Government. He was first Minister of Foreign Affairs. Then he became Minister of Agriculture. In this role, he was key in creating a new land reform law. This law took land from German nobles and gave it to Estonian people.
Diplomatic Efforts and Prime Minister
In December 1918, Strandman went to Sweden. He asked for help in the Estonian War of Independence. Sweden later sent volunteers to help. To pay for his trip, Strandman had to sell his own furniture.
In the 1919 Constituent Assembly elections, the Estonian Labour Party won many seats. Otto Strandman became the first Prime Minister on May 8, 1919. He was also the Minister of War.
His first government was a coalition with other parties. It lasted for about six months. After that, he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Justice from 1920 to 1921. As Foreign Minister, he helped Estonia establish diplomatic ties with Soviet Russia. Estonia was one of the first countries to do so.
Speaker of Parliament and Other Roles
In the 1920 elections, the Estonian Labour Party became the largest party. Strandman served as the first speaker of the Riigikogu (Estonia's parliament). He held this position from January to November 1921.
He later returned to government in 1924. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and then Minister of Finance.
Economic Ideas
Strandman was very involved in financial matters. He criticized the previous Minister of Finance for spending too much. This criticism helped lead to the fall of the government.
After the War of Independence, many new businesses started. They relied on loans, which caused financial problems. As Minister of Finance, Strandman proposed a plan. He wanted to reduce loans and lower the government budget. He also aimed for more exports than imports by raising customs duties.
At first, his ideas faced criticism. But eventually, the Estonian currency became stable. This helped connect Estonia's economy more with Europe. He believed Estonia should focus on farming, like Denmark. His policies were sometimes given funny nicknames in the media. Historians say his quick actions helped Estonia avoid very high inflation in the early 1920s. He also suggested naming Estonia's new currency the "kroon", similar to currencies in Scandinavian countries.
Later Political and Diplomatic Career
The Estonian Labour Party's popularity slowly decreased. It merged with other parties in 1932 to form the National Centre Party.
In 1926, Strandman was asked to form a new government. His economic plan still focused on lowering the budget and reducing loans. This was not accepted by some right-wing parties.
From 1927 to 1929, Strandman was Estonia's envoy to Poland. He also worked with Czechoslovakia and Romania. In June 1929, he resigned and returned to Estonia. He then led his second government starting July 9, 1929. This government included many parties. He criticized parliament for making "inadequate laws." His government lasted until February 1931. It was during his time as State Elder that the Great Depression reached Estonia. His strong economic skills helped his government last a long time.
In February 1930, he visited Poland. He met with the Polish President and Marshal. He suggested forming a "Baltic Entente" (an alliance). However, Poland did not support this idea. His visit to Vilnius on the way back caused some issues with Lithuania.
From 1933 to 1939, Strandman was Estonia's envoy to France, Belgium, Spain, and the Holy See. He lived in Paris. In 1936, he supported other politicians who asked Prime Minister Konstantin Päts to restore civil freedoms. In 1938, Strandman became a judge at the Permanent Court of International Justice in The Hague.
In 1939, Strandman returned to Estonia. He retired from public life due to poor health. He passed away at his home in Kadrina on February 5, 1941. He was buried in Tallinn's Sisekalmistu Cemetery.
Personal Life
In 1907, Strandman married Lydia Hindrikson. They had three children. Sadly, their daughter Hella and son Hans died when they were very young. Only their second daughter, Lydia, lived to adulthood.
Cultural Activities and Honours
Strandman was on the board of the Estonia Society. He was also a member of the Estonian Students' Society. He received honorary doctorates from the University of Tartu in 1928 and Warsaw University in 1930. He chose to give up all the honors and awards he had received.
Images for kids
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Otto Strandman circa 1929–1930
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Grave of Otto Strandman
