August Kirsimägi

August Kirsimägi
Kirsimägi c. 1928
Born
Adalbert August Kirschenberg

(1905-09-21)September 21, 1905
Vahi, Estonia
DiedAugust 29, 1933(1933-08-29) (aged 27)
Tallinn, Estonia
Resting placeRahumäe Cemetery
NationalityEstonian
OccupationWriter

August Kirsimägi (born Adalbert August Kirschenberg;[1] September 21, 1905 – August 29, 1933 Tallinn) was an Estonian writer.[1][2]

Early life and education

August Kirsimägi was born Adalbert August Kirschenberg in Vahi, Estonia, the son of Juhan Kirschenberg (1870–1936)[3] and Mari Kirschenberg (née Paas, 1872–1957).[4][5] He graduated from Hugo Treffner High School in 1925.[6][7] He then studied (until his death) at the University of Tartu's Faculty of Law[8] without graduating.

Career

In 1925, Kirsimägi won first prize with his abstinence-related work "Kõige parem võitlusviis alkoholi vastu Eestis" (The Best Way to Fight Alcohol in Estonia)—but he had given up abstinence before receiving the award. The fraternal organization Korporatsioon Sakala issued a blacklisting decision (Estonian: rukk) against him.[9]

He appeared in the Estonian feature film Esimese öö õigus (1925), in which he jumped into the water from Tartu's Stone Bridge.

Kirsimägi published the first and so far the only corporatist novel in Estonian literature, Puhastustuli (Purgatory), which won first prize at the Nature Novel Competition [et] in 1929. He also published the romantic novel Preestri tütar (The Priest's Daughter) and short stories.

Death

In 1933, Kirsimägi committed suicide by gunshot after shooting and wounding Bruno Madisson (1904–1943) and his wife Ilse (née Aluhn, 1909–1991), in whom he had a love interest.[10][11]

Bibliography

  • 1929: Puhastustuli (Purgatory). Tartu: Loodus[12]
  • 1933: Preestri tütar (The Priest's Daughter)[1]

Filmography

References

  1. ^ a b c Eesti kirjanduse ajalugu: pt.1. Aastad 1917-1929. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat. 1984. p. 304.
  2. ^ Laane, Karl (2002). Tallinna kalmistud. Tallinn: Maalehe Raamat. p. 141.
  3. ^ "Juhan Jaani poeg Kirschenberg". Päewaleht. No. 297. November 2, 1936. p. 8. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
  4. ^ "Mari Kirismägi". Vaba Eesti Sõna. No. 3. January 16, 1958. p. 12. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
  5. ^ "Siit ja sealt". Stockholms-Tidningen Eestlastele. No. 32. February 7, 1958. p. 2. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
  6. ^ "Spordi tulemused Tartu 'Noorte-pühal'". Postimees. No. 153. June 10, 1925. p. 5. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
  7. ^ "H. Treffneri gümnaasiumi lõpetasid". Postimees. No. 155. June 12, 1925. p. 5. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
  8. ^ "Wiis uut kroonitud pead kirjanduses". Waba Maa. No. 231. October 5, 1929. p. 5. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
  9. ^ "A. Kirsimägi maeti". Hommikleht. No. 19. September 1, 1933. p. 3. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
  10. ^ "August Kirsimägi laskis enese maha". Päewaleht. No. 235. August 30, 1933. p. 1. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
  11. ^ "Kirjanik Kirsimäe roim ja enesetapp". Sakala. No. 98. August 31, 1933. p. 3. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
  12. ^ Hasselblatt, Cornelius (2006). Geschichte der estnischen Literatur: von den Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. p. 492.
  13. ^ Paas, Veste (1980). Olnud ajad. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat. p. 180.