Jakob Hurt

Jakob Hurt as a young pastor in St. Petersburg

Jakob Hurt (22 July [O.S. 10 July] 1839 in Himmaste – 13 January 1907 [O.S. 31 December 1906] in St Petersburg) was a notable Estonian folklorist, theologian, and linguist. With respect to the last, he is perhaps best known for his dissertation on "pure" -ne stem nouns ("Die estnischen Nomina auf -ne purum", 1886). He was also featured on the 10 krooni note.

Also known as the "king of Estonian folklore", Hurt planned the publication in the 1870s of a six volume series called Monumenta Estoniae Antiquae. Hurt organised around 1400 volunteer collectors via a press campaign, who visited almost every house in Livonia collecting around 124,000 pages of folklore. Due to financial difficulties, however, only two volumes of folk songs were published in 1875-76, entitled Vana kannel (Old Harp). Two more volumes were published in 1938 and 1941. Hurt also published a three volume collection called Setukeste laulud (The Setus' Songs) between 1894 and 1907.

Membership in organisations

Jakob Hurt was an honorary alumnus of the Estonian Students' Society.

Bibliography

• Rudolf Põldmäe, "Noor Jakob Hurt". Eesti Raamat, Tallinn 1988
• "Jakob Hurt 1839-1907". Koostanud Mart Laar, Rein Saukas, Ülo Tedre. Eesti Raamat, Tallinn, 1989
• Mart Laar, "Raamat Jakob Hurdast". Ilmamaa, Tartu 1995