Noorsoomluse põhi Noor-Eestis
The Young-Finnish Foundation of the Young Estonian Movement

Summary/Abstract: In the late 19th century, when Estonia was subjected to Russification, the nationally-minded Estonian leaders looked for support from Finland as the Finns boasted their own vernacular school and even university. Under the leadership of Gustav Suits, the inspiring ideologist of the Young Estonians, several introductions to Finnish literature, as well as contributions from Finnish authors were published in the almanac Kiired. Gustav Suits even imparts of his intention (which was to fail, though) to develop the almanac into a joint Finnish-Estonian bilingual publication. As for his long essay on Juhani Aho (1906, partly also published in Finland) it was one of the first comprehensive discussions of the renowned Finnish author. In the early 20th century, Aho's works were extremely popular in Estonia as well, mostly thanks to the translations by the Young Estonian enthusiasts. The article is focused on the possible extent to which the Young Estonians may have imitated the ideology and examples set by the Young Finland. As a result of our analysis, the local accusations once levelled at the Young Estonians as epigones can be refuted as unfair, for both situational and temporal differences, which provide enough reason for judging the Young Estonian artistic production to have been independent. However, the early 20th century brought numerous regular personal contacts between the cultural figures of the two countries (e.g. Eino Leino), thus lending Finland a special position in the formation of the Estonian cultural space of that time.

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