Biography
Paul Viiding
Paul Viiding (Est. Paul Viiding; May 22, 1904, Valga - June 27, 1962 Tallinn) was an Estonian writer, literary critic and translator.
Life and art
Born in the city of Valga in the family of a locomotive engineer. In 1905, together with his family, he moved to Riga, and then to Tartu. In 1922 he graduated from the Hugo Treffner gymnasium in Tatra. In 1930, Paul Viiding graduated from the Department of Mathematics of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics of the University of Tartu. Worked for the insurance company Oma. In 1931-1932 he served in the army. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, he worked at the Estonian Radio in Tallinn as an editor of literary and artistic programs.
After the accession of Estonia to the USSR, Viiding became the secretary of the Writers' Union of the Estonian SSR. Due to a conflict with the authorities, he left the Writers' Union for some time and worked as a bookseller. From 1953 he was able to work again as a writer and in 1956 he was again admitted to the Writers' Union.
Wiiding's literary career began in the early 1930s, when his first poems were published in print. He wrote a number of poems and stories, collaborated with newspapers and magazines as a literary critic. In 1938 he was one of the founders of the Arbuyad literary group. He published many short stories, poems and one novel. In addition, Wiiding translated the works of Russian (Gogol, Radishchev, Gorky) and German (Schiller) writers.
He died in Tallinn on June 27, 1962. Buried at the Forest Cemetery.
Personal life
Paul Wiiding was married to Linda Wiiding. The couple had three daughters and a son, Johan Wiiding, who became a writer himself. Paul Viiding is the grandfather of the Estonian poet Elo Viiding.
Major works
"Traataed" (collection of poems, 1935)
"Piinlikult hea tahe" (collection of short stories, 1936)
"Elu aseaine" (novel, 1939)
"Töörahva riik" (poetry for children, 1941)
"Sild" (compilation of short stories, 1946)
"Edasiminek" (collection of poems, 1947)
"Mõtteid rahutul hommikul" (collection of short stories, 1958)
"Elu ja luule" (anthology of literary criticism, 1963)
"Valge krae" (selected stories, 1987)
Life and art
Born in the city of Valga in the family of a locomotive engineer. In 1905, together with his family, he moved to Riga, and then to Tartu. In 1922 he graduated from the Hugo Treffner gymnasium in Tatra. In 1930, Paul Viiding graduated from the Department of Mathematics of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics of the University of Tartu. Worked for the insurance company Oma. In 1931-1932 he served in the army. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, he worked at the Estonian Radio in Tallinn as an editor of literary and artistic programs.
After the accession of Estonia to the USSR, Viiding became the secretary of the Writers' Union of the Estonian SSR. Due to a conflict with the authorities, he left the Writers' Union for some time and worked as a bookseller. From 1953 he was able to work again as a writer and in 1956 he was again admitted to the Writers' Union.
Wiiding's literary career began in the early 1930s, when his first poems were published in print. He wrote a number of poems and stories, collaborated with newspapers and magazines as a literary critic. In 1938 he was one of the founders of the Arbuyad literary group. He published many short stories, poems and one novel. In addition, Wiiding translated the works of Russian (Gogol, Radishchev, Gorky) and German (Schiller) writers.
He died in Tallinn on June 27, 1962. Buried at the Forest Cemetery.
Personal life
Paul Wiiding was married to Linda Wiiding. The couple had three daughters and a son, Johan Wiiding, who became a writer himself. Paul Viiding is the grandfather of the Estonian poet Elo Viiding.
Major works
"Traataed" (collection of poems, 1935)
"Piinlikult hea tahe" (collection of short stories, 1936)
"Elu aseaine" (novel, 1939)
"Töörahva riik" (poetry for children, 1941)
"Sild" (compilation of short stories, 1946)
"Edasiminek" (collection of poems, 1947)
"Mõtteid rahutul hommikul" (collection of short stories, 1958)
"Elu ja luule" (anthology of literary criticism, 1963)
"Valge krae" (selected stories, 1987)