Ernst Jaakson

Ernst Jaakson ( born August 11, 1905 in Riga, † 4 September 1998 in New York) was an Estonian diplomat. From 1965 to 1993 he was Ambassador of Estonia in the USA.

Jaakson first studied law at the University of Riga, then in Tartu and at Columbia University in New York economics. When Estonia regained its independence in 1919, he began as a member of the Estonian embassy in neighboring Latvia his career in the Foreign Service. From 1929 to 1932 he was secretary of the Estonian Consulate in San Francisco, in 1932 he was appointed to the post Consul in New York.

After the Soviet Union in 1940 had violated international law in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania busy, did not recognize the annexation of the Baltic States to the United States in accordance with the Hoover - Stimson Doctrine and led formal diplomatic relations with the de facto extinct states continued. In 1965, Jaakson succeed the late John Kaivs as Ambassador of Estonia in Washington and remained there until the collapse of the Soviet Union and the re- independence of Estonia in 1991. Jaakson was soon the most senior member of the diplomatic corps and was according to seniority as its chairman. While representatives of the Baltic countries were often exposed as " diplomats without land " ridicule, Jaakson been widely respected for his leadership style. In fact, Jaakson time of his ministry in a constitutionally difficult position; he refused to recognize the government in exile established in Oslo in 1953 by August Rei, and business lobbying for Estonia on their own.

After the independence of Estonia, he was officially confirmed by the new, now sovereign Estonian government as Ambassador to the U.S. and at the same time appointed to represent Estonia at the United Nations. From 1993 until his death in 1998 he was Consul of Estonia in New York.

With a total of 79 years in the Foreign Service Jaakson was thus probably the longest active diplomat of his time; During this time he became a symbol of the country's independence will. In 1995 he published his autobiography Eestile (Eng. " For Estonia ")., Which opens up some good insights into the Diplomacy of the Cold War

On 1 October 1998, he Ernst - Jaakson Foundation was founded in honor of which it has set itself the objective of maintaining the memory of the outstanding Estonian diplomat Ernst Jaakson and to secure the independence of Estonia. The Foundation awards scholarships for the study of international relations and distinguishes educated and responsible state officials. The patron of the foundation is the President ().