Society of Estonian Literati
The Estonian literary club (Estonian Eesti Kirjameeste Selts - EKMS ) was from 1871 to 1893 an influential association of Estonian intellectuals based in Tartu ( Dorpat German ).
History
The Statutes of the Estonian literary association was adopted in 1871. In March 1872, the first meeting in Viljandi ( Fellin ) took place. The club belonged to the most important Estonian writers, writers, artists and journalists of the time. Leading personalities have included Friedrich Reinhold Kreutz Forest, Hans Wühner, Jakob Hurt, Carl Robert Jakobson, Hugo Treffner and Johann Köler.
The aim of the association was to promote the Estonian language and literature, the enrichment of the Estonian social life and greater consciousness of Estonians on their history and culture.
The club gave out 18 years books ( 1873-1890 ) and about 100 journals in the period of its existence. He organized from 1887 also literary competitions. Under James Hurt first systematic Estonian folk poetry was collected. Members of the Association sighted old documents, coins and ethnographic artifacts. The club built up an extensive library and organized numerous lectures.
Early 1880s, it came within the association to political disputes between Jakob Hurt and Carl Robert Jakobson on the further course. 1881 Hurt left with his followers the Estonian literary club. Jakobson died unexpectedly a year later. With the beginning of Russification of Estonia, the club split further. One faction took a moderate stance on the tsarist claims one, another was Estonian- minded national and leaned heavily on concessions.
Under the Sign of Russification of Estonia the activities of the association was terminated in 1893 after a lawsuit by the Estonian journalists Kõrv Jacob, who had been excluded in 1892 from the Estonian literary club on 28 April 1893 by the tsarist authorities.
President of the EKMS
- Jakob Hurt (1872-1881)
- Carl Robert Jakobson (1881/1882)
- Mihkel Veske (1882-1886)
- Treffner Hugo (1887-1890)
- Karl August Hermann (1890/1891)
- Johann Köler (1891-1893)