Uku Masing

Uku Masing (formerly Hugo Masing, August 11, 1909 - April 25, 1985) was an Estonian philosopher, translator, theologist and folklorist. He developed Estonian analytical philosophy. Masing also wrote poetry, mostly on religious issues. Masing authored one novel, "Liberation of Rapanui, or Seagulls at the Cemetery of Gods" ("Rapanui vabastamine ehk Kajakad jumalate kalmistul", written in the late 1930s but published posthumously in 1989). As a folklorist, he was a distinguished researcher of fairy tales, contributing to the international [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzyklop%C3%A4die_des_M%C3%A4rchens Enzyklopädie des Märchens] . He was awarded the Righteous Among The Nations by Yad Vashem and the Israeli Supreme Court for his participation during the Holocaust in helping a Jew in Estonia escape capture from '39 until the end of the war. His actions exposed him to great danger during this period requiring him to meet with his friend as well as lying to the Gestapo.

Early life

Masing was born in Raikküla, in Rapla district, on 11 August 1909. A gifted polyglot, he was able to speak four languages by the end of secondary school. He started University in 1926 studying Theology at the University of Tartu. During his time here and after graduating he published numerous poems, translations, and essays. His most famous work was in 1935 with the publication of "Promontories Into the Gulf of Rains" ("Neemed vihmade lahte").

At his peak Masing was able to speak around 65 languages with the ability to translate from 20 of them. In particular he was known for his ability to translate straight from original Hebrew, occidental European and oriental languages into Estonian. Such was his prolific nature it is estimated over 10,000 pages of his manuscripts have yet to be published.

Righteous Among the Nations award

Masing lectured at the University of Tartu in Estonia, where he was known as a brilliant teacher of theology and Semitic languages, if somewhat eccentric. After the invasion by the German Army he gave up his teaching post at the university and devoted his time to protecting and salvaging Jewish cultural and religious items.

From his days as a teacher he knew a Jew, Isidor Levin, who had decided to hide from the occupying army to avoid being captured which would have left him to an almost certain death. Uku and his wife Eha helped Levin avoid capture by supplying him with food, shelter, clothing and even forged documents and on occasions lying to the Gestapo about his knowledge of Isidor. For these actions Uku Masing and his wife Eha have been honoured with The Righteous Among the Nations. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=s18psZJJjbYC&pg The Righteous: The Unsung Heroes of the Holocaust By Sir Martin Gilbert; P.31] ISBN 0805062602]

Masing also took an active part after the war in investigating Nazi war crimes, in particular the Klooga concentration camp where many Jews had been killed.

References

External links

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* [http://www.einst.ee/literary/autumn99/09_masing1.htm "Uku Masing compared with Hopkins and Eliot" by Vincent B. Leich]