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Soo (Soo)
Swamp, march, bog. Two streets called Soo: 1) the old one, in Nõmme, now known as Alliksoo; and 2) the current one, in Kalamaja, named for its proximity to Kalamäe Soo (see Erika), and formerly occupying parts of both Uus-Kalamaja and Tööstuse, hence its colorful past ranging from Koppelscher Weg or Коппельская дорога and Ziegelskoppelscher Weg (1774, see Kopli), Sumpfstraße (1877) and Болотная (Bolotnaya, 1907), both ‘marsh’, then Große Fischermay-Straße (see Kalamaja) and finally Nikonovi J. (1951-1991) during the Soviet occupation. The fact that Soo ‘starts’ in Kalamaja probably caused Kivi’s notion that Kalamäe Soo was located there too, see Angerja.
Kuhlbarsi F.
(Friedrich Kuhlbars, 1841-1924)
Schoolteacher and author of lyrics to Eestimaa, mu isamaa (Estonia, my fatherland), the Estonian Scouts’ anthem. Name probably from MLG kūlebārs (ruffe, Acerina cernua). Part responsible for various ‘mythological’ interpretations of Estonia’s past.
Kristiina
(Kristina Augusta, 1626-1689)
One time Queen, or ‘Girl King’ of Sweden, Duchess of Estonia, etc., whose possible thoughtlessness may have precipitated Descartes’ terminal inability to think. Multiple former names of miscellaneous orthography but limited interest other than, maybe, Christinentalerstraße (1913) indicating a valley, sensu Estonia, equivalent elsewhere in the world to a modest puddle. Built on former Kristiina heinamaa, or Kristiina meadow. See also Kristiine.
Kullassepa (Kullassepp)
Goldsmith. Known earlier as vicus institoris (1327), platea institorum (1345) or kremerstrate (1389), translated variously as merchants’, grocers’ or haberdashers’ street, this may be artificially upping their game somewhat. The medieval Tallinn concept of Latin institor is not easy to convey. The Roman institor ranged from business manager or agent to anything from shopkeeper to peddler to huckster dealing in merx (merchandise, often from abroad, or mercis sordidae, denarius-store junk). Given the Tallinn trades indicated by property-transfer records in low German and Latin: sutor: mainly cobbler, but most anything sewn; pannicidale: rag merchant; penesticale or hokerboden (from MLG hȫkære, hȫker, etc., retailer, cf. Ger. Höker, stall-holder): seller of staples such as apples, cabbage, onions, salt-fish and other cheap foodstuffs, these were likely on the bottom rung of those with premises. Likewise, judging by the references to bodis institricibus, etc. (institrix is the feminine of institor), a good number of them were women. Their stalls or bodae (from which comes Est. pood, shop) were often of wood (see Raekoja tänav). And yet these often Estonian traders still occupied prime real estate. One suggestion is that they had already been Christianized before the Order arrived, allowing them to maintain stakes already claimed. The street eventually became Kannengeter Strate in the 16th C, after the tinsmiths or pewterers (see Tina), gradually climbing the social (and financial) ladder to silver for brooches, ouches (perhaps ettekenmakeren, see Ehte), and similar embossed work and thence to Goldschmiedestraße in the 18th C, although the Russians continued calling it Серебряная ул. (silver street) until at least 1872.
