Jannseni J.V. (Johann Voldemar Jannsen, 1819-1890)

Known affectionately as “Papa Jannsen”. First professional Estonian journalist and father of Lydia Koidula, he published the first Estonian-language newspaper, Perno Postimees ehk Näddalileht (Pärnu postman or weekly broadsheet, later plain old Postimees) in 1857, not an easy task with a watchful censor looking out signs of nationalism. But his simple, idiomatic style and motto of “For Czar and Christendom” may have lulled the authorities. In 1865, the Jannsen family started the Vanemuine music society with male-only choirs (he considered mixing choirs immoral and ‘extremely dangerous’ which, judging by the Bee Gees, is a fair point), naming it after the bewhiskered Finnish god/hero Väinämöinen. Later, they organised the first All-Estonian Song Festival in Tartu, June 18-20 1869, where he presented ‘his’ song, Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm (My native land, my joy and delight, not to be confused with Mu Isamaa on Minu Arm, see Koidula, also presented that year), subsequently adopted as national anthem in 1920, and banned by the Soviets from 1945 to 1990.