The Estonian Students' Society ( et, Eesti Üliõpilaste Selts; commonly used acronym: EÜS) is the largest and oldest all-male academical student society in
Estonia
Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...
, and is similar to the
Baltic German
Baltic Germans (german: Deutsch-Balten or , later ) were ethnic German inhabitants of the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, in what today are Estonia and Latvia. Since their coerced resettlement in 1939, Baltic Germans have markedly declined ...
student organizations known as
corporations (Corps) (not to be confused with US college fraternities). It was founded in 1870 at
Tartu. It has over 900 members in Estonia and abroad.
In 1881 the Society adopted blue, black and white as its colours. Its first flag was made in 1884 and this tricolour was later (1918) accepted as the
National Flag of Estonia. The original flag is still in existence.
In the wake of the
Estonian national awakening, many young Estonian intellectuals had ties to the EÜS, and the organization had impact beyond its borders. It was instrumental in the founding of the
Estonian National Museum
The Estonian National Museum ( et, Eesti Rahva Muuseum) founded 1909 in Tartu is a museum devoted to folklorist Jakob Hurt's heritage, to Estonian ethnography and folk art. The first items for the museum were originally collected in the latter ...
in 1909, and the EÜS library was donated to the museum. The Museum was later split into two, and its Archive Library formed the basis of the
Estonian Literary Museum.
The building of the Estonian Students' Society in Tartu has been considered to be one of the first examples of
Estonian national architecture. The
Treaty of Tartu between Finland and Soviet Russia was signed in the building in 1920.
Former members of the EÜS founded the academic corporations
Fraternitas Estica (1907),
Sakala (1909) and the association
Veljesto.
History
Founding
The Estonian Students' Society was founded on 7 April 1870 (26 March 1870 according to the old calendar) by five undergraduate students and three Estonian intellectuals: Andreas Kurrikoff,
Heinrich Rosenthal, Gustav Treffner,
Hugo Treffner, Martin Wühner,
Jakob Hurt
Jakob Hurt ( in Himmaste – in St Petersburg) was a notable Estonian folklorist, theologian, and linguist. With respect to the last, he is perhaps best known for his dissertation on "pure" -ne stem nouns ("Die estnischen Nomina auf -ne purum ...
, Wilhelm Eisenschmidt and
Johann Voldemar Jannsen. They gathered to read the Estonian national epic
Kalevipoeg
''Kalevipoeg'' (, ''Kalev's Son'') is a 19th century Epic poetry, epic poem by Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald which has since been considered the Estonian national epic.
Origins
In pre-Christian ancient Estonia there existed an oral tradition ...
in the first "Kalevipoeg evening", and decided to continue gatherings in the same form. This decision led to the founding of the Estonian Students' Society, which became the first ethnic Estonian student fraternity.
The 1880s
In 1882 the society tried to establish itself as the corporation Vironia, following the model of Baltic German student corporations, but this was rejected by the other corporations. The name "Estonian Students' Society" came into use in 1883, when the organisation was registered with the
University of Tartu
The University of Tartu (UT; et, Tartu Ülikool; la, Universitas Tartuensis) is a university in the city of Tartu in Estonia. It is the national university of Estonia. It is the only classical university in the country, and also its biggest ...
as an academic-cultural society; this was the society's first legal registration. In 1889, the society began to publish journals (Est: ''albumid''), consisting of scientific articles, essays and
belletristic
is a category of writing, originally meaning beautiful or fine writing. In the modern narrow sense, it is a label for literary works that do not fall into the major categories such as fiction, poetry, or drama. The phrase is sometimes used pejora ...
texts.
Fraternitas Viliensis (1890)
In 1890, the fraternity tried to establish itself as the corporation
Fraternitas Viliensis, and this was accepted. Its establishment was however stopped by the Russian official
Nikolai Lavrovski, head of the Riga Educational District, and this was the last main attempt to establish the Estonian Students' Society as a corporation; later attempts ended with membership splits and the founding of the corporations
Fraternitas Estica (1907) and
Sakala (1909), formed in frank imitation of the Baltic German corporations.
Early 20th century
A new building was completed in 1902, designed by
Georg Hellat, one of the first professional Estonian architects, who borrowed from
art deco
Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...
and
national romanticist styles. The blessing ceremony took place on 10–11 September 1902.
The organisation and its traditions were modelled after Baltic German corporations, but the beginning of the 20th century was a time of change, and some traditions like compulsory fencing lessons – peculiar to the corporations – were abandoned in September 1904. The Estonian Students' Society also made membership voluntary, following the Baltic German corporations' general code of conduct (''Allgemeiner Comment'').
In the Estonian War of Independence (1918–1920)
On 24 November 1918 the Estonian Students' Society decided to join ''in corpore'' the Estonian military forces to fight in the
Estonian War of Independence. Thirteen members died and 63 students and alumni were awarded the
Cross of Liberty.
During Estonian independence (1920–1940)
In 1925
Johan Kõpp
Johan Kõpp (9 November 1874, Holdre, Kreis Fellin – 21 October 1970, Stockholm) was an Estonian bishop and head of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church 1939–1944.
Biography
Kõpp went to high school at the Hugo Treffner Gymnasium in ...
's ''Eesti Üliõpilaste Seltsi ajalugu I.1870–1905'' (History of the Estonian Students' Society I.1870–1905) was published. The building was enlarged in 1930 following the design of architect Artur Kirsipuu.
Symbols
Flag
In 1881, the fraternity decided to adopt blue, black, and white as its colours. The first blue-black-white flag was made in the spring of 1884. Since this flag were banned in
Tartu, the flag was blessed on 4 June 1884 in
Otepää
Otepää (formerly Nuustaku) is a town in Valga County, southern Estonia, it is the administrative centre of Otepää Parish. Otepää is a popular skiing resort, popularly known as the "winter capital" of Estonia (in contrast to the "summer c ...
.
The flag achieved national importance at the beginning of the 20th century: the provisional Government of the Republic of Estonia declared the blue-black-white tricolour the official
Estonian National Flag on 21 November 1918. This decision, although not formally recorded in "
Riigi Teataja" (the State Gazette), was the first time the tricolour flag was associated with the Estonian nation.
The original flag is still in possession of the Estonian Students' Society and is preserved in the
Estonian National Museum
The Estonian National Museum ( et, Eesti Rahva Muuseum) founded 1909 in Tartu is a museum devoted to folklorist Jakob Hurt's heritage, to Estonian ethnography and folk art. The first items for the museum were originally collected in the latter ...
. The flag was publicly displayed at the Church of Otepää during the 120th anniversary of the flag's blessing in June 2004, and during the 90th Anniversary of the Republic of Estonia at
St. Elizabeth's Church in
Pärnu
Pärnu () is the fourth largest city in Estonia. Situated in southwest Estonia, Pärnu is located south of the Estonian capital, Tallinn, and west of Estonia's second largest city, Tartu. The city sits off the coast of Pärnu Bay, an inlet ...
in February 2008.
Coat of Arms
The present coat of arms was developed in 1890, when the fraternity tried to establish itself as Corporation
Fraternitas Viliensis. It consists of three flags on each side, a knight's helmet, a shield and an oak corona.
There is a white open book on the upper left field of the shield. The book's title is ''
Carpe diem'', meaning "Seize the day", the guiding principle of the fraternity. The
motto
A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. Mot ...
, however, is
Fortiter in re suaviter in modo
Claudio Acquaviva, SJ (14 September 1543 – 31 January 1615) was an Italian Jesuit priest. Elected in 1581 as the fifth Superior General of the Society of Jesus, he has been referred to as the second founder of the Jesuit order.
Early life and ...
, meaning "Gentle in manner, resolute in execution." It is written as the acronyms "F.I.R" on the left and "S.I.M." on right side of the corona.
Historical ties
The Estonian Students Society has partnership agreements with four foreign student organisations. In 1928, the Estonian Students Society concluded an agreement with the Finnish "
Nations
A nation is a community of people formed on the basis of a combination of shared features such as language, history, ethnicity, culture and/or society. A nation is thus the collective identity of a group of people understood as defined by t ...
" (Nationes)
Etelä-Pohjalainen Osakunta and
Pohjois-Pohjalainen Osakunta of the
University of Helsinki
The University of Helsinki ( fi, Helsingin yliopisto, sv, Helsingfors universitet, abbreviated UH) is a public research university located in Helsinki, Finland since 1829, but founded in the city of Turku (in Swedish ''Åbo'') in 1640 as the ...
, the first agreement concluded between Estonian and Finnish student organisations.
In 1937, an agreement with the student society
Austrums of the
University of Riga
University of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Universitāte, shortened ''LU'') is a state-run university located in Riga, Latvia established in 1919.
The ''QS World University Rankings'' places the university between 801st and 1000th globally, seventh ...
,
Latvia, followed. In 1991, a further agreement was concluded with the Finnish-Swedish "Nation"
Vasa nation of the University of Helsinki. The Estonian Students Society and its Finnish partner organisations exchange visiting students.
Structure
The organisation consists of two legal bodies:
* Estonian Students' Society, founded in 1870 and registered with the University of Tartu on 30 December 1988, and with the Tartu Municipal Government;
* Alumni Association of the Estonian Students' Society, founded in 1884 and registered pursuant to the Non-profit Associations Act of the Republic of Estonia on 8 March 1995 (Reg. no 80055073).
Members
Honorary alumni
Auvilistlased
eys.ee
* Jakob Hurt
Jakob Hurt ( in Himmaste – in St Petersburg) was a notable Estonian folklorist, theologian, and linguist. With respect to the last, he is perhaps best known for his dissertation on "pure" -ne stem nouns ("Die estnischen Nomina auf -ne purum ...
* Heinrich Rosenthal
* Karl August Hermann
Karl August Hermann (23 September 1851 – 11 January 1909) was an Estonian writer, publicist, linguist and composer.
Biography
Hermann was born in Võhmanõmme, Põltsamaa Parish, Kreis Fellin in 1851. He studied at the Faculty of Theology o ...
* Heinrich Koppel
* Martin Wühner
* Jaan Tõnisson
Jaan Tõnisson (; , – 1941?) was an Estonian statesman, serving as the Prime Minister of Estonia twice during 1919 to 1920, as State Elder (head of state and government) from 1927 to 1928 and in 1933, and as Foreign Minister of Estonia from ...
* Aleksander Mohrfeldt
* Matthias Johann Eisen
* Johan Kõpp
Johan Kõpp (9 November 1874, Holdre, Kreis Fellin – 21 October 1970, Stockholm) was an Estonian bishop and head of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church 1939–1944.
Biography
Kõpp went to high school at the Hugo Treffner Gymnasium in ...
* Oskar Kallas
* Anton Schulzenberg
* Gustav Suits
* Aadu Lüüs
* Viktor Kargaja
* Johan Müller
* August Torma
* Karl Kook
* Ferdinand Petersen
* Ilmar Raamot
* Ilmar Rebane
* Heino Riomar
* Gustav Ränk
* Henno Lender ( :et)
* Leonhard Urm
* Artur Grönberg
* Karl Aun
* Artur Taska
* August Pakosta
* Villem Raam
* Konrad Veem
* Elmar Ernst Anderson
* Edgar Heinsoo
* Jaan Kross
Jaan Kross (19 February 1920 – 27 December 2007) was an Estonian writer. He won the 1995 International Nonino Prize in Italy.
Early life
Born in Tallinn, Estonia, son of a skilled metal-worker, Jaan Kross studied at Jakob Westholm Gymnasium ...
* Eduard Leetmaa
* Udo Petersoo
* Harald Tammur
* Uno Plank
* Ilo Aasa
* Heinrich Toots
* Enn Sarv
* Alfred Johannes Tanimäe
* Andres Koern
* Udo Mällo
* Vello Mänd
* Eero Tamm
* Jaan Timusk
* Heino Oskar Valvur
* Vello Salo
Chapters
Up to 1936, all members of the Estonian Students Society were without exception students of the University of Tartu. From 1936, students of Tallinn University of Technology were also accepted. This led to the founding of the Tallinn
Tallinn () is the most populous and capital city of Estonia. Situated on a bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn has a population of 437,811 (as of 2022) and administratively lies in the Harju '' ...
Chapter for undergraduates, i.e. active members. An alumni chapter in Tallinn was established in 1921. From 1945, various chapters of the Estonian Students Society were formed abroad by expatriate members and began their activities in Sweden, Germany, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States and Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
.
The currently-active chapters are:
* Tallinn Chapter
*Pärnu
Pärnu () is the fourth largest city in Estonia. Situated in southwest Estonia, Pärnu is located south of the Estonian capital, Tallinn, and west of Estonia's second largest city, Tartu. The city sits off the coast of Pärnu Bay, an inlet ...
Chapter
* Baltimore-Washington Chapter
* California Chapter
* Göteborg Chapter
* Stockholm Chapter
* Toronto Chapter
* Brussels Chapter
Chapters of the Estonian Students Society overseas accept students from different universities and higher educational institutions.
Bibliography
* Hein, Ants. ''Maja kui sümbol: Eesti Üliõpilaste Seltsi hoone Tartus''. 2007.
* Kõpp, Johan. ''Eesti Üliõpilaste Seltsi Ajalugu 1870–1905'', I. Tartu, 1925.
* Grönberg, Artur. ''Eesti Üliõpilaste Seltsi ajalugu. II, Iseseisvuse eelvõitluses (1906–1917).'' Omariikluse saavutustes (1918–1940), Montreal, 1985.
* Vivat Academia: ''üliõpilasseltsid ja -korporatsioonid Eestis''. Tallinn, 2007.
References
External links
*
Estonia's Blue-Black-White Tricolour Flag
Google maps link
Wikimapia link
{{Authority control
University of Tartu
1870s establishments in Estonia
Student organizations established in 1870