Katrin Välbe (until 1929 Jekaterina Poska; 31 October 1904 – 5 July 1981) was an

Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

n actress. Katrin Välbe was born Jekaterina Poska in

Võru Võru (; ; ) is a town and a municipality in south-eastern Estonia. It is the capital of Võru County and the centre of Võru Parish. History Võru was founded on 21 August 1784, at the request of the Empress Catherine II of Russia, by the o ...

to Gabriel and Lydia Poska. Her father was a lawyer and her uncles included statesman

Jaan Poska Jaan Poska VR III/1 (; , Laiusevälja, near Jõgeva, Estonia – 7 March 1920, Tallinn, Estonia) was a lawyer, politician and the foreign minister of Estonia in 1918–1919. Early life Poska was born the fifth of 12 children of an Eastern O ...

, politician Mihkel Poska, and

Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church The Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church (EAOC; , officially the Orthodox Church of Estonia) is an Eastern Orthodox Church, Orthodox church in Estonia under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. Under Estonian law i ...

clergymen Nikolai and Paul Poska. After graduating from secondary school, she initially enrolled at the

University of Tartu The University of Tartu (UT; ; ) is a public research university located in the city of Tartu, Estonia. It is the national university of Estonia. It is also the largest and oldest university in the country.

in 1922 to study medical sciences, leaving after one year. In 1930, she graduated from the Drama Theatre School in

Tallinn Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, it has a population of (as of 2025) and ...

, having studied under drama pedagogue Hilda Gleser. From 1931 until 1944, she worked at

Tallinna Töölisteater This is the list of theatres located in Estonia. The list is incomplete. References {{Europe topic, List of theatres in Estonia Theatres Theatres Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live perform ...

, from 1945 until 1946 at Noorsooteater, 1946 until 1949 at

Estonia Theatre Estonia Theatre is an historic landmark building in central Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finl ...

, and from 1949 until 1951 and again from 1952 until 1971 at

Estonian Drama Theatre The Estonian Drama Theatre () is a theatre in Tallinn, Estonia. It has the role of a national theatre for Estonia. The Estonia Theatre is located next door. History The building that houses the Estonian Drama Theatre was originally built for the ...

. Besides theatrical roles, she also performed as a film actress beginning in the early 1950s, as well as appearing in radio plays and several television films. In 1958, Välbe was awarded as Meritorious Artist of the Estonian SSR. She died in Tallinn in 1981 and was buried at Tallinn's Forest Cemetery.

Selected filmography

* 1951 ''Valgus Koordis'' (role: Aino's mother) * 1955 ''Kui saabub õhtu'' (role: Inn matron) * 1955 ''Andruse õnn'' * 1956 ''Tagahoovis'' (role: Veika) * 1957 ''Pöördel'' (role: Anu Vett) * 1959 ''Veealused karid'' (role: Mihkel's wife) * 1959 ''Vallatud kurvid'' * 1960 ''Vihmas ja päikeses'' (role: Commandant) * 1962 ''

Jääminek This is a list of most notable films produced in Estonia and in the Estonian language in chronological order. 1912–1918 List of Estonian films made in Governorate of Estonia and Governorate of Livonia of the Russian Empire 1918–1940 List ...

'' (role: Maris Jõgel) * 1966 ''Ühe suve akvarellid'' (role: Juula) * 1968 ''Pimedad aknad'' (role: Grandmother Hirlanda) * 1969 ''Gladiaator'' (role: Reet) * 1971 ''Tuuline rand'' (role: Anu) * 1971 ''Metskapten'' * 1979 ''Naine kütab sauna'' (role: Aita)

References

1904 births 1981 deaths Estonian stage actresses Estonian film actresses Estonian radio actresses Estonian television actresses 20th-century Estonian actresses People from Võru Burials at Metsakalmistu {{Estonia-actor-stub