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Kentmanni
(Wilhelm Gottfried Kentmann, ca.1800-ca.1874)
Pedagogue and headmaster of a charity school for poor children (Luthers Armenschule, funded by Christian Luther) from 1830-1874 (attended, among others, by Bornhöhe E. and Vilde E.). The street was also named for short periods (1939-1940 & 1941-1944) after Konstantin Päts (trivia drop: päts, or loaf of (corn)bread, is a possible cognate of Georgian ფეჩი, peči or ‘cast-iron stove’ and the street is 350 m from Ahju), 1st President of the Republic of Estonia (died 1956 at a Soviet psychiatric hospital while undergoing a rest for the insanity of believing he actually was President of the Republic of Estonia), interspersed by Kreuksi J. in the Soviet occupation (1940-1941 & 1944-1989) and, seemingly but uncertainly, a brief, few-day interlude in 1942 after Hermann Göring. Street namesake often confused Kentmann senior and junior, the latter, Woldemar Friedrich, was author of Koolilaste Geograahwia raamat (Geography book for schoolchildren, 1875) and Geograahwia kaardid koolilaste geograahwia-raamatu lisaks (Maps for a geography textbook, 1884).
Hermanni K.A.
(Karl August Hermann, 1851-1909)
Composer, linguist, author of the first Estonian grammar in Estonian by an Estonian, Eesti keele Grammatik (1884), romantic writer, journalist and important musical character during Estonia’s period of awakening (1850-1918). After studying comparative linguistics at Leipzig, went on to learn 16 languages, as one does. His research led him to believe that Estonians were descended from ancient Sumerians (Brazilian linguist Luiz Caldas Tibiriçá promoted a similar trajectory for Tupi speakers in South America). His wife is said to have sewn the first Estonian blue, black and white flag.
Jakobsoni C.R.
(Carl Robert Jakobson, 1841-1882)
Writer, teacher and member of a group of successful Estonians known as ‘the Petersburg patriots’ who used their influence to better their compatriots’ lot. One of the important persons in Estonian national awakening. Depicted on the 500-krooni banknote where, interestingly, his beard improved with each printing (for information on Estonian currency, see Krooni). As a journalist, he contributed to Postimees but Jannsen disliked his anti-German, anti-clerical stance (the censor called him ‘the Robespierre of the Baltic’) and when Jakobson published his own newspaper in 1878, Sakala, a ‘War of Pens’ ensued. Jakobson’s funeral triggered a great demonstration of national feeling, despite dreadful weather and poor roads, more than 3500 people came to mourn their lost leader. Rumors spread that ‘Robespierre’ had been poisoned: a German doctor was accused but no guilt established. Prior to 1923, street known as Владимірская / Vladimiri in honor of an 1886 visit to Tallinn by Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia, uncle of Tsar Nicholas II, replacing the previous, 19th-C names of Слободская, (Uus-)Slobodi or (Neue Sloboden) after the settlement created by Peter I and recorded as Uus slobodaa (see Tobiase R.).
Kappeli J.
(Johannes Kappel, 1855-1907)
Composer (of liturgical music?...), studied at St-Petersburg Conservatory and remained in Russia. Given the German term Kapellmeister (lit. chapel master, or master of the chapel choir), it is very tempting to see an example of nominative determinism (interesting article, worth reading) here, where prople tend to gravitate towards professions/trades reflecting their names (but see Kapi A.). Interestingly, the hero of this street gets two plaques in his name, one at each end of the street, but narry the number known…
