Chapter 7.2.8: Life and Culture at the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century.
Literacy rates in Estonia were the highest in the Russian Empire, 95% of people could read and 78% of people could write by 1897. New high schools were established, by 1900 there were 12 of them in total, with about 3500 students. The number of Estonians in high schools increased considerably.
The house of the Hugo Treffner Private High School in Tartu, which was established by Hugo Treffner, one of the figures in the national movement, to provide high school education to students who were not allowed in “official” high schools for one reason or another and where many future Estonian intellectuals and cultural figures would get their education. Nowadays Hugo Treffneri Gümnaasium (located in a different building.)
Although the high cost of higher education meant that university doors were generally closed for most youngsters, the numbers of Estonians that got university education also increased slowly. By 1900, there were over 200 Estonian students at the University of Tartu. Large numbers of Estonians also studied in St. Petersburg and Riga. By turn of the century, some Estonians had even managed to acquire PhDs.
The overall number of students at the University of Tartu increased quickly. In 1900 there were 1700 students, by 1909 it had increased to 2800. With Russification there was an influx of both Russian professors and students, but several prominent German professors also continued their work there. The university was a major centre of science within the Russian Empire, the university was the third largest.
The building of the Natural History Museum in Tartu, opened in 1915.
Life in the countryside changed immensely as well. New farmhouses that would replace the old ones appeared. They had wooden floors, stoves, chimneys and large windows. More and more factory products appeared in households, like cuckoo clocks and petroleum lamps. Threshers came into use. People started to wear a similar fashion like was worn in the cities, replacing traditional folk costumes. Brass bands would replace traditional kannels and bagpipes. 
The first movies were shown in the 1890s, when cinematographers would travel from town to town. The first cinema was opened in 1908 in Tartu. The first known Estonian movie was filmed in 1912, and was called “Laenatud naene” (Borrowed Woman).
Gramophones also appeared and with them, the first Estonian song recordings.
Here is the Estonian anthem recording from 1908, back when it was just a patriotic song:
And here is a song called “A kiss is not a sin” from 1913:
The effects of russification started to dissipate around the turn of the century. The new main form of societies that advanced the cause of the national movement were temperance societies, which in addition to promoting soberness also organised concerts, plays, speeches and festivals, spreading national ideals and developing national culture that way. The most prominent leader of the temperance movement in Estonia was the pastor of Kolga-Jaani Villem Reiman, who became a sort of linking figure between the National Awakening era and the renaissance of the national movement at the beginning of the 20th century. He is also known for writing the first somewhat scientifically accurate overview of Estonian history from the perspective of Estonians.
Other earlier societies, like farmers societies and song and theatre societies also remained active. Music nights and amateur plays were rather common. First sport societies were established as well, first to promote cycling, then later to promote wrestling. In addition, handicraft, volunteer firefighter and volunteer coast guard societies were established as well. People in all stratas of society participated in some form of cultural and/or societal activity, a sense of community was strong.
The first Estonian painters in the second half of the 19th century, like Köler or Grenzstein, had catered their work towards the higher class of imperial society. At the change of the century, a new generation of Estonian painters and musicians stepped into the limelight, who would instead start catering towards the domestic audience, which was gaining a deeper interest in high culture
At first, Estonian high culture was inseparable from German and Russian influences, but now artists started to look for closer connections with Western Europe, mostly France, and Nordic, both Scandinavian and Finnish cultures. This new turn was really exemplified by the Noor-Eesti (Young Estonia) movement, which released their first album in 1905. Their main motto, said by their leader and poet Gustav Suits, was “let's stay Estonians but also become Europeans!”.
The cover of the II album of Noor-Eesti (1907)
A great influence on the minds of young Estonian intellectuals were the big changes in worldview that were occuring in Europe at the time. They strived to leave behind the old, what they called peasant traditions, and instead modernise and Europeanise the culture. This was of course despised by the older generation of the national movement.
European influences are apparent in the works of the Estonian painters at the time. Ants Laikmaa became known for his impressionist portraits. Kristjan Raud was influenced by symbolism and art nouveau. Laikmaa also founded an art school in Tallinn in 1903, the first Estonian art school, and organised several exhibitions of Estonian art. Some other Estonian artists were Nikolai Triik and Konrad Mäe. In the field of sculpture, the father of Estonian sculpture, August Weizenberg, and Amadus Adamson were active.
Modern European influences also appeared in the works of the composers, who had graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory, like in the choir songs of Mart Saar and symphonies of Rudolf Tobias. The first Estonian symphony orchestra was established in 1900 in Tartu by Aleksander Läte.
Piano Concerto in D minor (1897) by Tobias.
String Quartet No. 2. (1902) by Tobias
Estonian prose literature was founded by Eduard Bornhöhe, whose first novel, Tasuja (Avenger) was released in 1880 and like the two other best known works of his, was a historical novel. His nephew, Eduard Vilde, was influenced by realism and naturalism, his best known works are his historical trilogy set in the 1850s, starting with Mahtra Sõda (1902) and the novel Mäeküla Piimamees (1917). Both the prose of Friedebert Tuglas and the poetry of Gustav Suits were influenced by romanticism, impressionism and symbolism.
Eduard Bornhöhe (1862-1923)
Eduard Vilde in 1911 (1865-1933)
The quality of both Estonian literature and journalism increased greatly. New newspapers and magazines were established constantly, Postimees and its new rivals Teataja and Päevaleht became daily newspapers. Their circulation increased as well. The contents of books became more and more important. First art critics appeared and the importance of fiction rose.
The former cultural societies of Estonia (in 1900) and Vanemuine (in 1906) now became professional theatres with paid actors. Endla theatre was established in Pärnu in 1911, growing out of another cultural society established in the city in 1875. Professional playwrights also appeared, like August Kitzberg, whose most famous work would be the tragedy “Libahunt” (Werewolf, 1911). With professional theatres also came stage directors, like Paul Pinna, one of the founders of professional Estonia theatre.
Paul Pinna with his wife Netty, also an actress at Estonia.
August Kitzberg (1855-1927)
The Vanemuise Theatre building in Tartu, opened in 1906. Was destroyed during WW2, the new building is from the 1960s.
Estonia theatre building, opened in 1913. Was heavily damaged during WW2, rebuilt after the war with some minor alterations.
The current building, now housing the Estonian National Opera and Estonian National Ballet.
Endla theatre in Pärnu, opened in 1911. Destroyed during WW2, a new building was built in a different location.
The turn of the century also saw the birth of Estonian national architecture. The father of Estonian architecture was engineer Georg Hellat, another notable figure was Karl Burman.
The building of EÜS in Tartu, by Hellat. Built in 1902, is regarded as the first building designed by an Estonian architect.
Some apartment buildings in Tallinn from the 1910s (before WW1) by Burman.
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