Uko Masing

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Uku Masing (11 August 1909-April 25, 1985) was an Estonian Professor who was awarded the Righteous Among The Nations by the Israeli Supreme Court for his participation during the Holocaust in helping a Jew in Estonia escape capture from '39 until the end of the war. His actions exposed him to great danger during this period requiring him to meet with his friend as well as lying to the Gestapo.

[edit] Righteous Among the Nations award

Masing lectured at the University of Tartu in Estonia, where he was known as a brilliant teacher of theology and Semitic languages, if somewhat slightly eccentric. After the invasion by the German Army he gave up his teaching post at the university and devoted his time to protecting and salvaging Jewish cultural and religious items.

From his days as a teacher he knew a Jew, Isidor Levin, who had decided to hide from the occupying army to avoid being captured which would have left him to an almost certain death. Uku and his wife Eha helped Levin avoid capture by supplying him with food, shelter, clothing and even forged documents and on occasions lying to the Gestapo about his knowledge of Isidor. For these actions he was awarded The Righteous Among Nations.

Masing also took an active part after the war in investigating Nazi war crimes, in particular the Klooga concentration camp where many Jews had been killed.

[edit] Early life

Masing was born in Raikküla, in Rapla district, on 11 August 1909. A gifted linguist he was able to speak four languages by the end of secondary school. He started University in 1926 studying Theology at the University of Tartu. During his time here and after graduating he published numerous poems, translations, and essays. His most famous work was in 1935 with the publication of Promontories Into the Gulf of Rains (Neemed vihmade lahte).

At his peak Masing was able to speak around 65 languages with the ability to translate from 20 of them. In particular he was known for his ability to translate straight from original Hebrew, occidental European and oriental languages straight into Estonian. Such was his prolific nature it is estimated over 10,000 of his manuscripts have yet to be published.

He was also a bigger supporter of ethnofuturism, meaning that he wanted to revitalize literature through national traditions.