Jaan Tõnisson
| Jaan Tõnisson | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 2nd Prime Minister of Estonia | |
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In office 18 November 1919 – 28 July 1920 |
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| Preceded by | Otto August Strandman |
| Succeeded by | Ado Birk |
| 4th Prime Minister of Estonia | |
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In office 30 July 1920 – 26 October 1920 |
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| Preceded by | Ado Birk |
| Succeeded by | Ants Piip |
| 8th State Elder of Estonia | |
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In office 9 December 1927 – 4 December 1928 |
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| Preceded by | Jaan Teemant |
| Succeeded by | August Rei |
| 15th State Elder of Estonia | |
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In office 18 May 1933 – 21 October 1933 |
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| Preceded by | Konstantin Päts |
| Succeeded by | Konstantin Päts |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
22 December 1868 Viiratsi Parish, Estonia (then Governorate of Livonia, part of the Russian Empire) |
| Died | presumably 1941 (aged 72) |
| Nationality | Estonian |
| Political party | Progressive People's Party (1905–1917) Democratic Party (1917–1919) Estonian People's Party (1919–1932) National Centre Party (1932–1935) later none |
| Alma mater | University of Tartu |
| Profession | lawyer, newspaper editor, politician |
Jaan Tõnisson (Estonian pronunciation: [ˈjɑːn ˈtɤnisˑˈson]; 22 December [O.S. 10 December] 1868, near Tänassilma – 1941?, in Tallinn?) 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 1931 to 1932.
Tõnisson was born on 22 December [O.S. 10 December] 1868 near Tänassilma, Viiratsi Parish, Viljandi County, then part of the Governorate of Livonia of the Russian Empire. He grew up during the Estonian national awakening, being inspired by nationalist ideas already in his childhood.
Tõnisson studied in the parish school and later also in high school of Viljandi. He went on to study law at the University of Tartu, where he joined the young fraternal Estonian Students' Society, a group which played an important role in the national movement in the late 19th and early 20th century. Tõnisson became the chairman of the society, acquainting him with Villem Reimann, leader of the national movement of that time.
Russification policy had closed several Estonian organizations and prominent students, including Jaan Tõnisson, started speaking up, finding support among ethnic Estonians.
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