Jüri Jaakson

Jüri Jaakson (16 January [O.S. 4 January] 1870 – 20 April 1942) was an Estonian lawyer and statesman.

Jüri Jaakson
Jüri Jaakson c. 1924–1925
6th State Elder of Estonia
In office 16 December 1924 (1924-12-16) – 15 December 1925 (1925-12-15)
Preceded by	Friedrich Karl Akel
Succeeded by	Jaan Teemant
Personal details
Born	(1870-01-16)16 January 1870 Karula, Kreis Fellin, Governorate of Livonia, Russian Empire
Died	20 April 1942(1942-04-20) (aged 72) Sosva, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russian SFSR, USSR
Political party	Estonian People's Party

Early years

The house in Tallinn where Jaakson and his family lived in 1920s and 1930s

Jaakson was born in Karula. After graduating from the Hugo Treffner Gymnasium in Tartu, he studied law at the University of Tartu from 1892 to 1896. He graduated with a 1st degree diploma (simple graduation) in 1896. In 1897–1914 he worked as a lawyer in Viljandi and Riga. In 1915–1919, Jaakson was a member of board of the Tallinn Municipal Bank (Estonian: Tallinna Linnapank).

Political career

Jaakson was a member and assistant chairman of the Estonian Provincial Assembly in 1917–1918. In 1918, he was general commissioner of the Estonian Provisional Government for expropriating property from the German occupation powers. During 1918–1920 he was Minister of Justice in the government of the Republic of Estonia. In 1920–1932 Jaakson served as a member of parliament (the I–IV Riigikogu).

Between December 1924 to December 1925, Jaakson was State Elder of Estonia. In 1926–1940 he worked as president of the Bank of Estonia and was a member of the National Economic Council. Jaakson was also a member of the National Council, the upper house of the bicameral parliament, in 1938–1940. Jaakson was founder of several banks and participated in several organizations like the Central Society of the North Estonian Farmers (Estonian: Põhja-Eesti Põllumeeste Keskselts) and the Council of the Tallinn Economic Union (Estonian: Tallinna Majandusühisus).

Arrest and death

Following the June 1940 Soviet invasion and occupation of Estonia, Jaakson was imprisoned by the NKVD on 14 June 1941. He was deported to Russia, accused of "counterrevolutionary activities", sentenced to death and executed in Sosva, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Soviet Union, in 1942.

Honours

National honours

• Estonia: Cross of Liberty III, 1st class (1920)
• Estonia: Order of the Cross of the Eagle, 1st class (1930)

Foreign honours

• Latvia: Order of the Three Stars, 1st Class with Chain (1925)

References

• Jaakson's biography on the website of the President of Estonia (Old site)
• Ülo Kaevats et al. 2000. Eesti Entsüklopeedia 14. Tallinn: Eesti Entsüklopeediakirjastus, ISBN 9985-70-064-3