* 1 October 1911 in Krootuse, Kõlleste Parish in Võru (now in Põlva) County. † 2 August 2004 in Stockholm Prime minister in duties of the president of the Republic of Estonia from 1 March 1990 to 6 October 1992 1953-1971 Secretary of State, 1971-1990 Acting Prime Minister, 1971–1973 Minister of War and 1973–1990 minister of the Estonian Exile Government. He studied in Võru, graduated from the Teachers' Seminar of Tartu. In 1933-1938 studied at the legal department of Tartu University. In 1938-1940 elementary school teacher. In 1940 solicitor to the barrister P. Sepp in Tartu, in 1941-1943 a solicitor in Tallinn. In 1940, after the occupation of Estonia, was a secretary of Tartu University for a short period, left on the recommendation of the Rector, Hans Kruus. In 1940, put up a candidacy for the Riigivolikogu elections as an alternative candidate to the Estonian Working People's Union, was deleted from the list of candidates. Later hid in Estonia. Escaped to Finland in 1943, was one of the organisers of the Estonian Bureau, an Estonian exile organisation, and assistant to the editor-in-chief of the Malevlane (a newspaper of Estonians in the Finnish Army). In 1944 moved to Sweden, was an assistant at the National Committee of Foreigners. In 1945-1956 was chairman of the education working group of the Estonian Committee, 1954-1975 director of the Bureau and assistant chairman of the Estonian Committee, 1975-1982 chairman of the Estonian Committee, from 1982 honorary chairman of the Estonian Committee. In 1951-1979 secretary-general of the Estonian National Council. 1998 honorary doctor of law of Tartu University, honorary member of the Estonian Literary Society, bearer of the gold badge the Estonian National Fund, of Class I Gold Service Badge of the Republic of Poland, of Class II State Coat of Arms Service Badge of the Republic of Estonia.
