Janika Kronberg

Janika Kronberg (born 24 November 1963) is a literary researcher and editor.

Kronberg was born and attended school in Võru; from 1982–1989, he studied at the Faculty of Philology of Tartu State University, graduating from it in the speciality of Estonian literature. His master’s thesis carried the title Eesti Kirjanike Kooperatiiv 1950–1994 (‘The Estonian Writers’ Cooperative 1950–1994’, 2001). He has been head of the Karl Ristikivi Museum in Tartu, a researcher at the University of Tartu and the Estonian Literary Museum, also director of the latter (2005-2015) and chief editor of the journal Looming (2016–2021). Kronberg is a member of the Estonian Writers’ Union (chairman of its Tartu department from 1996–2005), a member of the student society Veljesto, the Estonian Literary Society, the Estonian Comparative Literature Association and Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies, and chairman of Karl Ristikivi Society. For the book Rännud kuue reisijuhiga (‘Journeys with Six Travel Guides’, 2013), he received the Bernard Kangro Literary Award and the travel book prize of the Go Travel travel agency in 2014. He was awarded the Order of the White Star, Class 4 in 2015.

One of Kronberg’s main research areas has been Karl Ristikivi’s creation. Kronberg was engaged in founding the Karl Ristikivi Museum and has published numerous articles and books about Ristikivi, for example, Hästi valitud sõbrad: artikleid Karl Ristikivist ja tema kirjanduslikust ümbrusest (‘Well Selected Friends: Articles on Karl Ristikivi and His Literary Surroundings’, 2016). In addition, he has been the compiler and editor of several collections, for example, the collection of Ristikivi’s articles Viimne vabadus (‘The Last Liberty’, 1996), which was published in the series Eesti mõttelugu (‘History of Estonian Thought’). In addition to Ristikivi, he has studied the creation of other emigre Estonian writers and published general treatments of emigre Estonian literature.

Observations on history of literature are entwined with personal travel impressions in the book Rännud kuue reisijuhiga (2013) where the author’s spiritual travel companions are, for example, the writers Friedebert Tuglas, Henrik Visnapuu and Karl Ast-Rumor whose creation he has also discussed in several articles.

A. K. (Translated by I. A.)

Books in Estonian

Travelogues
Rännud kuue teejuhiga. Tallinn: Go Group, 2013, 247 lk

Prose
Seitse: valdkondadevahelised jutud. Tartu: Ilmamaa, 2019, 143 lk

Literary studies
Tiibhobu märgi all: Eesti Kirjanike Kooperatiiv 1950-1994. Tallinn: Underi ja Tuglase Kirjanduskeskus, 2002, 287 lk
Hästi valitud sõbrad: artikleid Karl Ristikivist ja tema kirjanduslikust ümbrusest. Tartu: Eesti Kirjandusmuuseumi Teaduskirjastus, Karl Ristikivi Selts, 2016, 233 lk