Sirje Olesk

Sirje Olesk (until 1977 Mägar; born 24 August 1954) is a literary researcher and critic.

Olesk was born and attended school in Kohtla-Järve, then studied Estonian language and literature at Tartu State University. She defended her candidate’s degree in philology with the thesis Luuleteoreetilise mõtte areng Eestis 1878–1917 (‘The Development of Theoretical Thought on Poetry in Estonia 1878–1917’, 1989). She has worked as a teacher, at the Estonian Literary Museum and at the universities of Tartu and Helsinki. Olesk belongs to the Estonian Writers’ Union (since 1999), the Mother Tongue Society, the Estonian Literary Society, the Estonian Association of Comparative Literature, the Karl Ristikivi Society and, as a foreign member, to the Finnish Literature Society. She was married to literary scholar Peeter Olesk (1953–2021).

Olesk has been active as a critic and literary researcher since the early 1980s. She has mainly dealt with various aspects of Estonian poetry, Estonian-Finnish literary relations, the life and work of Aino Kallas and Lydia Koidula, studied the history of the Estonian Writers’ Union and literary life in Soviet Estonia. Olesk is one of the authors of Eesti kirjanduslugu (‘History of Estonian Literature’, 2001). She has compiled several publications and written comments for them, for example: Akadeemia kirjades: Ants Orase ja Ivar Ivaski kirjavahetus 1957–1981 (‘Academy in Letters: Correspondence Between Ants Oras and Ivar Ivask 1957–1981’, 1997), Kirjad üle mere: Mart Lepiku kirjavahetus Julius Mägiste, Karl Ristikivi ja Bernard Kangroga (‘Letters Across the Sea: Mart Lepik’s Correspondence with Julius Mägiste, Karl Ristikivi and Bernard Kangro’, 2000), Kultuurisild üle Soome lahe: Eesti-Soome akadeemilised ja kultuurisuhted 1918–1944 (‘Cultural Bridge Across the Gulf of Finland: Estonian-Finnish Academic and Cultural Relations 1918–1944’, 2005), Olla need, kes me oleme: katkeid päevikutest aastatel 1964–1992 (‘To Be Who We Are: Excerpts from Diaries 1964–1992’, 2007), Sõprade kirjad on su poole teel: Jaan Kaplinski ja Hellar Grabbi kirjavahetus 1965–1991 (‘Letters from Friends are on Their Way to You: Jaan Kaplinski and Hellar Grabbi’s Correspondence 1965–1991’, 2013).

Sirje Olesk has received the annual prize of the Estonian Cultural Foundation (1994), the E. W. Ponkala Award (1996), the Order of the White Star, 3rd Class (2000) and the Aino Kallas Award of Viro Säätiö (2006).

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

Books in Estonian

Literary research and articles
Tõdede vankuval müüril: artikleid ajast ja luulest. Tartu: Eesti Kirjandusmuuseum, 2002, 323 lk.
Sirje Olesk, Anu Saluäär, Palat nr. 6: kaks artiklit „Loomingu Raamatukogu“ ajaloost. Loomingu Raamatukogu. Tallinn: Kultuurileht, 2017, 63 lk.
Aegade lugu: kirjanike liit Eesti NSVs. Tallinn: Eesti Kirjanike Liit, 2022, 303 lk.