Hendrik Saar


Hendrik Saar was an Estonian journalist, caricaturist, playwright, and clown.

Early life

Saar was born in Laatre parish in the Põhja-Ruhja district of Valmiera County. He was the son of Villem Saar and Ann Saar.

Career

In addition to working as a journalist, cartoonist, playwright, and clown, Saar also performed as a cathedral singer and stage actor. He translated operetta texts and theater jokes, and he staged his own plays. In 1919, together with Gori, he started publishing the humor magazine. He also served as the editor of several other humor magazines in Tallinn—, , , and —and of the film magazine Kino-Film and the erotic magazine . In addition, he published six issues of the serialized novel Tallinna saladused and continued from February 1927 with the title Uued Tallinna saladused, which was published in 18 issues.
Because Saar was not accepted as an actor in other theaters, he created his miniature theater Illusioon to parody "real art." In 1930, he had a supporting role in the film Kuldämblik, in which he played a musician.

Arrest and disappearance

After the outbreak of German–Soviet War in 1941, Saar published a column about Adolf Hitler in the newspaper Sirp ja Vasar. Presumably because of the accompanying cartoons, he was arrested in 1942 by the German occupation authorities. He was last seen cleaning the streets of Tallinn in the spring and summer of 1944 in a labor column of prisoners.

Works

  • 1918: Nurjaläinud äpardus
  • 1918: Käbid torbiku sees
  • 1918–1924: Punktimehed
  • 1919: Ha-ha-ha!
  • 1919: Kui kaks nii ühte nägu on... : naljamäng kahes vaatuses
  • 1921: Otsekohesus
  • 1922: Nõialind ja hea poiss Juku
  • 1922: Riigivaras
  • 1922: Imesõrmus ja vaene laps Anni
  • 1922: Kolmikliit
  • 1923: Ahvi tütar. Juhtumised maal ja üksikul saarekesel
  • 1923: Paremad kupleed
  • 1923: Kergats
  • 1923: Elli langemine. Jutustus Tallinna elust
  • 1924: Pöörang
  • 1924: Abielumeeste kavalused
  • 1924: Pleki-Karla kosjakäigud
  • 1925: Kah kaarditark
  • 1925: Kommunistid korteris
  • 1925: Sangaste Juss
  • 1925: Viina pärast
  • 1926–1927: Tallinna saladused
  • 1927: Lõbunaisterahva romaan. Tallinna juhtumisi
  • 1927: Jõulu-album 1927
  • 1933: Pruut ja lehm
  • 1941: "Misajast Hitler on hull?", Sirp ja Vasar 27, page 5

    Family

Hendrik Saar was married to Roosi Saar, who left him and then committed suicide in Dakar after being imprisoned for murder. Their daughter was the ballet dancer Asta Saar. She was married to the baritone Georg Ots from 1944 to 1964.