Richard Janno

Richard Janno was an Estonian writer, journalist, and teacher. He wrote under the pseudonyms Juhan Pahlbärk, Tristan, and Koterman.

Early life and education

Richard Janno was born in Tallinn, the son of the shoemaker Hans Janno and Caroline Weikmann.
After graduating from Tallinn Secondary School in 1919, he enrolled at the University of Helsinki's Faculty of Philosophy and then continued at the corresponding faculty at the University of Tartu, and he then attended the School of Law at the University of Tartu.

In Helsinki, Janno worked as a tutor for August Hanko's family. From 1922 to 1927, he worked as a teacher in Tartu. From 1928 to 1936, he was part of the Postimees editorial board as a columnist. In addition, he published cultural and political cartoons for Postimees under the pseudonym Juhan Pahlbärk, and theater criticism under the initials R. J. He also authored some crime novels.
In 1936, Janno was diagnosed with tuberculosis and moved to Elva, where he worked as a freelance writer. He died in Elva in 1942.