Biography

Alliksaar attended an elementary school in Tartu

Tartu

Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university. Situated 186 km southeast of Tallinn, the...

 in 1931. In 1937 he was accepted to Hugo Treffner Gymnasium

Hugo Treffner Gymnasium

The Hugo Treffner Gymnasium is a secondary school in Tartu, Estonia with special emphasis on science education. Founded by Hugo Treffner, it was the only large secondary school in the 19th century Estonia with dominantly Estonian students and no age restrictions...

, after which he worked at railways like his father for a short period of time in 1942. In that same year he started to study law in the University of Tartu

University of Tartu

The University of Tartu is a classical university in the city of Tartu, Estonia. University of Tartu is the national university of Estonia; it is the biggest and highest-ranked university in Estonia...

.

1943–1944 he served voluntarily in the Estonian Legion

Estonian Legion

The Estonian Legion was a military unit within the Combat Support Forces of the Waffen SS Verfügungstruppe during World War II, mainly consisting of Estonian soldiers.-Creation:...

 of Waffen-SS

Waffen-SS

The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...

. He fought in 1944 on the Eastern Front

Eastern Front (World War II)

The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...

 against the Red Army

Red Army

The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...

 and when Soviets occupied Estonia, he spent some time as a Forest Brother

Forest Brothers

The Forest Brothers were Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian partisans who waged a guerrilla war against Soviet rule during the Soviet invasion and occupation of the three Baltic states during, and after, World War II...

.

Later he came back to Tartu and again worked as a railway worker.

In 1949 Alliksaar was imprisoned by Soviet authorities on charges of misuse of position. However, the charges were questionable and poet himself considered the reason for his imprisonment political. In 1954 another charge was added: betrayal of homeland. After his release in 1957 Alliksaar was prohibited to return to Estonia and he lived in Vologda

Vologda

Vologda is a city and the administrative, cultural, and scientific center of Vologda Oblast, Russia, located on the Vologda River. The city is a major transport knot of the Northwest of Russia. Vologda is among the Russian cities possessing an especially valuable historical heritage...

 oblast. He secretly returned to Tartu in 1958. Back at home he worked in brewery, construction and at railways and dedicated himself to creative activities.

Artur Alliksaar lived through many hardships. He was repressed and defamed by authorities of this era. His house burned to the ground and he was forced to live in dirt-floored shed or garage. His wife and son were suffering pneumonia

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...

.

Alliksaar died of anal cancer

Anal cancer

Anal cancer is a type of cancer which arises from the anus, the distal orifice of the gastrointestinal tract. It is a distinct entity from the more common colorectal cancer. The etiology, risk factors, clinical progression, staging, and treatment are all different. Anal cancer is typically a...

.

Creative life

In his poetry Alliksaar celebrates the choice, the individual and freedom. His poems are innovative and era-critical. He mainly wrote in free verse

Free verse

Free verse is a form of poetry that refrains from consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern.Poets have explained that free verse, despite its freedom, is not free. Free Verse displays some elements of form...

 and his verses are characterised with very creative use of language and wordplays. Alliksaar has been idolised by many Estonian poets because of his creation and his passion, his recklessness and bohemian nature.

Although only few of Alliksaar's poems were published during his lifetime, he was still well-known. He wrote one play, Nimetu Saar (Nameless Island), which he lived to see. In 1997, a complete collection of his poems, Päikesepillaja (Lavishing Sunlight), was published and became a bestseller

Bestseller

A bestseller is a book that is identified as extremely popular by its inclusion on lists of currently top selling titles that are based on publishing industry and book trade figures and published by newspapers, magazines, or bookstore chains. Some lists are broken down into classifications and...

. He has also translated poetry.