Ernst Jaakson
Encyclopedia
Ernst Jaakson was an Estonia
n diplomat whose unique contribution was to keep Estonia's legal continuity with his uninterrupted diplomatic service
for 69 years.
in Riga, and law at the University of Tartu
. He later graduated from Columbia University
in New York
with a degree in economics.
of the newly independent Estonia in Riga. In 1928, he started work in the Information Division of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1929-1932, Jaakson worked as the secretary of the Estonian honorary consul in San Francisco. In 1932, he was assigned to the Estonian Consulate General in New York.
When the Soviet Union occupied Estonia
in 1940 and again in 1944, the United States
and other democratic nations invoked the Stimson Doctrine
, did not recognize the legality of Soviet
annexation
of Estonia, and continued to recognize the diplomatic representatives of the Republic of Estonia. In 1965, when his predecessor, Johannes Kaiv
, died, Jaakson became the consul in charge of legation
. Thus, he was the chief diplomatic representative of Estonia in the United States until Estonia regained independence in 1991. Throughout much of the 1980s, Jaakson, as the longest-serving foreign diplomatic representative to the United States, held the position of Dean of the Diplomatic Corps
. During the long years of the Soviet occupation when the Baltic states
' representatives in the West were often the object of curiosity or humorous dismissal, Jaakson commanded near-universal respect, and he did so not peremptorily but by his personal authority.
In 1991, Jaakson was appointed Estonia's ambassador to the United States and Estonia's permanent representative to the United Nations
. From 1993, Jaakson continued his work as the Estonian consul general in New York.
for 79 years and served as a diplomat
for 69 years.
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
n diplomat whose unique contribution was to keep Estonia's legal continuity with his uninterrupted diplomatic service
Diplomatic service
Diplomatic service is the body of diplomats and foreign policy officers maintained by the government of a country to communicate with the governments of other countries. Diplomatic personnel enjoy diplomatic immunity when they are accredited to other countries...
for 69 years.
Education
Jaakson studied economics at the University of LatviaUniversity of Latvia
University of Latvia is a university located in Riga, Latvia. Being established in 1919, University of Latvia is the biggest university in the Baltic states.-History:...
in Riga, and law at 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...
. He later graduated from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
with a degree in economics.
Diplomatic career
In 1919, Jaakson began work in the legationLegation
A legation was the term used in diplomacy to denote a diplomatic representative office lower than an embassy. Where an embassy was headed by an Ambassador, a legation was headed by a Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary....
of the newly independent Estonia in Riga. In 1928, he started work in the Information Division of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1929-1932, Jaakson worked as the secretary of the Estonian honorary consul in San Francisco. In 1932, he was assigned to the Estonian Consulate General in New York.
When the Soviet Union occupied Estonia
Occupation of Baltic Republics
The occupation of the Baltic states refers to the military occupation of the three Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania by the Soviet Union under the auspices of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact on 14 June 1940 followed by their incorporation into the USSR as constituent republics, unrecognised...
in 1940 and again in 1944, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and other democratic nations invoked the Stimson Doctrine
Stimson Doctrine
The Stimson Doctrine is a policy of the United States federal government, enunciated in a note of January 7, 1932, to Japan and China, of non-recognition of international territorial changes that were executed by force. The doctrine was an application of the principle of ex injuria jus non oritur...
, did not recognize the legality of Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
annexation
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
of Estonia, and continued to recognize the diplomatic representatives of the Republic of Estonia. In 1965, when his predecessor, Johannes Kaiv
Johannes Kaiv
Johannes Kaiv was an Estonian diplomat. A graduate in law from the University of Tartu, Kaiv studied at the Hague Academy of International Law. Between 1935 to 1939 he was the Honorary Consul in Sydney, Australia and in the years 1939 to 1965 the acting Consul General of Estonia in New York, since...
, died, Jaakson became the consul in charge of legation
Legation
A legation was the term used in diplomacy to denote a diplomatic representative office lower than an embassy. Where an embassy was headed by an Ambassador, a legation was headed by a Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary....
. Thus, he was the chief diplomatic representative of Estonia in the United States until Estonia regained independence in 1991. Throughout much of the 1980s, Jaakson, as the longest-serving foreign diplomatic representative to the United States, held the position of Dean of the Diplomatic Corps
Diplomatic corps
The diplomatic corps or corps diplomatique is the collective body of foreign diplomats accredited to a particular country or body.The diplomatic corps may, in certain contexts, refer to the collection of accredited heads of mission who represent their countries in another state or country...
. During the long years of the Soviet occupation when the Baltic states
Baltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
' representatives in the West were often the object of curiosity or humorous dismissal, Jaakson commanded near-universal respect, and he did so not peremptorily but by his personal authority.
In 1991, Jaakson was appointed Estonia's ambassador to the United States and Estonia's permanent representative to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. From 1993, Jaakson continued his work as the Estonian consul general in New York.
Autobiography
In 1995, Ernst Jaakson's autobiographical book Eestile (For Estonia) was published, which deals not only with his life, but also gives a very good overview of the diplomatic developments which took place over the years. He died in New York in 1998, at the age of 93. He worked in the Estonian Foreign ServiceDiplomatic service
Diplomatic service is the body of diplomats and foreign policy officers maintained by the government of a country to communicate with the governments of other countries. Diplomatic personnel enjoy diplomatic immunity when they are accredited to other countries...
for 79 years and served as a diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
for 69 years.