Heldur Niit

Heldur Niit (9 September 1928 – 21 October 2010) was an Estonian folklorist, literary scholar and editor. After studying folklore at the University of Tartu, he worked at the Institute of Language and Literature, in the editorial office of Eesti nõukogude entsüklopeedia (ENE), and from 1972 to 2007 at the journal Keel ja Kirjandus. His scholarship ranged across folkloristics, literary history, book history and textual criticism, and he was especially associated with work on Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald, Mihkel Veske, Oskar Luts and Estonian-Finnish literary contacts.

Early life and education Niit was born in Lümanda Parish on Saaremaa. He attended Lööne and Kuressaare primary schools between 1936 and 1942, then Kuressaare Secondary School from 1942 to 1947. From 1955 to 1963 he worked as a junior researcher at the Institute of Language and Literature. In 1963 he moved to the editorial office of ENE, where he remained until 1972, after which he joined Keel ja Kirjandus as editor for literary history and folklore.

At Keel ja Kirjandus, Niit became one of the journal's best-known editors. Mart Meri wrote that roughly 800 articles, totalling about 8,000 pages, passed through Niit's editorial hands there. His later work moved increasingly toward literary history and textual scholarship. Olesk described Niit's contribution as standing at the intersection of folkloristics, literary history, book history and textology.

Honours Niit was awarded the Order of the White Star, 5th Class, in 1998. He became an honorary member of the Elias Lönnrot Society in 1999, received the F. J. Wiedemann Language Award in 2006, and was elected an honorary member of the Estonian Literary Society in 2007.

Niit died in Tallinn on 21 October 2010 and was buried at Rahumäe Cemetery.

Selected works Eesti rahvaraamat. Ülevaade XVIII ja XIX sajandi lugemisvarast (1978). Lisaandmeid Elias Lönnroti Eestis käigu kohta, parts 1–2, Keel ja Kirjandus 6–7 (1986). Kolhoosifolkloor nõuab endale täit eluõigust (1950).