If You Weren't in Narva-Jõesuu for the Summer, You Didn't Exist

Ivika Maidre points to a memorial plaque marking the house where Estonian literary classic Anton Hansen Tammsaare spent his summers between 1929–1931 and in 1939. Photo: Matti Kämara / Põhjarannik

The Narva-Jõesuu Local History Museum features a permanent exhibition dedicated to its most illustrious summer guests. The resort town’s memory institution itself is located at 38 Nurme Street, where an exterior plaque marks the summer residence of Anton Hansen Tammsaare.

An entire memorial room is dedicated to Estonian cultural figures who favored Narva-Jõesuu for their retreats. Archives show that in 1937, the newspaper Põhja Kodu reported: “On Monday evening, writer Friedebert Tuglas arrived in Narva-Jõesuu with his family. He will be holidaying here for some time.”

“Back then, this was front-page news. One wonders which contemporary writer’s arrival would make the celebrity headlines today,” reflects museum director and historian Ivika Maidre.

Heili Reinart’s book Summer Gentry (Supelsaksad) reveals that the Tuglas family turned to Narva-Jõesuu after being deeply offended by rude service in otherwise quiet and charming Haapsalu.

Composer Heino Eller and his wife Anna holidayed in Narva-Jõesuu regularly between 1927 and 1940. The seaside landscapes, wide shorelines, and coastal pine forests inspired his music, notably resulting in the orchestral suite White Night.

That the composer embraced resort leisure is captured in an archival photograph showing Eller posing on the beach in a classic bathrobe.

By contrast, Anton Hansen Tammsaare never abandoned formal gentlemanly elegance even by the water. Archival beach portraits capture him in a three-piece tailored suit, complete with a waistcoat and a tie.

“Two literary figures are most frequently remembered in connection with Narva-Jõesuu: Tammsaare and Eduard Vilde,” explains Ivika Maidre.

“It was gracefully said of Vilde that he came to Narva-Jõesuu for health treatments. We now know this cure coincided with a romance with a young pharmacist, Rahel Uschmarow. The affair ended abruptly because, as Vilde put it, he could not live on the edge of a volcano. The lady was intense and demanded that he divorce his wife, which the elderly author refused to do.”

Vilde rented rooms at the historic town pharmacy. “I still remember that wooden building; the bus stop in Narva-Jõesuu is called ‘Apteegi’ to this day. The original structure was lost to fire under unclear circumstances during the 1990s. Today, a commemorative stone marks the spot where Eduard Vilde lived between 1924 and 1926, and a street in town bears his name,” notes Ivika Maidre.

Their correspondence from 1925 to 1933, detailing the romance and the author's later years, was published in the volume Cheek to Cheek: Eduard Vilde’s Letters to Rahel.

By the 1930s, Narva-Jõesuu had evolved into a vibrant, fashionable resort that was considered an essential summer destination for actors, musicians, and writers. As Ivika Maidre notes, the popular phrase went: “If you aren’t in Narva-Jõesuu, you don’t exist.” The spirit of high society was spearheaded by actor and director Paul Pinna, who opened his own venue in 1933, known as Pauli Baar.

“Resort life in Narva-Jõesuu was simply unimaginable without Paul Pinna. He became the soul of seaside entertainment. Wherever Pinna appeared, laughter, wit, and high spirits followed. /.../ He hosted the elections and coronations of the Summer Prince and Queen, organized children’s festivals, and directed themed soirées,” records Supelsaksad.

The center of refined entertainment was the Kurhaus, while live orchestras and jazz ensembles played in the park, on the beach pavilion, and along the promenade. Ivika Maidre points out that the resort catered to every taste, from live jazz bands to cabaret evenings. Its rich network of cafés and restaurants, coupled with Estonia's longest continuous sandy beach, set Narva-Jõesuu apart from the quieter coastal retreat of Toila.

The museum also honors artists whose ties to the resort continued through the post-war era, including singers Georg Ots and Artur Rinne. “When the local health resort opened and became a focal point for Estonian culture, Georg Ots gladly performed on its stage,” says Ivika Maidre.

Artur Rinne was also a frequent performer at the sanatorium. Before the war, he had hosted and sung at the Kurhaus, inviting his peers to the resort; his father’s second wife owned a private summer villa in Narva-Jõesuu.

The master of Estonian literature explained that although his family had explored nearly every major seaside resort, none matched the spaciousness and freedom of Narva-Jõesuu.

“I consider summering in Narva-Jõesuu essential for our health. Elsewhere my children frequently fell ill, but during eight summers in Narva-Jõesuu, it never happened once. The air here, owing to the vast coastal expanse, remains exceptionally pure and dry.”

The writer also praised the comfortable accommodation options: “Nowhere else can you rent detached private villas nestled within pine groves and private gardens. Rental rates are reasonable, and the food supply is outstanding. Narva is right next door, supplying everything needed. Furthermore, local orchards established during the St. Petersburg era provide fresh berries and fruit, while regular bus lines make visiting the Narva market effortless.”

Above all, Tammsaare celebrated the shoreline’s untouched scale: “Where else can one find such a sandy beach? Under the warm sun and gentle sea breeze, it is an earthly miracle and pure bliss. You can walk seven or eight kilometers toward Vaivara, or along the river toward the border. In winter, I am surrounded by the bustle of the city. Why spend the summer in crowded hotel strips with narrow beaches where people are packed like herrings in a barrel? Our short Northern summer belongs in nature.”

Tammsaare emphasized the balance the resort offered: “You can live an entire summer in complete solitude. Yet, if you seek company, it is always close at hand at a seaside café, spa salon, or the town center.”

When asked if he wrote his famous works here, Tammsaare clarified that he dedicated his time solely to rest: “I never write at summer resorts. At most, I have completed minor translation work. However, reading here is divine. For those without family duties, working here would be ideal. The greatest obstacle is the irresistible pull of the outdoors—into the pine forests, onto the sand, or along the river, where boats take you to quiet lakes, scenic dunes, and winding waterways.”