Symposium: Molecular Scale Interactions in
Ion Conducting Polymers
History of Tartu University
The University of Tartu was established in 1632 during the reign of
Gustavus II Adolphus as the second university in the Swedish Empire.
Using the direct example of the University of Uppsala, studies began
in the form of a 4-department Latin academy. The functioning of the
University during the Swedish period was obstructed by wars. The
University's activities were suspended for the whole of the 18th
century.
The University was re-opened in 1802. In the Russian Empire of that
period it was the sole university where studies were undertaken in
German thus making it an unique intermediary between East and West.
The University's belle %poque was in the 19th century. World renowned
scholars such as the founder of embryology K.E.v.Baer, the founder of
physical chemistry W.Ostwald, physicists H.F.E.Lenz, M.H.Jacobi and
others studied and worked at the University.
At the end of the 19th century, the University's activities were
paralyzed for some decades due to the politics of Russification.
The new rise of the University of Tartu was concurrent with the
establishment of the Republic of Estonia. The 1st of December, when
in 1919 the National Native-Language University was opened, is
nowadays celebrated as the University's anniversary. During the years
of the Estonian Republic, much work was done in the development of
national research. The neurologist L.Puusepp, astronomer E.Öpik,
geo-botanist T.Lippmaa and archeologist H.Moora worked in Tartu.
Under Soviet occupation the University of Tartu had the good fortune
to maintain its role as Estonian alma mater Tartuensis.
Today, the University is undergoing a period of great change and is
striving to re-join the family of world universities.
Chronology
- 5th - 6th century
- Estonian fortifications built on Toome (Dome) hill in Tarbatu
- 1030
- The Prince of Kiev, Jaroslav the Wise, conquered Tartu's
fortifications and built in their place his own fortifications Jurjev.
Tartu's first written mention.
- 1224
- Tartu falls to the German Teutonic Order, Dorpat becomes a
bishopric center.
- 13th - 16th centuries
- Tartu becomes a commercial center and Hanseatic City.
- 1558 - 1582
- Livonian war. Tartu falls under Russian occupation.
- 1582 - 1625
- As a result of the Livonian war, Tartu falls under Polish control.
- 1625 - 1704
- As a result of the war between Poland and Sweden, Tartu falls under
Swedish control.
- 1630
- The first secondary school (gymnasium) in Estonia begins to
function.
- 1632, 30th June
- Gustavus Adolphus II proclaims, at the request of Johan Skytte
(governor of Livland, Ingrianland and Karelia), the establishment of
Academia Dorpatensis.
- 1632, 15th October
- Formal opening of University of Tartu, also known as Academia
Gustaviana.
- 1656 - 1665
- During the Russo-Swedish war, the University was moved to Tallinn.
- 1690 - 1699
- The University is in operation once again - Academia Gustavo
Carolina.
- 1700 - 1710
- Due to the Northern war, the University was moved to Pärnu,
the University's activities were interrupted for almost a century.
- 1704
- Russian forces occupy Tartu.
- 1708
- Tartu destroyed by Russian forces.
- 1710 - 1917
- As a result of the Northern war, Tartu (from the end of the 19th
century Jurjev) became a part of the Tsarist Russian Empire.
- 1802, 21st April
- Russian Kaiser Alexander I decrees the re-opening of the
University - Kayserliche Universität zu Dorpat.
- 1828 - 1839
- A Professor's Institute operates at the University, to prepare
professors to teach at other Russian universities.
- 1869
- The first national Song Festival.
- 1870
- "Vanemuine", the first Estonian theatre, begins activity.
- 1889 - 1895
- In connection with the politics of Russification, the University
of Tartu became a Russian-language university - Imperatorski Jurjevski
Universitet.
- 1909
- The Estonian National Museum is founded.
- 1917, October - 1918, February
- Tartu under Bolshevik control.
- 1918, February - December
- German occupation, the University becomes Landesuniversität
zu Dorpat.
- 1918, December - 1919, January
- Russian occupation.
- 1919, January - 1940, June
- Tartu is the university town of the Republic of Estonia.
- 1919, 1st December
- Work begins at the national, Estonian-language Tartu Ülikool
(University of Tartu).
- 1940, June - 1941, July
- Soviet occupation, then the University's name was Tartu Riiklik
Ülikool (Tartu State University).
- 1941, July - 1944, August
- German occupation. Landesuniversität zu Dorpat operates
in Tartu.
- 1944, August - 1991, August
- Soviet period. Until 1989 the University was known as Tartu
Riiklik Ülikool (Tartu State University).
- 1951
- From a University base, the Estonian Agricultural Academy
(now the Estonian Agricultural University) is created in Tartu.
- 1989
- The name Tartu Ülikool (University of Tartu) is restored.
Last modified: February 17, 2001