# Hugo Treffner

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**Hugo Hermann Fürchtegott Treffner** (17 July 1845 – 13 March 1912) was an Estonian educator. He was the founder of the [Hugo Treffner Gymnasium](/source/Hugo_Treffner_Gymnasium) in [Tartu](/source/Tartu), and he was a figure in the [Estonian national awakening](/source/Estonian_national_awakening). He also served as editor of *Oma Maa* from 1886 to 1891 and *[Eesti Postimees](/source/Eesti_Postimees)* from 1887 to 1888.

## Life

Hugo Hermann Fürchtegott Treffner was born in [Kanepi Parish](/source/Kanepi_Parish) on 17 July 1845.[1][2] His father worked at the parish's church. After learning under a private tutor, Treffner began attending Tartu kubermangugümnaasiumis in 1860 before moving to Võrus Poeglaste Era Õppe- ja Kasvatusasutuses in 1863. After finishing there in 1865, he took a test at the [University of Tartu](/source/University_of_Tartu) that authorised him to become a [schoolmaster](/source/Schoolmaster). He began working as a private tutor before attending the University of Tartu in 1868. He briefly studied [philology](/source/Philology) with the Faculty of History and Philology before moving to the Faculty of Theology the same year.[2]

Treffner became part of the [Estonian national awakening](/source/Estonian_national_awakening) in the 1870s, working with several nationalist-affiliated organisations and aligning himself with [Carl Robert Jakobson](/source/Carl_Robert_Jakobson).[1] Treffner co-founded the [Estonian Students' Society](/source/Estonian_Students'_Society) in 1875, and he served on the committee for [Estonian Aleksander School](/source/Estonian_Aleksander_School) from 1882 to 1884. He was a committee member for the second and third [Estonian Song Festivals](/source/Estonian_Song_Festival). Treffner finished his studies with the Faculty of Theology in 1880. He made several attempts to become a pastor, but each parish rejected him for his nationalist leanings and his association with Jakobson.[2]

Treffner opened a private German-speaking boys' school, [Hugo Treffner Gymnasium](/source/Hugo_Treffner_Gymnasium), in 1883. He also taught religion at St. Mary's School, beginning in 1886. He became editor of the *Oma Maa* magazine in 1886 and took ownership of the *[Eesti Postimees](/source/Eesti_Postimees)* newspaper in 1887; he sold the *Eesti Postimees* the following year.[1] Treffner co-founded another nationalist organisation, the [Society of Estonian Literati](/source/Society_of_Estonian_Literati),[1] which he led from 1887 to 1890.[2] Hugo Treffner Gymnasium was required to switch from German to Russian instruction in 1889 under the authority of the Russian Empire.[1]

Treffner ended his tenure as editor of *Oma Maa* in 1891. While still running his own school, he began teaching religion at Pushkin Gymnasium for Girls in 1899. Treffner died on 13 March 1912.[1]

## Legacy

Treffner did not write a significant body of literature, instead preferring verbal discourse.[2] Treffner's nephew [Konstantin Treffner](/source/Konstantin_Treffner) became director of Hugo Treffner Gymnasium in 1917, and he made it an Estonian-language school in 1918. Treffner was the model for the main character of the novel *[Truth and Justice](/source/Truth_and_Justice)*, Maurus, which was written by his student [A. H. Tammsaare](/source/A._H._Tammsaare).[1]

## References

1. Miljan, Toivo (2015). "Treffner, Hugo Hermann Fürchtegott (1845–1912)". *Historical Dictionary of Estonia*. 2nd ed. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 459–460. ISBN 978-0-8108-7513-5.

1. Paatsi, Vello. ["Hugo Hermann Fürchtegott Treffner (1845-1912)"](https://kreutzwald.kirmus.ee/et/lisamaterjalid/ajatelje_materjalid?item_id=329&table=Persons). *Kreutzwaldi sajand*. ISBN 9949-418-35-6.

## Further reading

- [Ülo Kaevats](/source/%C3%9Clo_Kaevats) et al. 1996. *Eesti Entsüklopeedia 9*. Tallinn: Eesti Entsüklopeediakirjastus, ISBN 5-89900-047-3

## External links

- [Hugo Treffner](http://www.htg.tartu.ee/eng/?sub=hugo)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Hugo Treffner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Treffner) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Treffner?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.