Anton thor Helle
Anton Thor Helle (baptized 28 October 1683 in Tallinn – in Jüri) was a Baltic German Lutheran clergyman, linguist and Bible translator in Estonia. He led the initiative and served as chief editor of the first complete translation of the Bible into Estonian (1739), translating some parts and collating the whole text.
Also recorded as Anton thor Helle Jr.
Anton thor Helle
- Born
- 1683 · Tallinn.
- Died
- 1748 · Rae Rural Municipality.
- Nationality
- Sweden · Russian Empire
- Occupation
- translator · writer · cleric · parson
- Education
- Kiel University
- Languages
- German · Estonian
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Documentary summary
Anton Thor Helle (baptized 28 October 1683 in Tallinn – in Jüri) was a Baltic German Lutheran clergyman, linguist and Bible translator in Estonia. He led the initiative and served as chief editor of the first complete translation of the Bible into Estonian (1739), translating some parts and collating the whole text.
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wikidata · Q329244 · wikipedia · Anton thor Helle
In this article
Name
Name
In contemporary sources his name appears in several forms (e.g. Anton thor Helle, Anton Thorhelle, Anthonij Torhelle). The particle thor (or tor), derived from Low German, was often treated by Helle and his contemporaries as an integral part of the surname and was frequently capitalized as Thor Helle.
Life
Life
Helle was born in Tallinn, the son of a German merchant. He attended the Tallinn Gymnasium and studied theology at the University of Kiel. From 1713 he served as pastor of the parish of Jüri, where he founded a sacristan (sexton) school in 1721. In 1715 he was elected assessor of the Estonian Consistory; in 1740 he also became pastor of Kose, and in 1742 was made dean (praost) of East Harju.
Estonian Bible (1739)
Estonian Bible (1739)
Under Helle's leadership a complete Bible translation in North Estonian was published in 1739. The New Testament was based on the 1715 North Estonian version and was thoroughly revised in the 1720s, while the Old Testament books were translated from Hebrew as part of the 18th-century project. The printing (6,015 copies) was supported by Count Nicolaus Zinzendorf.
Kurtzgefaszte Anweisung zur Ehstnischen Sprache (1732)
Kurtzgefaszte Anweisung zur Ehstnischen Sprache (1732)
Helle began compiling a new prescriptive grammar to support the Bible translation; colleagues (notably Eberhard Gutsleff the younger) also contributed, and the handbook appeared in 1732. Besides grammar and a dictionary, it contains extensive collections of proverbs and riddles and other cultural material.
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
The authorities additionally record the heading Anton thor Helle Jr. His recorded languages were German and Estonian. His recorded confession was Lutheranism.
Identity
Identity
Anton thor Helle is recorded as translator, writer, cleric and parson.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1683
Anton thor Helle born at Tallinn.
1748
Anton thor Helle died at Rae Rural Municipality.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Tallinn.
Birth place
Rae Rural Municipality.
Death place
Legacy
Helle's 1739 Bible served as a major model for the Estonian literary language and contributed to the dominance of the North Estonian written standard. A monument commemorating the 250th anniversary of the first Estonian Bible and Helle was unveiled at Jüri on 14 October 1989.
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Anton thor Helle”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q329244: Anton thor Helle
General reference · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.University of Tartu. Anton Thor Helle. Estonian Writers' Online Dictionary.
- 2.Ross, Kristiina. Joobelist ja juubelist – Anton Thor Helle 325. Keel ja Kirjandus. 10. 757. 2008.
- 3.Anton Thor Helle mälestuseks. Eesti Kirik. 1 May 2013.
- 4.Eesti Piibliselts. Eestikeelne Piibel. piibliselts.ee.
- 5.Eesti Piibliselts. 30 aastat Piibli monumenti. piibliselts.ee. 17 October 2019.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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