Margus Reinsalu's Diary: Chapter. 1878 - My Father’s Parents: Life in Pärnumaa During the Tsarist and Early Estonian Periods

 

Margus Reinsalu's Diary:  Chapter. 1878 - My Father’s Parents: Life in Pärnumaa During the Tsarist and Early Estonian Periods

                                Video: Grandfather Johannes playing his self-made zither with friends

My paternal grandfather, Johannes August Reinsalu (née Reinhold), was born on 21 July 1889 in Taali, Pärnumaa. He grew up in the countryside where life was hard, but the family stayed close. However, at the age of just three, a tragic accident changed the course of his entire life. While playing, he stabbed himself in the eye with a pair of scissors. The medical care of that era was unreliable, the doctor he was taken to was reportedly drunk and prescribed the wrong treatment, which resulted in Johannes becoming completely blind.

Despite this, grandfather learned to manage independently and mastered the carpenter’s trade, becoming known in his community as a master furniture maker. Beautiful, high-quality pieces of furniture came from his hands, their elegance and craftsmanship were widely admired, especially knowing they were made by a blind man.

Johannes was more than a craftsman, he was also a talented musician. He played the accordion and the zither, an instrument he made himself. One of the zither he made by hand is still in my possession today, a precious heirloom that carries his skill and spirit.     I have a photograph of him playing the kannel surrounded by friends and neighbours.

My grandmother, Marta Reinsalu, was born on 11 November 1878 in Vana-Vändra, Pärnumaa. She was a woman of quiet strength, she never complained or sought attention, yet her work and care were what held the family together.

Life was not easy for Marta. She lived on the farm with a blind husband and carried the responsibility not only for the household but also for raising their four children. She had to be both mother and father, as Johannes could not perform the physical farm work.

Nevertheless, Marta kept the home in order, raised the children, and supported her husband. Unfortunately, few photographs of her survive, but those that do show a dignified and strong woman whose life’s work lives on in her descendants.

                                                       Photo: Grandmother Marta

Johannes and Marta lived their lives on farm in Pärnumaa. Life there was not easy, but it was filled with work and family. The farm was the centre of their world, their children grew up there, music was played, and life lessons were shared. The family was of a good size and very close-knit. Their children learned early what responsibility, diligence, and respect for family meant.

My father grew up in a household where music and craftsmanship were highly valued, and this heritage was passed on to the next generations.

Johannes and Marta’s life was full of challenges. They showed that physical limitations are not insurmountable when there is willpower and determination, and that a family’s strength lies in mutual care and unity.

To this day, their legacy lives on in our family through the photographs, the zither by my blind grandfather’s hands, still preserved today and the stories that have been passed down to us.

On to the next chapters.