Otto Wilhelm Masing
1763–1832 (age 69)
pastor and linguist
Biography
Otto Wilhelm Masing devoted his clerical career to encouraging Estonian literacy, publishing the weekly Marahva Näddala-leht and introducing the letter õ to better capture spoken sounds, thereby laying groundwork for a national literary standard.
Beyond the press he taught in parish schools, argued for humane treatment of peasants, and left behind a legacy celebrated at Raadi cemetery, his abiding commitment to language and learning lingering among readers.