Mati Õun
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Mati Õun | |
|---|---|
 Õun in 2012 | |
| Born | 17 July 1942 Tallinn, Estonia |
| Died | 21 December 2024 (aged 82) |
| Citizenship | Estonian |
| Alma mater | University of Tartu |
| Occupations | Military historian, writer, teacher |
| Awards | Order of the White Star, 5th Class |
Mati Õun (17 July 1942 – 21 December 2024) was an Estonian military historian, writer, teacher and sports figure. He published more than 80 books on maritime and military history and was a co-author of reference works including the Eesti entsüklopeedia and Mereleksikon.[1] He was also among the founders of the Estonian Academic Military History Society and one of the pioneers of powerlifting in Estonia.[1][2]
Born in Tallinn, Õun graduated from the Tallinn Construction and Mechanics Technical School in 1961 and later completed a degree in history by correspondence at the University of Tartu in 1984.[2] In a 2022 radio interview he reflected on his compulsory service in the Soviet Navy and on his later work as an author of military-history books.[3]
Career and scholarship
Õun served as director of the Estonian Theatre and Music Museum from 1989 to 1992.[4] He later taught history and military history at a range of Estonian institutions, including the Estonian Institute of Humanities, the Estonian National Defence Academy, the Estonian Military Academy, Tallinn Pedagogical University, Tallinn University and the Estonian Maritime Academy.[1]
His writing focused especially on naval warfare and maritime history, but he also published on land warfare and military technology.[5][6][7][8] He was also a frequent public lecturer and commentator on military history in conferences, on radio and on television.[1] In 2014 he was among the historians who, during the centenary of the First World War, called for more research on Estonia's role in the conflict.[9] A University of Oulu study on the heritage of World War II sea mines referred to him as an "Estonian Juminda scholar", reflecting his association with research on the 1941 Juminda mine battle.[10]
According to a 2022 profile published by the City of Tallinn, Õun was active in the restoration of Estonia's defence forces and in 1988 was among the employees of the Estonian Maritime Museum who helped bring the icebreaker Suur Tõll back to Estonia.[5] The Estonian Maritime Museum has also listed him among the historians who contributed most to the maritime reference work Mereleksikon.[11]
Sport
Õun began weightlifting in 1959 under the coach Jaan Toome while studying at technical school.[2] After a back injury he turned to bodybuilding and helped organize competitions in the 1970s.[2] He was one of the figures who laid the groundwork for powerlifting in Estonia, chaired the powerlifting commission of the Estonian SSR Weightlifting Federation from 1980 to 1991, and was later named honorary chairman of the Estonian Powerlifting Federation.[2]
Honours
Õun received the Order of the White Star, 5th Class, in 2018.[12][13] On his 80th birthday in 2022, a bench bearing his name was unveiled in Nõmme, Tallinn.[5]
