Baltisaksa huumor ja pastorianekdoodid

Abstract

Baltic German humour and anecdotes about clergymen Baltic German anecdotes (Pratchen) are a relatively unexplored part of Estonian folk humour, much like Baltic German culture within Estonian culture as a whole. This study focuses on anecdotes about Lutheran clergymen, which offer material for comparison with the more thoroughly researched Estonian counterparts. These humorous tales provide valuable insights into the cultural history, mentality, language as well as everyday life of the Baltic German community. Older Estonian anecdotes about clergymen often emphasize the social and ethnic differences between Estonian peasants and the clergy. In contrast, Baltic German anecdotes provide an internal perspective, exploring the role of the clergy within the Baltic German community and their outreach beyond it. The anecdotes can offer explanations for certain aspects that remain obscure and are therefore ridiculed in Estonian anecdotes. Two key features of Baltic German humour are its oral nature and the tradition of competing in witticisms (pliggern), a “national sport” possibly rooted in student culture. Initially shared orally, these anecdotes often referenced known people and places. They were later written down to preserve the memory and cultural history of the community. Older anecdotes published between the world wars, became classics that kept appearing in various forms in later collections. World War II added a final layer, with humour providing a way to encapsulate and process epochal events. In Baltic German anecdotes, clergymen are depicted in everyday activities and relationships, often taking on the role of the trickster parson. Unlike in Estonian jokes, the dynamic between the nobility and the church features prominently. This often takes the form of a humorous tug of war between the clergyman and the noble patron of the church, who may have attended school together in the past. The parson’s attitude towards parishioners is usually benevolent but patronizing, with the parish clerk, sexton, and coachman often playing supporting roles. Another central theme is the clergyman as a political figurehead, reflecting the tensions caused by the official campaigns of Russification and conversion to Russian Orthodoxy.

Keywords

• anecdotes
• baltic germans
• humour