Vallak, Peet

(pseudonym of Peeter Pedaias). Born June 11 (23), 1893, in Pärnu District; died Mar. 17, 1959, in Tartu. Estonian Soviet writer. Born into a peasant family.

Vallak studied painting in Tartu and St. Petersburg. In 1922 he became a professional writer. During the 1920’s and 1930’s he wrote nine collections of tales; in Soviet times he published the collections of selected tales Grains From Many Granaries (books 1-3, 1945-48) and Selected Stories (1955). He took his themes and patterns from the life of the people. His characters were mostly deprived persons. Vallak’s artistic style is characterized by a combination of realism and fantasy. From somewhat contrived situations and grotesque scenes, Vallak moved to realism.