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Eino BaskinEstonian and Soviet theatre actor and director
Date of Birth: 17.06.1929
Country:  Estonia |
Content:
- Hirsh Baskin: A Life in the Spotlight and Adversity
- Controversy and Imprisonment
- Release and Exile
- Theater Founder and Director
- Personal Life
Hirsh Baskin: A Life in the Spotlight and Adversity
Early Life and CareerHirsh Baskin was born into a Jewish family in Tallinn, Estonia. His father was an actor. During the German occupation of Estonia, Baskin was evacuated to Russia. In 1951, he graduated from the State Theater Institute of the Estonian SSR.
From 1951 to 1957, Baskin acted at the Tallinn Drama Theater named after Victor Kingissepp. In 1958-1961, he performed on stages in Leningrad theaters. From 1961 to 1964, he worked as a conversationalist at the State Philharmonic of the Estonian SSR.
Controversy and Imprisonment
In April 1963, Baskin published an article in the weekly "Sirp ja Vasar" criticizing the State Philharmonic of the Estonian SSR. The Ministry of Culture responded by having him arrested in January 1964 on fabricated charges of distributing pornographic materials.
Baskin spent three months in pre-trial detention before being sentenced to six months in prison. The formal basis for the charges was erotic revelations in his correspondence with a woman who later turned against him and handed his letters to the police.
Release and Exile
After his release from prison in July 1964, Baskin was forced to move to Leningrad as no one in Estonia would hire him. He worked in Leningrad theaters for three years before returning to Estonia in 1968.
Theater Founder and Director
In 1980, Baskin founded the Old Town Studio Theater (Vanalinnastuudio) in Tallinn, which he directed for many years. In February 2005, he established the Old Baskin Theater (Vana Baskini Teater).
Personal Life
Baskin was married to actress Ite Ever, with whom he had a son, Roman. From his second marriage to Malle Pärn, he had a daughter, Katrin, who became an actress. In his later years, he was married to Vera Tolly-Baskin.
