Kārstenis (Šmits) Jānis (1884 - 1921), writer

Writer Kārstenis Jānis (real name Jānis Šmits) was born on May 23, 1884 in Zaķīši, Stāmeriena parish, in a blacksmith's family.

1892 - 1999 studied at Sinole Parish School and Velena Parish School, then at Cēsis City School (1901 - 1902) and K. Miller Real School (1902 - 1904). Acquired the rights of a teacher in Tartu, worked at the Velėna parish school (1904 - 1905), Ilzene (1906 - 1907) and Dūre parish school (1907 - 1918). 1917 as an external student passed the teacher's exams in Petrograd. After that he worked as a Latvian language teacher in Lejasciems and in 1919. - 1921 Valmiera Secondary School.

From 1901 began publishing poems in the newspaper "Dienas Lapa" and "Pēterburgas Avīze". The first poem published "Palaidnis" in the newspaper "Dienas Lapa" in 1901. The poems are collected in the collections "Trīsas" (USA in 1904), "Salnas rīti" (1906) and "Gāju putni" (1910). Poems are also printed in the literary collection "Zvirgzdes" (1910). Arranged several collections of children's literature: "Free Hours" (1907), "Winter Evenings" (1908), "First Furrows" (1909), "Rye Bread" (1911), in which his own works are also included. The first collections of poems are artistically weak, the work in popularizing children's literature is more important. He has translated and reflected on the works of Russian symbolists A.Belija, F.Sologuba, D.Merežkovskis, K.Balmontas. Their influence can be felt in the prose collections "Himeras" (1920) and "Baigi sapni" (1921). The most artistically successful book of lasting significance is the collection of poems "Mirkļi" (1922), which contains scenes from Latvia's natural scenes, life and history of its time.

Died on August 6, 1921 in Jaunpiebalgs, buried in Velēni cemetery.

The list of information source can be found here .