Jaak Valge

Jaak Valge

City of Tartu Electoral District

1 March 1955, Kiviõli
Married, eight children, six grandchildren

Education: Kiviõli Secondary School No. 1 in 1973; University of Tartu, history 1987, PhD (history) 2003

Career: Estonian Academy of Sciences, Institute of History, Research Assistant, Senior Research Assistant, Junior Research Fellow, Research Fellow 1984–1995; University of Tartu: Faculty of Philosophy, Department of History, Lecturer 1995–2004, Institute of History and Archaeology, Associate Professor 2004–, Viljandi Cultural Academy, Research Director, Expert in Research Competence 2005–2012; Estonian State Archives / National Archives, Research Adviser, Head of Department, Deputy Director 1996–2000, County Archivist, Project Manager 2002–2011; Ministry of the Interior, Acting Head of Department, Head of Department 2000–2002; Tallinn University, Estonian Institute for Population Studies, Research Professor 2005–2018

Party affiliation: Estonian National Independence Party 1989–1993; Estonian Conservative People’s Party 2018–2024; Estonian Nationalists and Conservatives 2024–

Membership in representative bodies: 14^th and 15^th Riigikogu (Chair of Study Committee to Solve the Demographic Crisis 2019–2020, Deputy Chair of Cultural Affairs Committee 2021–2022, Deputy Chair of Constitutional Committee 2022‒2024); Tartu City Council 2021–2024, 2025

Awards: 2^nd prize for Estonian academic works published in English abroad 1995; Annual History Book Prize 2003; journal Akadeemia award in humaniora (Silver Award) 2007; Best Article Prize of journal Tuna 2007; Lennart Meri Research Prize 2014; Tallinn University Best Monograph Prize 2015

Other activities: Supervisory Board of the Bank of Estonia 2020–2024; Foundation for Direct Democracy Terve Rahvas , Supervisory Board, Chair 2015–2022;
published more than 60 scientific articles, and books “Poliitilise mõtte ajaloost Eestis aastatel 1930–1940. Dokumente ja materjale” (“History of Political Thought in Estonia in 1930–1940. Documents and Materials”) 1995 (one of the compilers); “Economic Nationalism and Industrial Growth. State and Industry in Estonia 1934–39” 1998 (co-author); “Lahtirakendamine. Eesti Vabariigi majanduse stabiliseerimine 1918–1924” (“Breaking away from Russia: Economic Stabilisation in Estonia 1918–1924”) 2003 (in English 2006); “Juurdepääsupiirangud arhivaalidele Euroopas ja Venemaal. Ajalooline kujunemine ja tänapäev” (“Access Restrictions to Archival Records in Europe and Russia. Historical Development and Today”) 2005 (one of the authors); “Eesti rahvastiku majandustegevuse näitarve XX sajandil” (“Economic Activities Indicators of the People of Estonia in the 20th Century”) 2007 (one of the authors, editor); “Eesti autoveondusest sõnas ja pildis. XX sajandi algusest tänapäevani” (“Estonian Road Transport in Word and Picture. From the Beginning of the 20th Century up to Present Day”) 2008 (one of the compilers); “Üleilmastumine ja globaalprobleemid” (“Globalisation and Global Problems”) 2009 (co-author); “Punased I” (“Reds I”) 2014; “Eesti parlament 1917–1940. Poliitiline ajalugu” (“The Parliament of Estonia in 1917–1940. Political History”) 2019; “Monumendid ja võim” (“Monuments and Power”) (also in English and Russian) 2020 (one of the authors); “Teisiti mõtleja märkmeid” (“Notes of a Dissenter”) 2024;
published numerous essays, criticism, and articles in the press

Hobbies: history, literature, rock music

13.05.2026