Juhan Viiding

Juhan Viiding was born on 1 June 1948 in Tallinn to Paul Viiding, a well-known poet in Estonia who had belonged to the influential Arbujad (Soothsayers) – a collective group of eight young influential poets who rose to prominence before the outbreak of World War II – and Linda Viiding (née Laarmann), a noted translator. Juhan was the youngest of four children and the only boy—his older sisters were Reet, Anni and radio journalist Mari Tarand. He was an intellectually precocious and restless youngster. Between the years 1968 and 1972, Viiding studied theatre and stagecraft at the Tallinn Conservatory (now the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre), under instruction of actor and theatre pedagogue Voldemar Panso, graduating in 1972. Among his graduating classmates were Kersti Kreismann, Ivo Eensalu, Vello Janson, Rein Kotkas, Helle Meri (née Pihlak), Katrin Kumpan, Martin Veinmann, and Tõnis Rätsep.

Juhan Viiding was married to Riina Kiisk, the daughter of actor, film director and politician Kaljo Kiisk. Their daughter Elo is also a poet.