Erik Schmidt

Who is Erik Schmidt?

Erik Schmidt was a painter and writer.

Erik Schmidt's father, August Schmidt, a master mariner, was captain of SS Merisaar, a merchant ship owned by Merilaid & Co. Erik also hoped to become a sea captain in the future but he was also a talented amateur painter. Erik's uncle was a famous optician Bernhard Schmidt mostly known for inventing the Schmidt camera. Erik went to school in the next-door Swedish school, and after four years continued his studies at the Swedish College at Haapsalu. Erik's early paintings were noticed by Ants Laikmaa. At the age of 17 he became a teacher of the primary school where he had himself been a pupil a few years ago. This freed him from the danger of having to "volunteer" for service in either the Estonian Legion or the German Arbeitsdienst. At the end of October 1943 the danger from a new Soviet occupation became possible and Erik Schmidt and his parents decided to leave everything and flee to Sweden where they got a warm welcome from the ship-owning Brodin family. After World War II Erik signed on as an apprentice on the maiden voyage on a Brodin Line cargo- and passenger-liner, said to be the fastest in the world.