Jüri Jaakson

The house in Kadriorg, Tallinn, where Jaakson and his family lived in the 1920s and 1930s

Jaakson was born in Karula. After graduating from the Hugo Treffner Gymnasium in Tartu, he studied law at the University of Tartu from 1892 to 1896. He graduated with a 1st degree diploma (simple graduation). In 1897–1914 he worked as lawyer firstly in Viljandi, and later in Riga. In 1915–1919, Jaakson was a member of the board of the Tallinn City Bank (Estonian: Tallinna Linnapank).

Jaakson was a member and assistant chairman of the Estonian Provincial Assembly in 1917–1918. In 1918 he was general commissioner of the Provisional Government for expropriating property from the German occupation powers. During 1918–1920 he was Minister of Justice in the Provisional Government and the Government of the Republic of Estonia. In 1920–1932 Jaakson was a member of the I–IV Riigikogu.

Between December 1924 to December 1925, Jaakson was State Elder of Estonia. In 1926–1940 he worked as president of the Bank of Estonia and was a member of the National Economic Council. Jaakson was also a member of the National Council, the second chamber of the Riigikogu, in 1938–1940. Jaakson was founder of several banks and participated in several organizations like the Central Society of the North Estonian Farmers (Estonian: Põhja-Eesti Põllumeeste Keskselts) and the Council of the Tallinn Economic Union (Estonian: Tallinna Majandusühisus).

Following the June 1940 Soviet invasion and occupation of Estonia and the other Baltic states, Jaakson was imprisoned by the NKVD on 14 June 1941. He was deported to Russia, accused of "counterrevolutionary activities", sentenced to death and executed in Sosva, Sverdlovsk Oblast, in 1942.