Tomas Dreijer at the meeting of Ruhnu residents in the Estonian House in late 1980-s: dressed as seal hunter and carrying a firelock.

Tomas Dreijer (also Thomas; 26. IX 1919 Ruhnu – 19. IX 2011 Stockholm), preserver of Estonian Swedes’ culture.

Born in Korsi Farm, his father Henrik (Hendrik) Dreijer was the last owner of the farm before the Soviet Occupation. Studied at Ruhnu School, 1937–38 at Pürksi Farm Work and Folk University in Noarootsi, then served his compulsory military service in the navy as a member of the Ruhnu lighthouse team. Left for Sweden in 4. VIII 1944. Worked at small boat workshops, at the same time studied at the Stockholm Institute of Technology and graduated as a civil engineer. After that worked in different architecture bureaus  until retirement.

Deeper interest in Estonian Swedes’ cultural heritage already awakened in him while studying in Pürksi. In Sweden he collected and recorded many texts of cultural value in both Ruhnu (runomål) and official Swedish, was a Member of the Board in the Estonian Swedes’ cultural association Svenska Odlinges Vänner and was a member of the editorial staff for Kustbon - a magazine published by the aforementioned association. When the Estonian Swedes’ Association (Runöbornas förening) was founded in 1965, he became the Chairman for many years.

In late spring, early summer of 1989 visited Ruhnu with Matts Dreijer. In the beginning of the 1990s, was involved in developing Korsi into a museum complex to introduce Ruhnu folk culture and history. 24. I 1993 Ruhnu Rural Municipality Council returned Korsi Farm to him. 23. X 2008 Dreijer gave the farm to the Republic of Estonia as a gift in a contract signed with the Estonian Ministry of Culture so that a museum would be established on its premises. During 1990s repeatedly donated money and organized fundraising with his brother Frederik Dreijer to repair the farm buildings.

Writings

• N. Tiberg. Estlandssvenska husdjursnamn ... jämte en dialektuppsats: Husdjuren på Runö. With Fredrik Lönnlundi and Tomas Dreijeriga. Uppsala, 1972
• 70 år sedan tillkomsten av Birkas folkhög- och lantmannaskola: [1920-1990]. Foreword by Tomas Dreijer. Stockholm, 1990

Created in 2013