Juhan (Johann) Kukk

* 13.04.1885 Käru, Salla rural municipality, Viru County
† 04.12.1942 in the Kargopollag prison camp, Archangel Oblast, Russia 

Head of State (Elder of State)
21.11.1922-02.08.1923

1917-1918 Head of the Financial Dept. of the Estonian Province Government (Maavalitsus), 1918-1919 Financial and State Property Minister of the Provisional Government, 1919-1920 Minister of Finance of the Republic of Estonia, 1920-21 Minister of Commerce and Industry, 1921-1922 Chairman of the I Riigikogu, 1924-1926 Director of the Bank of Estonia. Member of the Estonian Province Assembly (Eesti Maanõukogu) in 1917-1919, of the Constituent Assembly (Asutav Kogu) 1919-1920, of the I and II Riigikogu, 1920-1926.

Finished the Tartu High School of Sciences, studied in the Commerce Deptartment of the Riga Polytechnical School in 1904-1910 and got additional education in Germany, graduated with the diploma of first degree.

Was a clerk of the Tartu I Loan and Savings Society in 1910-1912 and the publisher and editor of "Ühistegevusleht" (Cooperation Paper) in 1911-1919/1920, from 1914 Head of the Cooperation Bureau, in 1915-1919 Chairman of the Cooperation Promotion Society, Member of the Estonian Nutrition Committee during World War I, in 1919- 1930, Chairman of the Council of the Estonian Cooperation Union. In 1923-1924 and in 1926- 1930 he was Director of the Central Union of the Estonian Consumers Union, for some time also the Chairman of the Board of this Union. from 1920, Chairman of the Board of Rahvapank (People's Bank), member of the board, later of the council of the customers' society "Oma", in 1931-1940, Chairman of the Board of the Baltic Cotton Spinning and Weaving Factory (Balti Manufaktuur) Ltd, 1933-1940 Director of "Kreenbalt Ltd", in 1925- 1940, Chairman of the Board of the "National Peat Industry" (from 1936 "Estonian Peat Industry"), 1930-1931, Assistant Chairman of the Exchange Committee and Chairman of the Banking Section of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 1937-1940 Member of the Board of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry as a representative of large-scale industry, 1936- 1940, Chairman of the All-Estonian Union of Textile Manufacturers, etc. 1933-1934 temporary lecturer of credit and industry policies at the Tartu University.

Was arrested by the NKVD (People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs, here the Soviet State Secret Police) in 1940, died in imprisonment.