Career
Sauter made his literary debut in 1988 in the Estonian magazine Vikerkaar (Rainbow). Kõhu valu (Stomachache), a short story by Sauter, has created a great deal of controversy in post-Soviet Estonia. The topic addressed by Stomachache is giving birth.
Birth is considered sacred by many Estonians.
In light of this opinion, the story is considered crude. Sauter"s poem, Lauakõne Eesti Vabariigi aastapäeva puhul kainestusmaja paraskile liiga pikalt istuma jäänud olles (A Short After-Dinner Speech on the Occasion of the Anniversary of the Republic of Estonia, Having Remained Sitting on the Privy Seat at the Sobering Centre for Too Long), from 1998 is also considered controversial.
lieutenant also takes a serious topic (this time, the 80th anniversary of Estonia"s independence) and addresses it with humor.