[1][2] Henrik Visnapuu was born in Helme Parish, Viljandi County, Livonia.

By 1912 he moved to Tartu and taught Estonian literature at the local high school for girls.

With the approaching Soviet occupation of Estonia and the return of the Red Army, Henrik Visnapuu fled to Germany in 1944 and in 1949 moved to the United States, where he founded the New York Estonian Theater together with Kadi Taniloo in 1950.

Besides Marie Under, he was one of the most influential members of the literary group "Siuru" (founded in 1917), which was strongly influenced by Symbolism.

Visnapuu died, aged 61, in Long Island, New York, United States.