Estonian history Archives - Page 6 of 11

A documentary about the Baltic nations’ path to independence premieres in London

Silver Tambur / October 17, 2017

“Those Who Dare”, a 52-minute documentary film that traces the Baltic nations’ path to restoring their independence from the Soviet occupation, is to premiere in London. When Mikhail Gorbachev became the leader of the Soviet Union in 1985, his reform policy sparked an independence movement in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. But as cries for help […]

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An event to describe 1,000 years of Estonian history in a nutshell

Estonian World / September 25, 2017

The Estonishing Evenings series returns to Tallinn, this time giving a humorous overview of Estonian history. Organised in partnership with Estonian World, the Estonishing Evenings series is an English-speaking evening hosting different speakers expressing their viewpoints and experiences on hot topics and matters concerning both the locals and non-natives living in Estonia. The first event took place in early May

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When John F. Kennedy visited Estonia

Sten Hankewitz / September 15, 2017

So far, two incumbent US presidents have visited Estonia – Barack Obama and George W. Bush; however, another man who was at the time only to become president – John F. Kennedy – spent time in Estonia as part of a wider European tour in 1939. Jack, as he was called by his friends and

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When Tallinn first “rocked” the world

Adam Garrie / August 17, 2017

Estonia was once producing revolutionary rock from within the Soviet system. The progressive rock scene even influenced the country’s re-independence movement.* When one talks about a music in the Soviet Union and the Soviet-era Estonia, it is essential to define what kind of music is up for analysis. The many cultures of the Soviet Union

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A look at Estonia through plywood: the material of the modern world

Ann Alari / August 15, 2017

An exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London highlights the historical products once manufactured by Estonian plywood producers. A small but extraordinary exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum gives us a concise social history of one of the most fascinating materials – plywood. It sheds light over 120 objects and focuses on

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Tapping and tracking Soviet Tallinn’s tourists

Kristina Lupp / July 27, 2017

The Hotel Viru is an iconic hotel in the centre of Tallinn, the Estonian capital, where, during the Soviet occupation, many foreign, mostly Finnish, tourists were accommodated – and it was also a hotbed for the KGB. The Hotel Viru was built in 1972. From the outside, it looks much like it did when it

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FILM: Forest Brothers – Fight for the Baltics

Estonian World / July 13, 2017

NATO has released a short, dramatised documentary about forest brothers – the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian partisans who waged a guerrilla war against the Soviet occupation. Forest brothers (in Estonian: metsavennad, in Latvian: meža brāļi, and in Lithuanian: miško broliai) were the partisans who waged a guerrilla war against the Soviet invasion and occupation of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania during and after the Second World War. The members

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Estonia’s former prime minister Mart Laar awarded the Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom

Silver Tambur / May 26, 2017

The Washington-based Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation has awarded the former Estonian prime minister, Mart Laar, the Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom for his role and work in exposing the atrocities of the communist regimes. A historian by academic qualification, Laar has over the years drawn attention to and written about communist crimes. He wrote a

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Estonians and Swedes go back a long way

Silver Tambur / May 9, 2017

The Association of Estonians in Sweden is celebrating its 60th anniversary, but the peoples from the two countries have been in contact for over a thousand years. Estonia and Sweden share a long history together. Historical records show that first encounters between the two neighbours began in the early Middle Ages (500 AD – 1000

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Celebrations in St Petersburg mark 100 years from the demonstration of Estonians

Silver Tambur / April 5, 2017

Celebrations will be held in St Petersburg, Russia, to mark the passing of 100 years from the demonstration of Estonians in support of their country’s autonomy. The 1917 Russian revolution and the generally unstable situation in the country created the opportunity for Estonians to demand self-governance. The impetus for independence was provided by the National

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