Some may not know the history of Estonia,which with its sister states (Latvia and Lithuania) are tiny little countries (think 2 New England states each). Latvia and Estonia share their borders with Russia.  If you don’t know the history,I highly,highly recommend the 90-minute video documentary made of their revolution:The Singing Revolution.  To put it briefly,these countries have mostly been Swedish or Danish or Russian except for brief intervals;in 1944,they were spoils of war given to Stalin.

Russia did not let them go until 1991-92,at which point they quickly became capitalist,democratic,FREE people with hatred toward their captors. “Under Russian,we were very,very happy;if we weren’t happy,we were sent to Siberia” said our guide.  One in five were imprisoned and/or shot by Russians. There is a huge monument,comparable to our Viet Nam Memorial which lists the names of those known to have been sent to concentration camps.

The remarkable aspect of their freedom is that it was won with singing,as the documentary explains.  A custom of the Baltic States is singing,and song in their language (similarto Finnish,but incomprehensible to Russians) kept their culture and their nationalism alive.  “Gustav” is credited with quietly encouraging the singing,and Mikhail Gorbachev with allowing them to sing their national anthem (along with a full selection of Russian patriotic songs,of course).

picture

The perfectly preserved medieval history of Tallinn,founded as part of the mercantile Hanseatic League in the 1400s,can almost make you forget its recent history.  The upper town is walled entirely with limestone wallstown,and the lower town is a warren of narrow shopping streets. Those streets are now surrounded by beautiful,numerous hotels built in anticipation of heavy tourist traffic—stopped first by COVID and now by uneasiness about Russia and Ukraine. There is fervent hope that tourism will return soon.

picture

At the start of Russian control,in 1944,housing was in serious short supply:three families to a flat. Khrushev endeared himself to Estonians by building communist housing and schools. Ugly,pre-fab,but so welcome. 

(picture

Of course,equality of communist housing did still allow for some single family homes,still in existence and now highly regarded with modern upgrades added.

Picture

Estonian flags fly beside Ukrainian flags,in a sign of solidarity. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is also the Russian Orthodox Church;25% of Estonia is Russian and are considered Estonian. All Ukrainian refugees are welcomed with housing,free healthcare,free education and jobs.

Of note was the amount of street art

Other tidbits:Estonia and Finland have spent decades as neighbors across the Bay of Finland,blocked by Russia from communicating. Ironically,the Estonian and Finnish languages are intelligible to one another,but not to anyone else. Now these two countries are great friends—sharing liquor (limited to 100 liters per purchase;winter is very long in Finland),employment and a thirst for heating fuel.

The drumbeat of war is very near. Sitting beside our ship this morning was the USS Paul Ignatius,a destroyer here to “meet and greet” local dignitaries. I have no desire to stay in this neighborhood.