Spending a day in Tallinn, Estonia, was like being inside a fairy tale country. I loved the old city with its quaint streets, towers and churches. Tallinn is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it deserves that status. But more than then the look of the country was the feel of the country.
The tower is called Tall Hermann
I love that they name their towers and weather vanes. I love the magical feel of the old city and its cobblestone walkways.
Behind the beauty, Estonia has had its hardships. Torn between two powers who wanted their ports on the Baltic Sea and its resources, both Germany and Russia/Soviet Union invaded Estonia many times over the years. But in 1939 the worst happened when Hitler and Stalin signed a treaty dividing Estonia between the two and the two powers invaded Estonia from different sides of the country.
Our tour guide in Tallinn, a lovely young woman, told us that this was the worst. People were torn between choosing between two evils. And the Soviet Union proved to be a great evil, taking over the country and killing or deporting all the political and business leaders.
The only positive I see from this however, is this occupation saved the majority of Estonia’s Jewish population, which was about 4000 before the start of World War Two. By then end of the war, about 1000 of Estonia’s Jewish residents were murdered in the Shoah. The others had escaped into the Soviet Union and so survived. After the war, 1500 Jewish residents returned.
After World War 2, Estonia entered a 50-year occupation by the Soviet Union. Estonia was terrorized. Our guide explained how all access to the Baltic Sea were closed by the Soviets, who put military bases there. People could not get out. Help could not get in. She explained life as lived by her parents and grandparents. It was not a happy time.
A statue of Ernesaks overlooks the Song Festival Grounds.
But in Estonia, they came up with their own way of revolution that did not included guns or violence. The Singing Revolution started with the singing of the national song, “Land of My Fathers, Land That I Love.” For years they sang this song in rebellion against Soviet rule. Gustav Ernesaks, the “Father of Song” for the country who helped start the song festival movement, helped in this non-violent rebellion. The singing events were held on the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds.
The Singing Revolution lasted four years. Multiple songs and citizens singing saved Estonia! Tallinn is also known for the large chain of people, over two million, that spanned from Tallinn to Vilinius in August 1989. Singing songs and then slowly moving forward with small steps of rebellion and independence worked. By 1991, Estonia gained its independence.
Along with the freedom for all Estonians, came renewed freedom for its Jewish residents after 1991. In 2007 a synagogue opened. Today about 2000 Jewish residents live in Estonia. It is a small but secure population. According to our tour guide and to what I have read, the Jewish population lives in comfort and without any issues thanks to a law that protects all minorities in Estonia. There is a synagogue, a Jewish Day School, a Jewish Museum and a Jewish Community Center. I wish I could say that I visited all these Jewish sites, but I did not. I wish I had researched Tallinn before I went. So I put links below to the Jewish sites of Tallinn.
I loved my day in Tallinn. Visiting this UNESCO World Heritage Site was a lovely experience. Somehow, it seemed appropriate and joyful, to see a bride.
https://www.ejc.ee/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/304672/jewish/History.htm
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