Minna ei taha, kuid jääda ei saa
Do not want to go, but can not stay
Dear Fellow Estonians and Friends of Estonia, I am writing to you as a member of the Estonian World Council “Mass Flight 1944” Committee. (Suurpõgenemine 1944).
I, like thousands of us who fled and survived, have amazing stories of courage and hardship to tell. I, like so many of my childhood friends, am a child of the Mass Flight.
Our mission is to rectify a serious omission in Estonian history. We wish to recognize the WW2 refugee Displaced Persons story of our parents and grandparents who were forced to flee their homes and homeland in 1944 when the Soviet Union occupied the country for 50 years. They could not return. Siberia, imprisonment or death would have awaited them. The fate and history of 80,000 displaced Estonians was suppressed for 50 years with slanderous accusations by the Soviet authorities. In Estonia, it was forbidden to even speak of it or acknowledge that a relative had fled west.
In order to remind the new generations, both in the Diaspora and Estonia, 2024 is being commemorated as the 80th anniversary of the Mass Flight of 1944 (Suurpõgenemine ’44).
As a result of years of groundwork to reintroduce this history, dozens of wonderful events – conferences, exhibits, concerts, important church services, films and school essay contests are set in Estonian communities in Estonia and the countries in which we live. This will continue to become an ongoing project for years to come. The Diaspora became an important part of Estonian Re-independence.
What is important is that each Estonian finds a meaningful place and time to reflect and remember the Mass Flight of 1944.
In order to create a permanent reminder of the heartbreaking moment of separation and departure, we have commissioned a Memorial Statue to be designed, erected and unveiled on September 21, 2024 in the city of Pärnu, next to the Pärnu River from where thousands fled in those little boats and ships. It will be deeply symbolic and the first such Memorial in Estonia erected by all of us in the worldwide Estonian Diaspora.
The city of Pärnu is a wonderful cooperative partner and has donated that special plot of land for the memorial. Together, we selected Elo Liiv as the artist and sculptor to design, create and install the unique, symbolic work of art. It will speak to all who see it and continue to tell our Suurpõgenemise Story for years to come.
We enclose the concept design (see below) of the memorial sculpture, which we call “Puudutus” or “Touch,” deep in emotion and symbolism.
“It is a depiction of the last moment when the departing person’s fingertips touch the remaining person’s hand, – both filled with yearning in the fingers and their hearts. It is the last moment of physical connection,” said sculptor Elo Liiv.
Please become an important part of this Commemoration of our Refugee forefathers and make a generous donation to this project. We are relying on your support to realize this endeavor!
We have 60,000 Euros to raise. Please be generous! Recognition will be given to acknowledge donations based on their size.
You are invited to personally join us in Pärnu on September 21, 2024 for the official unveiling as well as other planned events.
Let’s do it! It will become a beautiful Estonian thing – (Eesti asi).
Yours most sincerely,
Kristi Vuht Allpere
Chair of the Pärnu Project
Member, Mass Flight 1944 Commemoration Committee / Estonian World Council/ Estonian American National Council
Proud small boat refugee to Sweden Sept./Oct. 1944
Donation instructions
Donate by check or online:
By check – mail to
EANC, Pärnu Project
c/o Leelo Linask
16 Pepperidge Rd.
Monroe, CT, 06468, USA
Estonian World Council, Pärnu Project
c/o Liivika Koren
311 56th St.
Kenosha, WI 53140, USA
Donate Online
