As the instigator of the Pärnu Monument idea and the dreamer who could not let go of the desire to somehow publicly express my generation’s “Thank you” to our refugee-suurpõgenemise families, I am so proud of ALL the other dreamers, many friends and the ÜEKN Suurpõgenemise Commit-tee who joined what see-med 2 years ago to be an impossible effort.
This “crazy” idea will now, on September 21, 2024 – the 80th anniversary of Suurpõgenemine’ 44 become reality! The monument on the banks of the Pärnu River is the concrete way to draw attention to and tell the story of individuals who agonized about leaving behind their lives, families and homeland. None of them are just statistics in archives and lists but were conflicted living individuals who were affected for the rest of their lives by this decision and the dangers and experiences they endured.
Two years ago, when I approached the City of Pärnu with my dream, I was delighted with the positive response and the “let’s do it” attitude. Pärnu has donated the land and prepped the location for us.
Through Pärnu and helpful individuals, we were introduced to the wonderful, intuitive artist Elo Liiv whose concept for our project has brought many who first saw the sketches – to tears!
Obviously, the next important question was raised: “How do you plan that we pay for this monument?” As an American-based fundraiser, I was an optimist. I was confident (sort of) that surely other Estonians would feel the same way. And after writing and presenting the concept over and over, people did respond! Worldwide in the countries where we all settled post-war – USA, Canada, Australia, Sweden and Eesti, the central Estonian organizations set their wheels in motion and began distributing the SP ’44 story and the monument concept.
The idea did speak to people’s hearts and emotions and jogged memories. In 6 months we have raised the necessary funds (ca 80,000 Euros) to complete the statue and even develop a long-term plan to keep the story alive.
I’ll always remember when 2-3 yrs ago my cousin’s little 6-7 year-old son Kusti and I were sitting on a stone wall in Pärnu and he very seriously turned to me and asked: “Aunt Kristi, how come you speak Estonian but you don’t live here?”
Hopefully, through this project and the visual story it tells, this important question can be answered and create a dialogue of understanding between all Estonians worldwide, the bridge in our complicated history.
Kristi Vuht Allpere,
pärnakas ja põgenik 1944
ÜEKN / Suurpõgenemise ’44 toimkond
Pärnu projekti juht
