Tens of thousands of Estonians were forced to leave their home country Estonia in WWII, especially during the Great Escape of September 1944, in order to flee from the returning Soviet forces. Many of them are living abroad today, with their children and grandchildren, who are a vital factor for keeping the Estonian expat communities and culture alive. In addition to making an effort to retain the culture today, it is also important to collect and preserve the memory and cultural heritage of the past. For the future generations, this material is an important source of knowledge about WWII and the following decades in exile.
In order to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Great Escape this year, Stanford University Libraries (SUL) in California and the Museum of Occupations in Tallinn are conducting a campaign of collecting Estonian expat community members’ family photo books, memoirs and life stories. Started this January, the project aims to help preserving the cultural heritage pertaining to Estonians’ journey to and life in countries outside Estonia. Collecting family photo books and memoirs gives families themselves a chance to decide on the selection of the material (photos, letters, documents) and stories they wish to preserve for the future generations, and to compile these memoirs and memorabilia into one pamphlet.
SUL and the museum are expecting to collect material pertaining to WWII (Soviet and German occupations, escaping from Estonia, life in DP camps) as well as the periods preceding (life in Estonia before WWII) and succeeding it (life abroad, Estonian cultural/societal activities, contacts with Estonia etc.). In addition, Estonians who have left Estonia after 1991 are welcome to send their stories. The materials can be sent via mail or electronically. One of the aims of collecting the material is making an exhibit in the future.
Stanford University Libraries began collecting Baltic material on a wider scale at the beginning of 2013, when a Baltic curator position was funded by Kistler-Ritso Foundation. The goal of the endowment is strengthening SUL’s Baltic collections and supporting the Baltic studies in general. In Estonia, the foundation financed the establishment of the Museum of Occupations.
Both those, who already have photo books, memoirs and life stories of their families, and those who are only wondering about compiling such material, are most welcome to get in touch with SUL and the museum:
Liisi Eglit, Assistant Curator for Estonian and Baltic Studies, Stanford University Libraries
[email protected], +1 (650) 847-9115
Kadri Viires, Director of the Museum of Occupations
[email protected], +372 6680250
In addition, Kogu Me Lugu (Collect Our Story, also Our Entire Story) is collecting Estonian expats’ cultural heritage in Tallinn. Kogu Me Lugu is a network of organizations that both collect and research memory in Estonia and abroad. The goal of the network is to collaboratively collect, preserve and display memoirs and life stories of Estonian people.
In association with the Song and Dance Festival in July this year, Kogu Me Lugu is welcoming all Estonian communities outside Estonia to share their family stories and memories via video interviews. The collected material will be used to create a web portal, materials for schools and documentaries. There will be film shootings taking place July 1-10 at the Museum of Occupations in Tallinn, and everyone who is interested in participating is welcome to join in and share their story.
In order to participate, one needs to go to www.kogumelugu.ee and fill out a short form.
Additional information:
Sandra Vokk, Kogu Me Lugu project manager
[email protected], +372 5064450
