List of Estonian exile and émigré organizations

List of Estonian exile and émigré organizations

Background

The first significant wave of Estonian emigrants abroad occurred after the failure of the 1905 revolution in Estonia, which saw the arrival of over 60,000 people into the US by 1920 according to some government estimates. This led to the formation of many Estonian American socialist and communist organisations.[1]

The next wave came after the annexation of Estonia by the Soviet Union, up to 70,000 people fled Estonia to the West.[2] Around half of these people sought refuge in Germany and the remainder sought refuge in Sweden. With the end of the war, many ended up in displaced persons camps. Later, many of these emigrated to the United States, the UK, Canada and Australia. This exile community formed many organizations, most of these were cultural.

Government in exile

International organizations

  • Estonian World Council, (Ülemaailmne Eesti Kesknõukogu)
  • Baltic World Conference
  • The Baltic Council, (Balti Nõukogu)

Political parties of the pre-war era with continued existence in exile

  • Estonian Socialist Party's Foreign Association (Eesti Sotsialistliku Partei Välismaa Koondis)
  • United Peasants' Party (Ühendatud Põllumeeste Erakond), from 1962 on: Estonian Democratic Union (Eesti Demokraatlik Unioon)

Anti-communist organizations

  • Eesti Vabadusliit was formed in Berlin on February 5, 1945, by SS-Obersturmbannführer Harald Riipalu, and Ain-Ervin Mere.[3] The organization later operated in Sweden, also using the Swedish name Estniska frihetsförbundet.
  • World Legion of Estonian Liberation, (Ülemaailmne Eesti Vabadusvõitlejate Liit)
  • Committee for Free Estonia
  • Anti-Bolshevik Bloc of Nations
    • Estonian Liberation Movement (Eesti Vabadusliikumine)
    • Union of the Estonian Fighters for Freedom (Eesti Vabadusvõitlejate Liit)

National organizations

United Kingdom

  • London Estonian Society (Londoni Eesti Selts), (founded in 1921)
  • Estonian Relief Committee (Eesti Vabastuskomitee), (established in 1944)
  • Association for Estonians in Great Britain (1947)
  • The Baltic Association in Great Britain

United States

Sweden

  • Estonian Agronomic Society in Sweden (Eesti Agronoomide Selts Rootsis)
  • Estonian National Congress in Sweden (Rootsi Eestlaste Liit)[5]
  • Eesti Komitee
  • Eesti Kultuuri Koondis Rootsis
  • The Baltic Committee in Sweden, (Balti Komitee Rootsis)
  • Estonian Learned Society in Sweden (Eesti Teaduslik Selts Rootsis; established in 1945; associated with Estonian Academy of Sciences)
  • Estonian School in Stockholm (established in 1945[6])

Canada

  • Estonian Central Council in Canada or Eestlaste Kesknõukogu Kanadas (EKN)
  • League of Estonian Artists in Toronto (Estonian: Eesti Kunstnike Koondis Torontos), established in 1956

Estonia Houses

United Kingdom

  • Estonian House, London, (Londoni Eesti Maja)
  • Bradford 'Eesti Kodu' Club, opened in 1956
  • Estonian House Club, Leicester (Leicesteri Eesti Maja), opened in 1960, was visited by President Lennart Meri in 2000.[7]

Newspapers and magazines

NameCityCountryYears PublishedFrequencyComments
Adelaide Eesti Seltsi Teataja (Adelaide Estonian Club Gazette)AdelaideAustralia1958-19714 times per year
Ameerika Eestlane (Estonian of America)New YorkUSA1925weekly
Amerika Eesti Postimees (Estonian Courier of America)New YorkUSA1897-19116 times a year
Baltimore Eesti Organisatsioonide Bülletään (Baltimore Estonian Organization Bulletin)BaltimoreUSA1965-10 times per year
Edasi (Forward)LeningradSoviet Union1917-1937 ?
Eesti Elu (Estonian Life)TorontoCanada2001-weeklyWebsite. Merged Vaba Eestlane and Meie Elu.
Eesti Hääl (Estonian Voice)LondonUnited Kingdom1947-originally weekly, now monthlyWebsite
Eesti NoortetööStockholmSweden1961-19844 times per year
Eesti Päevaleht (Estonian Daily)StockholmSweden1959-originally daily, now weeklyWebsite
Eesti Post (Estonian Post)GeislingenGermany1945-1953irregularFor members of Geislingen displaced persons camp
Eesti Post (Estonian Post)initially Stockholm, later MalmöSweden1950-1975 ?
Eesti RadaCologneGermany1945-initially 1-2 times per week, later 6 times per yearWebsite
Eesti Rahvusfondi TeatedStockholmSweden1947-1960irregular
Eesti Sõna (Estonian Word)BerlinGermany1941-19456 days per week
ElaguMelbourneAustralia1983-1988 ?For youths
Esto AmericaNew YorkUSA1983-1984monthly
Kirjad GaidjuhtideleSävedalenSweden1958-19662 times per yearFor scout leaders
Kodumaa (Homeland)TallinnEstonian SSR1958-1991weeklyPublished by VEKSA (The Society for the Development of Cultural Ties with Estonians Abroad) in Estonia and sent to Estonians in exile[2]
Kratt : Kotkajärve TeatajaMuskokaCanada1979-19884 times per year
Kultuuriside : Eesti Kultuurifondi teatajaNew YorkUSA1967-19961-2 times per year
KündjaRigaRussian Empire1882-1891originally weekly, then monthly
Lakewood EkspressLakewood, NJUSA1997-1999irregular
Laste Sõber : noorte kirik (Children's Friend)VästeråsSweden1957-19804 times per year
Läti Eestlane (Estonian of Latvia)RigaLatvia1928weekly
MalevlaneHelsinkiFinland1943-1944irregularFor Estonian volunteer soldiers in Finland
Meie Elu (Our Life)TorontoCanada1950-2001weeklyMerged into Eesti Elu
Meie Kodu (Our Home)SydneyAustralia1949-weeklyWebsite
Meie Post (Our Post)StockholmSweden1962-198710-12 times per year
Mõttekriips : Eesti Üliõpilaskonna Sydneys häälekandjaSydneyAustralia1955-1977irregularFor university students
Peterburi TeatajaSt PetersburgRussia1908–1918, 1999-originally ?, now 4 times per yearCalled Pealinna Teataja in 1910, 1914–1917. Website
Rahva Hääl (Voice of the People)MoscowSoviet Union1942-1944irregular
SädeLeningradSoviet Union1927-1929irregular
SõnumidDetmoldGermany1946-1948weekly
Stockholms-Tidningen eestlasteleStockholmSweden1944-19596 times per week
Teataja (Estonian Gazette)StockholmSweden1944-2002ranged from weekly to monthlyCalled Eesti Teataja from 1945 to 1953
Töömees (The Workman)OaklandUSA1907-1908irregular
Uus Eesti (New Estonia)StockholmSweden1973-1976 ?
Usk ja Elu (Faith and Life)RigaRussian Empire1908-1917weekly
Tuulemaa (Land of Wind)StockholmSweden1960-1976irregular
Uus Ilm (New World)USA1909-1989weekly until 1950, monthly afterwardsCommunist
Vaba Eesti Sõna (Free Estonian Word)New YorkUSA1949-weeklyWebsite
Vaba Eestlane (Free Estonian)TorontoCanada1952-20012 times per weekMerged into Eesti Elu
Vabaduse Kuulutus : eestikeelse vaimuliku raadiosaate Vabaduse Kuulutuse informatsioonilehtTorontoCanada1958-1969irregular
Valgus: evangeelne ajakiri (The Light: evangelical magazine)ÖrebroSweden1950-19546 times per yearMoved to Toronto in 1955
Valgus: evangeelne ajakiri (The Light: evangelical magazine)TorontoCanada1955-19936 times per yearMoved to Tallinn in 1994
Välis-EestiStockholmSweden1944-1995irregular
VirgatsAdelaideAustralia1971-monthly
Võitleja (The Combatant)TorontoCanada1952-originally monthly, now 4 times per yearFor veterans

The Estonian National Library has a digitized archive of many of these publications.[8]

Other

In 2012, the web portal Estonian World Review (www.eesti.ca) was opened. The goal of the portal is to link and show all Estonia-related actions over the world. The portal is registered in Ontario, Canada.[9]

  • Museum of Estonians Abroad[10]

Notes

  1. Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America. 2nd ed. Vol. 1. Gale, 2000
  2. ESTONIA (document ID 89-3-30) - available in Radio Free Europe Background Reports on Hungary, 1954-1989
  3. Veebruari sündmused Archived 2008-03-19 at the Wayback Machine (in Estonian)
  4. Estonian American National Council
  5. The Estonian National Congress in Sweden Archived 2007-07-16 at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Ajalugu". estniskaskolan.se. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  7. "President of the Republic at the Estonia House of Leicester on March 11, 2000". Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved June 24, 2007.
  8. "Digiteeritud eesti ajalehed" (in Estonian). Estonian National Library. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  9. "Üleilmne eestlus koondus internetti". Eesti Päevaleht (in Estonian). Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  10. "VEMU". Museum of Estonians Abroad. Retrieved 3 November 2013.

References

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