On this day thirty-one years ago, the last Russian troops left Estonian soil. It was the moment Estonia's independence was truly restored and the future looked bright, opened up to a world full of possibilities.
After fifty years of Soviet occuapation it was goodbye and good riddance.
Tommy Cash's 'Espresso Macchiato' may have come third place at this year's Eurovision final but it's a clear winner at the top of the charts. As of August 2025, Espesso Macchiato has over twenty million views on YouTube and is the most streamed Eurovision song on Spotify for 2025. In Germany, the radio station Bayern 3 often plays Espesso Macchiato and refers to it as 'der Sommerhit aus Estland'.
George Hackenschmidt was a professional wrestler, strongman, sports philosopher and writer. He was born in Tartu in 1877 and at school he excelled at gymnastics, swimming, running, cycling and weightlifting. His strength astounded his teachers as he could lift a small horse off the ground and lift 276 pounds overhead one handed. In the late 19th century he created the bench press and popularised the hack squat. In 1905 George Hackenschmidt became the world's first heavyweight wrestling champion.
On the 23rd of August 1989, two million people joined hands across Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to form the Baltic Way. The 675km human chain was a peaceful protest against Soviet rule that had deprived their countries of their statehoods. It was a powerful symbol of unity and freedom.
The Baltic Way took place on the anniversary of the signing of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact that divided Eastern Europe between the Nazi and Soviet regimes. Today, we honour those brave people who took part in the demonstration.
Today, Estonians across the globe celebrate the 34th anniversary of the restoration of independence. In 1991, after enduring fifty long years of Soviet occupation, Estonia finally restored its statehood. It was a deeply cherished longing in the heart of every Estonian and today we celebrate our country's freedom, never taking it for granted.
The beloved blue, black and white national flag will be raised on all commercial, government and office buildings today and will also be proudly displayed in every Estonian home.
The city of Tallinn will mark the restoration of Estonia's independence with a variety of events that can be found here. Elagu Eesti!
Petseri County (Petserimaa) was a historical Estonian county that existed from 1918 until 1944. As a settlement, Petseri was built around a monastery founded in the year 1473. On the 26th of February 1918, German troops occupied Petseri until Estonia took control of the area during the Estonian War of Independence. With the signing of the Tartu Peace Treaty in 1920, Petseri officially remained the territory of the Republic of Estonia. Historically, Petseri is considered the cultural capital of the Seto people.
After 1944, most of the territory, including the town of Petseri (Pechory) was illegally incorporated into Russia and became part of the Pskov Oblast. Estonia retains a portion of the original territory, which is now part of Setomaa Parish in modern Võru County.
According to the 1934 census, out of 64,712 inhabitants of Petseri County, 65.06% were Russian, 32.36% Estonian, and 2.29% Latvian. Many of the ethnic Estonians who once lived in Petseri have since relocated to live on the Estonian side of the border. Today, under Russian administration the population of Pechory has been in steady decline. Population statistics reveal that figures have dropped from 13,056 inhabitants in 2002 to 11,196 in 2010 and 9,808 in 2023.
Historic photograph.
In early July 1939 a song festival concert was held at the exhibition
grounds in Petseri. 60 choirs with 2,500 singers took part. The event was attended by approximately twenty thousand people from all over Estonia. Guests of honour included the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,
General J. Laidoner and his wife, Mrs. L. Eenpalu, Minister A. Oidermaa
and Minister of Roads N. Viitak and his wife.
Today, Estonians consider the centre of Setomaa to be Värska.
Once again Estonia outshines its peers when it comes to fundamentally important issues in society. Estonia's constitution and laws provide a strong foundation for human rights. Including freedom of expression, the right to a fair trial, and protection against discrimination. Estonia may be a small nation but it has big standards when it comes to dignity, equality, and respect for all.
Today marks 120 years since the birth of Ernst Rudolf Jaakson who was the longest-serving diplomat in history. Jaakson had an unwavering belief in Estonia's independence and his dedication to maintaining its legal continuity ensured that Estonia's statehood was never forgotten. Jaakson was a symbol of Estonia’s statehood whilst living in exile in the USA. His diplomatic career spanned 69 years.
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Jaakson studied economics at the University of Latvia in Riga, and law at the University of Tartu. He later graduated from Columbia University in New York with a degree in economics.
In 1969, Jaakson issued a statement on behalf of Estonia to the Apollo 11 goodwill messages. Leaders of 73 countries from around the world contributed to the Apollo 11 goodwill messages. These messages were stored on a disc made of silicon and was left on the Moon in 1969 by the Apollo 11 astronauts.
A new revised edition of Madli Buffalo's book Symbol of Dawn has been published by the University of Tartu Press. Symbol of Dawn introduces the life and works of Lydia Koidula to the English reader and also provides a good overview of 19th century Estonia. Lydia Koidula was the first great poet to write in the Estonian language.
Symbol of Dawn can be purchased directly from the publisher here.
BookRetreats.com has created the Global Relaxation Index to find the world’s most relaxing destinations. Based on the analysis of nine metrics, the study scores 76 countries across key categories including safety, solitude, serenity, nature, and wellness. In Estonia, once you get out of the city, nature takes over. It is abundant, beautiful and works on its own timetable. It literally forces you to relax. Here are twenty of the world's most relaxing holiday destinations.
This year we celebrate the Year of the Estonian Book to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the first known mention of a book written in the Estonian language. Estonian writers have produced many great literary works over the years with Tammsaare's Truth & Justice at the top of the list as a 'must read'. Literary translations make it possible for Estonian stories to reach a wider audience. The most common languages Estonian books are translated into are German, Finnish, English and French.
I'm proud of my little collection of Estonian books. I'm particularly fond of reading books set during the Hanseatic period. For years I have been eagerly awaiting another Apothecary Melchior novel to be translated into English. So far there have only been two (out of eight) a third book in the series has been translated, but into French rather than English.
Here is a list of some of the most highly regarded Estonian books that everyone should read.
Truth and Justice (Tõde ja õigus) by A.H. Tammsaare
Son of Kalev (Kalevipoeg) by Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald
Names in Marble (Nimed marmortahvlil) by Albert Kivikas
Between Three Plagues by Jaan Kross
The Milkman of the Manor (Mäeküla piimamees) by Eduard Vilde
The Tzar's Madman (Keisri hull) by Jaan Kross
The Man Who Spoke Snakish by Andrus Kivirähk
Apothecary Melchior and the Mystery of St Olaf's Church by Indrek Hargla
