Rail Baltica set to connect Estonia to Central Europe

The Rail Baltica project is a vital undertaking that will create a rail link between the Baltic countries and Central Europe. The new rail corridor was set to open next year but due to financial delays, it is not expected to debut until 2030. Once operational, Rail Baltica will finally re-integrate the Baltics into the European rail network and create a modern, high-speed rail link travelling through Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to Poland. The line will enable high-speed trains to run up to four times a day from Tallinn to Warsaw at a speed of 250km/h.

The Rail Baltica project marks the symbolic return of the Baltic countries to the European family - until the Second World War the Baltic countries were already connected to their European neuighbours with 1,435 mm wide gauge. When the three countries were occupied by the Soviet Union, their rail infrastructure was changed to be in line with the the wider Russian gauge of 1,520 mm rails.

More information about Rail Baltica can be found here.

A tribute: 80 years since the Great Escape (Suur põgenemine)

To mark the 80th anniversary of the June deportations by the Soviet Union, The Estonian Institute of Historical Memory (Eesti Mälu Instituut) ran a photo and video competition.  People were invited to submit material to the competition titled "Eesti mälumajakad / Estonian Beacons of Memory". The below video by Ingrid Ma is one of the winners of the compeition and is dedicated to her mother and grandfather who were two of the many thousands of Estonians who fled in 1944. More information can be found here.

 

 

 

Estonia's current well-being statistics

New data has been released showing Estonia's current well-being statistics compared to other OECD countries. It's an interesting read. Further information can be found here.

Estonian film "8 Faces of Lake Biwa" wins Jury Award at the Hanoi International Film Festival

An international co-production between Estonia and Finland, "8 Views of Lake Biwa" has won the Jury Prize at the seventh Hanoi International Film Festival in Vietnam. 117 films from 51 different countries entered the competition that saw Estonian actress Tiina Taurait also win Best Actress.

8 Faces of Lake Biwa is loosely based on the novel of the same name by Max Dauthendy. The story is set in the Old Believers' fishing villages near Lake Peipus. 8 Faces of Lake Biwa has been selected as the Estonian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.

Aerial view of Tallinn in 1924

Parts of Tallinn looked quite different before the Soviets bombed the city in 1944. The Kalev sports stadium is no longer at its original site near the New Market; the Viru Keskus stands in its place today. Many houses were bombed in that area, including my great uncle's house in Gonsiori Street. That street  was actually shifted after the bombing when efforts were made to rebuild the city. The road where Gonsiori street is located today is not the exact spot where it stood prior to 1944. My great-uncle's house was probably located where the Tallink Hotel stands today.

To get a better view of this photograph, you can zoom in here.

Rare new species of mushroom found in Estonia

A few weeks ago, Tõnu Ploompuu, a botanist from Tallinn University came across a rare mushroom in Tornimäe, Saaremaa. The mushroom is believed to be the Parasola kuehneri, a species of mushroom that has never before been seen in Estonia. The mushroom is currently undergoing testing for verification. 

The Parasola kuehneri can be identified by it's blue hue and is believed not to be seriously toxic.

Head Isadepäeva! Happy Father's Day!

Today is Father's Day in Estonia and to celebrate, let's look at a few facts. According to date from early 2024 there are 307 637 fathers living in Estonia, which is more than half a thousand more than last year.

How many children does a typical Estonian father have? 37% has one child, 41% has two children and  22% has three or more children. 

There are 1820 children in Estonia who share the same birthday as their father and there are 781 fathers who will celebrate their birthdays on Father's Day this year.

Happy Father's Day to all!

New Toomas Hendrik Ilves documentary "Rebel with a Bow Tie" in cinemas from 31 January 2025

Tallinn's Christmas Market opens on November 22

Tallinn's award-winning Christmas market (Jõuluturg) is set to open on November 22. Located in the heart of the Old Town, Tallinn's Town Hall Square will be transformed into a fairytale village full of splendour. With sparkling lights, music and the authentic scent of Estonian Christmas food in the air, the Tallinn Christmas Market is sure to delight all. Visitors can enjoy live performances, taste traditional Estonian food or buy unique Estonian handicrafts. The Tallinn Christmas Market will be open every day from 10am between 22.11.2024 - 27.12.2024.  It's a must see!

More information can be found on the Jõuluturg website.

First snowfall of the season pictured in Narva

A resident from Ida-Virumaa captured this image of the current weather conditions in Narva. Unlike other parts of Estonia, the ground in Narva is completely covered by a white blanket of snow. Winter has come early in Estonia!

The Estonian tradition of Hingedepäev

Autumn is a lovely time of year. The changing leaves create vibrant colours that provides a delightful change to the landscape. In the Estonian folk calendar late autumn marks the end of the harvest season and it then becomes 'soul time'. This is the period when the veil separating the world of the living and the world of the  dead is at it's thinnest.  It was believed that during this time, deceased souls would visit to ensure protection of crops, sheep, and cattle.

In Estonia Hingedepäev / All Souls' Day is celebrated on the second of November. In days of old families would honour departed souls by heating the sauna and placing a meal for them on the table. Today, people tend to light candles in cemeteries and by the window sill in homes to welcome the souls of departed relatives.  The foggy mist of autumn is a clear sign that the spirits are on their way!

This year's Gingerbread Mania theme is 'Fairytale'

Every year since 2006, over 500 talented artists come together to create wonderful items made from gingerbread. Piparkoogimaania / Gingerbread Mania is one of the most popular Christmas events in Tallinn where people can view these delightful gingerbread works of art. Every year the exhibition has a different theme and for 2024 it is 'Fairytale' or 'Muinasjutt' in Estonian.

Piparkoogimaania / Gingerbread Mania  opens every day at 11am from 3rd December 2024 - 5th January 2025. More information, including the history of gingerbread, can be found on their website http://piparkoogimaania.ee/en/

Photo flashback: An Estonian wedding

It's fascinating looking through old Estonian photographs. Especially ones that reveal traditions that are no longer practiced today. I've noticed in many old Estonian wedding photographs, that there is often a person dressed with a mask, costume or party hat in the group photo. I've often wondered what the meaning is behind this custom.

Voldemar Smetanin and the history of the Tallinn Statistics Bureau

A few days ago World Statistics Day took place. The day went by fairly unnoticed by most people, but in Estonia, there is an interesting history behind the beginning of the Tallinn City Statistics Bureau. Voldemar Smetanin was the first head of the Tallinn City Statistics Bureau and the Tallinn Family Status Board. In March 1920 he had the honour of signing the first historic non-church marriage in the Republic of Estonia between Hugo Reimann and Hilda Eichenbaum. Later that same day he also signed the marriage document of Estonian writer Anton Hansen Tammsaare and his wife Käthe.

 

Voldemar Smetanin with his wife Valesca Smetanin (Eichfuss) and children.

Valesca is the daughter of my great-grandmother's cousin.

Voldemar Smetanin was a man with many interests. During his lifetime he was a member of the State Statistical Council, manager of the Bureau of the Estonian Cities Association, a member of a committee between the associations of cities of the Baltic States, the editor of the magazine Linnad ja Alevid, the editor-in-charge of the magazine Estonian Cities, the chairman of the board of the garden city construction association Uus Tare and a member of the Tallinn Men's Song Society.

Sadly, Voldemar Smetanin was another victim of communism. When the Soviets invaded Estonia he was arrested like so many other public figures and sent to a prison camp. He was killed in Karaganda prison camp in Kazakhstan. Most of Smetanin's descendants today live in Germany.

Photo flashback: Tallinn 1920

Tallinn's Viru Gate has long been a prominent feature of the city. This colourised photo of Viru Street captures a moment in time showing the entrance to the Old Town in 1920.

 

Estonians and Finns love their sauna culture!

In celebration of International Sauna Day that took place in June 8, Visit Estonia in partnership with Estonian and Finnish sauna organisations came up with the idea for a Guinness World Record attempt. The project was called "Most Photos of People in Saunas Posted on Facebook in One Hour." Sauna enthusiasts from 47 countries took part in the event and uploaded photos during the designated hour (7 - 8pm). Of the 3909 photographs submitted, 3602 qualified for the World Record. This was an exciting event for Estonians who have never done anything like this before, and a great partnership with Finland for achieving the Guinness World Record in this category.

I participated in the event and was thrilled to receive this certificate.

RAIKU: The Estonian company that created an environmentally viable alternative to bubble wrap

I love Estonian ingenuity, especially products that are committed to making a positive impact on the environment. The Estonian company RAIKU has done just that by producing 100% biodegradable, protective packaging using wood, a viable alternative to single use plastic packaging. RAIKU was founded in 2021 by Karl Pärtel and Rain Randsberg and already supplies several luxury goods manufacturers in France including Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, and Moët & Chandon.

RAIKU's range not only uses a renewable resource, it is also biodegradable, recyclable and chemical-free.  Raiku's 100% natural packaging material is currently making waves around the world due to its great look, excellent shock absorption, and the lowest carbon footprint. RAIKU aims to revolutionise the innovative packaging industry and it looks like the company has a bright future ahead.

You can learn more about RAIKU from their website here.

Photo flashback: Tallinn 1941

Here is an old photograph taken on the corner of Pärnu maantee and Suur karja street in 1941. The image shows two men looking at an advertisement showcasing a magazine. At the top of the display it reads 'tellige' - subscribe!

''Free Winds'' - New online exhibition about Estonians refugees who fled Sweden in the 1940s

After World War Two, Estonian refugees living in Sweden didn't feel safe from the reach of the Soviet Union and made the decision to escape further afield by sailing across the Atlantic. Free Winds is a new online exhibition highlighting the extraordinary voyages of thousands of Estonians who secretly fled Sweden in the late 1940s. These brave people risked their lives and sailed in old, battered boats across the Atlantic Ocean to freedom. The Free Winds exhibition was created by The Vabamu Musuem of Occupations and Freedom in Tallinn and can be viewed here.

Estonia 6th in the World for Freedom of the Press

Estonia has improved its ranking in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index. Out of the 180 countries measured, Estonia has risen two places to sixth place with a score of 86.44. This is another great result for Estonia!

Estonian meteorologist among finalists in WMO photo competition

Estonian meteorologist Kairo Kitsik has taken many stunning images of Estonia's landscape over the years. His work has impressed the judges in the international photo competition organised by WMO (World Meteorological Organisation) and is now among the finalists. The public voting round of the competition is now open and you can vote for Kairo Kitsik on the WMO Facebook page. Voting ends on 21 October 2024.

Two of his works in the running are:

 

Title: Frosty beauties
Description: With fog and crisp temperatures, nature is sometimes covered with a wonderful frost that creates picturesque scenes. This photo was taken in Lääne-Viru County where temperatures drop down to -20°C . 

 

Title: It´s raining colours 

Description: In May 2024, we witnessed a very strong geomagnetic storm that that put out a mind-blowing northern lights display. This photo was taken in Lääne-Viru County.  

 

The winning photographs of the competition will feature in the World Meteorological Organisation 2025 Calendar and will be showcased on WMO’s social media channels and website. They will also feature prominently during the World Meteorological Day 2025 celebrations.

 

You can vote for Kairo Kitsak here.

Estonia has the best tax system in the world

For ten consecutive years Estonia has outperformed its peers to have the most competitive tax code in the OECD. According to the Tax Competitiveness Index 2023, Estonia's transparent and straightforward tax system attracts investments with no corporate income, capital, or property transfer taxes. A clear advantage of Estonia’s tax system is that companies and individuals alike, spend less time on tax compliance than they would in any other country in the OECD.

Today is International Translators Day!

September 30 is International Translators Day. Translators in Estonia produce work mainly into English and Russian, but when necessary they can also be done in German, Finnish, French, Ukrainian and even Estonian sign language. The below picture depicts St. Jeronymus whose life work was to translate the Bible into Latin.

 

HISTORIC DOCUMENTARY - The Estonians: For The Record

The Estonians for the Record is an Estonian-Canadian production that explores the history of Estonia in the context of World War II. The documentary recounts the events of 1944 that saw thousands of people flee their homeland to escape Soviet terror. Estonia lost twenty-five percent of its population as a result of World War Two.

    

The art of Ernst Hermann Schlichting

Ernst Hermann Schlichting was a Baltic German painter who was born in Tallinn in 1812. His father, Christian Schlichting, was a merchant and former mayor of Tartu. Ernst Schlichting attended the Tartu Gymnasium from 1827 to 1831 and later studied in St.Petersburg. During his career he took study trips to Finland, Sweden, Norway and Germany and earned an income from painting portraits and landscapes. Ernst was also a lithographer and teacher and his sister Wilhelmine was also a painter. He died in Dresden in 1890.

 

Tallinn landscape

 

Tallinn Old Town

Commemorating 80 years since the great escape

September 2024 marks the 80th anniversary of the Great Flight (Suur põgenemine) that saw thousands of people flee Estonia to escape the country's second Soviet occupation. After the devastation Estonians encountered during the first Soviet occupation (1940 -1941), they did not want to endure that horror again, therefore when the Red Army advanced into Estonia again in 1944, many people abandoned their homes to find safety abroad.

During World War II, between 70,000 - 80,000 people fled Estonia and sought refuge in nearby Sweden, Finland and Germany. After 1945 many of those Estonian refugees emigrated to different corners of the world, finding new homes in places such as Australia, Canada and the United States of America.

A refugee database has been created and can be found on the Estonian Institute of Historical Memory website. The database contains information about Estonian residents who fled the country during World War II.  You can search for relatives on the datbase here.

New study reveals Estonians are starting to make small talk

While Estonians consider themselves quiet by nature, they still feel the need to make conversation when they see someone they know. A recent study on small talk reveals that rather than politeness, they associate it with the need to fill an awkward silence, such as when riding in an elevator with someone they know or seeing a distant relative at a party.

To read the full ERR News article, please click here.

Estonia second in the world for climate protection

Estonia once again scores highly in world rankings, this time for climate change protection. The Estonian government have implimented a number of policies, most notably reductions of emissions, to make it one of the most environmentally friendly countries in the world.

Estonia's first illustration festival will take place in Tartu tomorrow

Estonia's first illustration festival will take place at Tartu's Aparaaditehas tomorrow. The one day event will bring together a selection of works by illustrators, artists and graphic designers from all over Estonia. The festival will offer visitors the chance to buy and support the work of illustrators, with prints, stickers, illustrated textiles and much more on sale.

More information about the festival can be found here.

VARI - New film about Estonian poet Juhan Liiv

Happy Grandparents Day! Vanavanemate päev!

Today is Grandparents Day in Estonia. There are 337,181 grandparents living in Estonia, and together they make up 25% of the Estonian population.

The highest share of grandmothers live in Hiiu County (42.7%). It also has the highest percentage of grandfathers (28.1%).

Sunday photo: Tallinn's New Market

Gone but not forgotten, Tallinn's 'Uus turg' (new market). It was located in the centre of the city and was a hub of activity from 1896 -1948.

 

Uus turg

Estonians love their dark humour

Comic duo Ott Sepp and Märt Avandi have been entertaining audiences in Estonia for the past two decades. Many of their comedy sketches are dark and absurd in nature yet very amusing. In this sketch from Tujurikkuja, they once again capture audiences with their sense of mischief that you can't help but laugh. Their comedy is so naughty!

        

Estonians are avid readers

Landgeist has released a new map showing the percentage of Europeans who read at least one book per year.  People over the age of sixteen are included on the map that reveals people living in Switzerland, Luxembourg and Denmark love their books. Estonia scored highly and are among Europe's top readers at 70.7% of the population reading at least one book per year. Avid readers tend to read dozens of books each year.

Can AI beat Estonians at identifying mushrooms?

It's currently mushroom season in Estonia. During the months of July - October Estonians love to head to the forest in search of delicious treats. British Estonian Adam Rang poses a very interesting question in this video, 'can AI beat Estonians at identifying mushrooms?' The answer, of course, is no.

 

A look at Tallinn's Town Hall since the year 1260

This year marks 620 years since Tallinn's Town Hall was built in its current form. The original Town Hall building was much smaller in size and its present structure was completed in the year 1404. This video provides a fascinating overview of the changes to the Town Hall over the centuries.

 

35th anniversary of the Baltic Way

The 23rd of August marks the 35th anniversary of the Baltic Way. On this day in 1989, approximately two million people from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania joined hands and formed a human chain in a peaceful protest against the illegal Soviet occupation. The Baltic Way spanned 675 kilometres linking the Baltic capital cities of Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius in the longest human chain in history.

 

   

Vabadus! Brīvība! Laisvė!

 

There was so much excitement and hope on this day. The Baltic Way was a powerful symbol of unity in the common quest of three nations to restore their independence. Freedom was eventually restored three years later.

Paide is the first Estonian city fully equipped with civil defence sirens

Civil defence in Estonia reached an important milestone recently when Paide became the country's first city to be fully covered by air raid sirens. In an emergency, these sirens will always be used in conjunction with other notification systems including texts / SMS, kriis.ee and the state phone helpline 1247. Since Russia's full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine the Estonian government has increased defence spending. Installation of sirens is simultaneously underway in more than 15 settlements across Estonia. In the coming years, the Estonian government will be allocating an additional €1.1 billion to national defence.

Estonia to celebrate 33rd anniversary of restored independence

The 20th August is a national holiday in Estonia. A day of celebration to mark the end of fifty dark years of Soviet occupation. During those grim years Estonians endured so much yet never gave up the hope of restoring independence one day. That day finally came on the 20th August 1991 when Estonians finally rid their country of Soviet rule. Estonians around the world rejoiced, waving the beloved sinimustvalge flag that was banned for so long. Head taasiseseisvumispäeva! Elagu Eesti!

Northern lights seen from Lääne-Viru county

Once again Estonian meteorologist Kairo Kiitsak has captured sone stunning images of the northern lights in Estonia. These photographs were taken on Monday night in Lääne-Viru county.

 

 

No Olympic medals for Team Estonia

It was a disappointing year for Team Estonia at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. For the first time since 1996, Estonia failed to secure a single medal at the Summer Olympics. Female fencer Nelli Differt was the closest to achieving a medal, finishing 4th in the women's épée final. There were high hopes for 400m hurdler Rasmus Mägi who, for his third consecutive Olympics Games, managed to reach the men's final, but unfortunately stumbled on the last hurdle and finished 7th place. Despite Estonia's lack of medals, the athletes should feel proud of their achievements as many of them now rank among the top ten in the world in their respective events. The official medal tally can be found here.

Freedom of the Press Worldwide 2024

 Estonia is the sixth freest country in the world! Northern Europe leads the way!

 

 

25% of the World's best decathlon athletes are Estonian

The Olympic Games decathlon final took place yesterday in Paris. Johannes Erm, Janek Õiglane and Karel Tilga represented Estonia, and although they did not secure a medal, all three althletes now rank among the top 11 best in the world. Janek Õiglane was the highest ranking Estonian at 5th place. For a country with a population of 1.3 million, this is a fantastic result for Estonia!

The final scoreboard can be found here.

Who was Emilie Rosalie Beermann?

Born in Pilistvere on the 16th of December 1860, Emilie Rosalie Beermann was the eldest of eight children in the family of Gustav Heinrich Beermann and Caroline Beermann. Her father was a school principal in Põltsamaa and gave her the name Emilie in honour of her godmother. Like her father, Emilie was an ardent nationalist and after graduating from Põltsamaa parish school, she became a crafts teacher for girls at the same school.

In 1881, the Estonian Students’ Society “Vironia” was founded at the University of Tartu. It was here where the colour combination of blue-black-white first emerged, selected as the fraternity's flag which later went on to become the national flag of Estonia. Emilie Beerman bought the blue, black and white fabric from the Leihberg cloth store in Põltsamaa and is credited as being the maker of the first blue-black-white flag in 1884. According to varying sources, Emilie did not sew the flag alone, Miina Hermann and Paula Hermann also took part in sewing the flag. Emilie's father made a pole for the flag in his workshop and her brother Christoph transported the flag to the Estonian Students’ Society (EÜS) in Tartu.

That original flag still exists today and can be viewed at the Estonian National Museum in Tartu.

The blue, black and white (sinimustvalge) flag was adopted as the national flag of Estonia in 1918 and it is deeply cherished by all Estonians!

Paris 2024 Olympics: It all begins today!

Good luck to the Estonian athletes who are set to compete in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. May they bring home many medals and make Estonia proud!

 

 

One hundred years ago, Paris also hosted the Olympic Games. Here is a photograph of Team Estonia in 1924. As you can see, it was very much a male dominated event back then. A lot has changed over the years. Thank goodness!

Fun fact: Estonia at the Olympics

The first time basketball was ever played at the Olympic Games was on the 7th August 1936 in Berlin. The opening match was played between Estonia and France and Estonia won 34 - 29. Basketball is the national sport of Estonia.

Evald Okas Museum reopens in Haapsalu

The museum dedicated to the works of Estonian artist Evald Okas has reopened in Haapsalu after a two-year renovation. The 19th century museum building underwent major structural refurbishment to modernise the gallery with new technical communication equipment and heating system.

Evald Okas (28 November 1915 – 30 April 2011) was best known for his portraits of nudes and working in the medium of charcoals. In 1947, Okas, along with Elmar Kits and Richard Sagrits painted the ceiling of the Estonian National Opera. Okas later became a professor at the Estonian State Art Institute.

More information about the Evald Okas Museum can be found here.

Enjoy the next full moon in Tallinn

The next full moon can be seen tomorrow on July 21. The moon will still appear full the night before and after its peak for the casual stargazer to enjoy. During this time it would be a great opportunity to take a few photographs of the moon set against Tallinn's stunning skyline. Let's hope the night sky will be clear!

Old photographs of Tallinn

I love viewing old photographs of Tallinn. In them I catch a glimpse of a bygone era that was once familar to my grandparents and their parents. One of the great things about Tallinn is that many of these lovely old buildings still exist today and I can experience visiting them for myself.