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The changes in Estonian population after World War II

Explore the demographic changes in Estonia after World War II, including the flight of Estonians westward, deportation to Siberia in 1949, and Russian immigration during the Soviet Era.

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The changes in Estonian population after World War II

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  1. The changes in Estonianpopulation after World War II

  2. Introduction • The flight of Estonians to the West during World War II • Deportation of Estonians into Siberia in 1949 • Immigration of Russians into Estonia during 50 years of Soviet Era

  3. Estonia was one of the smallest states in Europe in 1920s and 1930s. • Estonian population was about 1 million people. • During and after WW II Estonia lost about of 150,000 people: people lost in war, war refugees, deportees.

  4. Estonia before World War II

  5. An Estonian housewife

  6. A typical home of an Estonian family

  7. Boys behind Aruküla manor

  8. A beautiful summer day

  9. Our wrestler – Olympic gold medallist

  10. Kalevipoeg – our national epic

  11. University of Tartu Theatre Vanemuine

  12. The change of power in Estonia 1940 Soviet occupation 1918-1940 Estonian Republic 1941-1944 Nazy occupation 1991 Estonian Republic 1944 – 1991 Soviet occupation

  13. Loss of independence In 1940 Estonia was occupied by the Soviet Union and as a result of the deal between Nazy Germany and the Soviet Union (Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsGVOdFAIxw http://www.estonica.org/media/files/images/64/642333028638-29_punaarmee-sissemarss_1939_farh_jpg_690x518_q100.jpg

  14. The first mass deportation in 1941 • In June 1941 over 10,000 people from Estonia were arrested and deported to the prison camps in Russia, Siberia • Similar things happened in Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova • Soviet Union wanted to ruin the independent statehood and suppress the people with fear and terror • Politicians, military, scientists, clergy, businessmen and their families were the victims of deportation

  15. The victims of deportation in 1941 Prime ministerOtto [August] Strandman shot himself when he was arrested Prime minister Friedrich Akel was murdered on 3 July 1941 in Tallinn Prime ministerJaan Teemant was arrested on 27 July1940 by the Soviet Union, died in prison

  16. Nazy Germany occupies Estonia • On June 22th 1941 Nazy Germany declared war to the Soviet Union and invaded it. • By the end of August 1941 Estonia was under the German occupation which lasted for about 3 years. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-B08041,_Reval,_Besuch_General_Georg_v._K%C3%BCchler_in.jpg?uselang=et http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-010-0938-19,_Estland,_Angetretene_Soldaten.jpg?uselang=et

  17. Nazy Germany occupies Estonia

  18. Second Soviet occupation At the beginning of 1944 the Soviet Army was again at the borders of Estonia. The battles for Estonia lasted for about 6 months. The main cities were seriously damaged, the city of Narva was almost in ruins. http://f5.pmo.ee/f/2010/11/04/460252t20h6b5e.jpg

  19. Narva in ruins http://files.ene.test.finestmedia.ee/EV%2090/large/Purustatud%20Narva%201944_164.jpg

  20. Theatre Vanemuine before and after the war http://www.ra.ee/fotis/index.php?type=2&id=611770 http://files.ene.test.finestmedia.ee/Varia_ajalugu/large/Tartu_Vanemuine_%20u%201916.jpg

  21. Tartu stonebridge before and after the war http://www.tartu.ee/data/kivisild1.jpg

  22. Damaged Tallinn http://www.rindeleht.ee/foorum/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=4138&mode=view

  23. Damaged Tallinn

  24. Theatre Estonia before and after the war http://vanadasjad.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/tlm-f-2004.jpg http://www.estonica.org/et/Teises_maailmas%C3%B5jas_h%C3%A4vinud_Eesti_arhitektuurip%C3%A4rand/#/104/7124/13798/13822/14342/14343/14344/18404

  25. The flight of Estonians to the West during World War II • In 1944 about 80 000 Estonians escaped to Sweden and Germany • They escaped because Estonia was occupied by the Soviet Union and they were afraid of arrest and deportation • About 8 000 of 80 000 people died trying to escape because of autumn storms and they used simple fishing boats which were full of people

  26. The flight of Estonians to the West http://migrationsmap.net/#/EST/departures

  27. Escaping to Sweden • About 25,000 people escaped to Sweden because Sweden was rich, prosperous and neutral country • Swedish government was ready to help the refugees – hot cocoa and warm, clean clothes were ready Leaving home

  28. Waiting for the boat

  29. Refugees leave for Gotland http://www.saartehaal.ee/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/4149.jpg

  30. Swedish warship saving the refugees

  31. Arrival in Gotland

  32. Escaping to Germany • About 30,000 people escaped to Germany, because Germany was close and people could use horse carriages and the railway • Estonian soldiers in German Army left Estonia with the German Army • Refugees were placed in refugee camps where food and shelter were poor because Germany was full on refugees • In 1947 - 1949 people left Germany to other countries with better living conditions - USA, Canada, Australia

  33. Road to Germany http://www.kool.ee/failid/pogenik.jpg

  34. After the flight • Estonians had to get used to the new society, find a new job • People had to learn new language – Swedish, German or English and do hard physical labourin the forests, factories or fields • But Estonians were valued because they worked hard and were well educated • They were homesick because of lack of contacts with their relatives in homeland • For the first time emigrees could visit their homeland 30 years after the war Laul - “Ma tahaksin kodus olla“ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDwaXL4_rro

  35. Estonians in the Estonian House in Sweden

  36. An Estonian school in Stockholm

  37. “Better to die at the sea as a free person than to die in Siberia as a forced labourer”

  38. Memories “The first night at the sea passed peacefully, but in the morning a strong wind had risen, which turned into a storm. In the afternoon, the engine of the ship stopped working. Because of the strong wind we could not use any sails either. Fortunately, a Swedish warship noticed us the next morning and saved us.”

  39. “We had been sailing for only a few hours, when the Swedish naval patrol spotted us and lead us to the port on Fejan island. Some people were saved from drowning by the naval ship and we do not know how many refugees died in that September storm. We know that of fourteen boats, which sailed out from Viimsi port, only nine managed to arrive in Sweden.”

  40. The second mass deportation in Estonia 1949 • The second mass deportation in Estonia took place March 1949. • Deportation happened during one night, at the same time in all Baltic countries. • From Estonia almost 20,000 people were deported to Siberia. • Majority of deportees were rich farmers with their families. • Some people resisted, they escaped with their families to the forests and to other cities. Children in a deportation wagon

  41. Transportation

  42. Wagons

  43. Forest brothers • The men who did not manage to escape to the West and were afraid of deportation, escaped to the forests” • They were called Forest brothers and hunted by the Soviet Security forces, captured and sent to prison camps in Siberia Metsavennalaul http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZIcnYcGmJA

  44. Life in Siberia

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