Usually, the ‘founding’, the creation of a nation is cause for an annual celebration – July 1 for Canada, July 4 for the USA, February 24 for Estonia.
However, for Estonians, the August 20, 1991 Restoration of Independence as the reconstruction of the state has equal existential significance, as does the 1918 Declaration of Independence. Both actions required the unified determination of Estonians to be successful.
Of all the 105-member Supreme Soviet, 70 were present – all ethnic Estonians. Irrespective of political affiliation, 69 voted for restoration.
On August 20, we not only harken back to the crucial vote in the Estonian Supreme Soviet. We also celebrate the numerous unifying Estonian developments leading up to the vote. Here are some of the occurrences, that helped to coalesce Estonians’ joint stance supporting a unified purpose:
The unified opposition in the spring of 1987 to mining for phosphorite in north eastern Estonia influenced Moscow to cancel its plans.
On August 23, 1987, the public meeting of the MRAP initiative – the condemnation of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of 1939 and the demand for official acknowledgment of it secret protocols. This was the first open demand for Estonia’s freedom and the first clearly anti-Soviet demonstration.
In December of 1887 the Estonian Heritage Society was established to bring attention to the country’s social/cultural uniqueness. By 1988 it had 4000 activists and had become clearly a pro-Estonia anti-Soviet, open movement.
By April of 1988 the People’s Front (Rahvarinne) was formed that supported Gorbachev’s notion of perestroika. Although at its inception it wasn’t a purely ‘pro-Estonia’ movement, it eventually adopted a vision of an independent country – declared, but not necessarily restored.
On February 24, 1989, at a public gathering on Tallinn’s City Hall, organizers called for the establishment of local ‘Citizens’ Committees’, consisting of Estonian citizens. By February of 1990, 790,000 citizens had registered with the local Committees – an incredible show of unity and resistance to the Soviet occupation. The mission was to convene a ‘Congress of Estonia’.
At the first session of the Congress, on March 11, 1990, 500 delegates, elected by Estonian citizens, confirmed the principle of self-determination for the country. It was asserted that Estonia, as a legitimate entity had never been abandoned, but had survived de jure – as recognized internationally and by its own citizenry. This became the rationale for demanding a restoration de facto of the Republic of Estonia. The Congress convened a total of nine times.
The ‘Singing Revolution’, started in 1988, consisted of both organized and spontaneous gatherings of hundreds of thousands of Estonians to the Song Festival grounds, and elsewhere. The songs of Alo Mattiisen and Jüri Leesment resonated with all Estonians since they clearly messaged a determined defiance of Soviet authority. It is still mentioned in the international media as a characteristic of the Estonian non-violent resistance to foreign, totalitarian rule.
The ‘Freedom Chain’ of summer 1989 saw the formation of a 600-kilometre long human link-up of some 2,000,000 Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians from Vilnius to Tallinn. The purpose was clear, the action dramatic and it caught the rapt attention of the world press.
The above represented some very vital aspects of Estonian togetherness.
‘United we stand, divided we fall’ we glibly take for granted and seldom pause to think of the deeper implications. Unity is a concept that describes the coming together for a greater good.
Unity helps to maximize the potential strength of communities, no matter how weak in numbers. Estonians pre-August 1991 understood this well. And they not only want change on a revolutionary scale, but they also knew that they had to be the change, together.
Is it possible to draw a parallel between a united country in pre–restoration Estonia and a small Estonian community here that could benefit from solid unity? One could say that nothing unites people better than a common enemy. Just look at Ukraine today. Surely Estonia also over 30 years ago when the fight was for freedom against a recognized enemy.
Could our common enemy be a combination of poor communication, unwarranted gossip, disagreements that remain unresolved. Also the lack of openness in making important decisions that affect the community. Certainly, the lack of a shared purpose could not be an enemy, because the maintenance and growth of our community abroad remains a common goal. These enemies are less formidable than Soviet power and with a common understanding are conquerable.
Community and unity is an empowering combo. It has a ripple effect. Let’s put it to use. August 20th reminds us of the benefits.
