by Ott Koor, archivist at the National Archives of Estonia
Illegal cross-border movement across the Soviet border was a process that characterised the areas along the eastern border of Europe from 1920 to 1940. The communist ideology attracted many, which is why cross-border movements took place primarily towards the Soviet Union and not vice versa. One characteristic example is the case of Estonia. Illegal border crossings between Estonia and the Soviet Union in 1920–1940 weiterlesen
by Kersti Lust, PhD in history, National Archives of Estonia
Wrecking, the illegal seizure of materials and cargo of shipwrecks, was an important economic activity for several centuries, and it was performed along many coastal areas around the world. The international scholarly tradition usually views wrecking as an activity of the common people, but this blog post sheds light on the deceptive and opportunistic activities of manorial lords, who were responsible for enforcing the law at the local level by performing police and court functions, but who, at the same time, could benefit also from wrecking. How the manorial lords wrecked ships weiterlesen
Polish President Andrzej Duda’s visit to the National Archives of Estonia and Polish-Estonian archival cooperation
by Birgit Kibal, Adviser of the National Archivist
22 June 2018 is an important landmark in the archival cooperation between Poland and Estonia. That day Polish President Andrzej Duda visited the main building of the National Archives to open an exhibition of archival records about the historical relationships between Estonia and Poland. President Duda is the first foreign head of state to visit archives in Estonia since the creation of national archival system almost a hundred years ago and it is a great honour and respect to our archival institutions. First foreign head of state visits the National Archives! weiterlesen
by Liivi Uuet, Archivist of the National Archives of Estonia
Tallinn cargo harbour was festively decorated with the flags of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic and Finland in the morning of July 7, 1965: motor vessel Vanemuine[1] was sent to its maiden journey from Tallinn to Helsinki which restored regular ferry service between Tallinn and Helsinki. The 1,000-ton vessel was built in Bulgaria the previous year. After official speeches, it started its journey to Helsinki where it was welcomed with similar festivity: the harbour was decorated with flags, press conference was held and official receptions took place at the town government of Helsinki and in the Finnish-Soviet Society of Friendship. It was the year 1965 – the re-establishing of the regular ferry service between Helsinki and Tallinn weiterlesen
by Jaan Lehtaru
St. John’s Church in Tartu is most famous for its terracotta figures that inhabit the interior and exterior of the church, remnants of approximately 2,000 it is thought to have had in the Middle Ages. There is no other building in the entire European Gothic tradition that could in any significant way compete with this church in the number, variety, and artistic quality of the terracotta sculptures. For more see http://www.estinst.ee/Ea/heritage/alttoa.html.
The National Archives of Estonia holds a collection of the paint samples of the figures. In search of lost colours of the terracotta figures weiterlesen
