https://estonianmassflight.com Estonian Mass Flight Mon, 18 Sep 2023 16:08:13 +0000 https://estonianmassflight.com en https://estonianmassflight.com/Home Wed, 17 Apr 2019 17:31:05 +0000 Estonian Mass Flight https://estonianmassflight.com/Home <img width="3527" height="1682" width_o="3527" height_o="1682" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e4585ff23f77dde7cc6a6b0658e5890e46d071dbc432ff07e6eea975c87de1e9/EstonianDiasporaHeader3.png" data-mid="206129127" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/e4585ff23f77dde7cc6a6b0658e5890e46d071dbc432ff07e6eea975c87de1e9/EstonianDiasporaHeader3.png" /> <img width="2999" height="2250" width_o="2999" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a559902a01c1391acf4a6e6a213c426e310412f8516fac839455dff412ef88f4/B0000986.jpg" data-mid="217257798" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a559902a01c1391acf4a6e6a213c426e310412f8516fac839455dff412ef88f4/B0000986.jpg" /> <img width="3000" height="2250" width_o="3000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/08319b68f89b87d9dc3d2fa721dfd4298a7f98d56bdde500dd34bd936d42d543/B0000981.jpg" data-mid="217257796" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/08319b68f89b87d9dc3d2fa721dfd4298a7f98d56bdde500dd34bd936d42d543/B0000981.jpg" /> <img width="3000" height="2250" width_o="3000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/081fa628661e4a8bea95107a57fbc40c87ad0f32e6818fef39ff9a792f3cdcad/B0000990.jpg" data-mid="217257801" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/081fa628661e4a8bea95107a57fbc40c87ad0f32e6818fef39ff9a792f3cdcad/B0000990.jpg" /> <img width="3000" height="2250" width_o="3000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/cbeea04165673fde9cb50363343104a4fa6014388186358c97cac0beeda84aaa/B0000991.jpg" data-mid="217257802" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/cbeea04165673fde9cb50363343104a4fa6014388186358c97cac0beeda84aaa/B0000991.jpg" /> <img width="3000" height="2250" width_o="3000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9dc1f17497097ba1d053636ab10016b342cf699ed3118d6fee669dc17a5a39fe/B0000988.jpg" data-mid="217257800" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/9dc1f17497097ba1d053636ab10016b342cf699ed3118d6fee669dc17a5a39fe/B0000988.jpg" /> <img width="3000" height="2250" width_o="3000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ff5754e11d61b05d40c62f68643b08643360af7fd77006ce49740b0a7d686b27/B0000987.jpg" data-mid="217257799" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ff5754e11d61b05d40c62f68643b08643360af7fd77006ce49740b0a7d686b27/B0000987.jpg" /> <img width="3000" height="2250" width_o="3000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3dce54fc126c51e3363c09bb5fd8df2530c35a5f9f994adf1d30f66e130517e3/B0000978.jpg" data-mid="217257795" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/3dce54fc126c51e3363c09bb5fd8df2530c35a5f9f994adf1d30f66e130517e3/B0000978.jpg" /> <img width="3000" height="2250" width_o="3000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8911cb0459c8c254a461458a5b79eb174bf569c70843ff9fd4ffdb3bad970443/B0000982.jpg" data-mid="217257797" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8911cb0459c8c254a461458a5b79eb174bf569c70843ff9fd4ffdb3bad970443/B0000982.jpg" /> <img width="3000" height="2250" width_o="3000" height_o="2250" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0b4e2acecc0f5cc8c0e010e480da1efcc9563168dd335dcd9ebf89116cea0618/B0000958.jpg" data-mid="217257794" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/0b4e2acecc0f5cc8c0e010e480da1efcc9563168dd335dcd9ebf89116cea0618/B0000958.jpg" /> Order the book now! In 1944, thousands of Estonians escaped from the invading Russian Army across the sea to Sweden, Finland, Germany and German-annexed parts of Poland. My uncle and mother were seven and five years old when they were smuggled with their mother onto the boat Juhan, which made nine journeys from Tallinn to Stockholm in 1944 to transport ethnic Swedes from Estonia to their ancient homeland. My grandfather followed a few weeks later in a small rowing boat. During my childhood I heard the story of their escape mostly from an adult point of view, but always wondered what it was like for the children. I became interested in pursuing the “Children of the 1944 Estonian Mass Flight” project a few years ago, when my grandparents had passed away and my mother and uncle were the only “real” Estonians left in our family with memories of Estonia and the escape from there. I became fascinated by how different their account of events was from the (very few) stories my grandparents had told us. It was more about strong sensory memories – the smell of the boat, the taste of the white bread – than the actual events of the journey itself. Also, as I have met with people for this project, I have found that what you remember as a five-year-old differs greatly to what you remember as a twelve-year-old. To this day, my mother can’t stand the smell of engine-oil as she was hiding in a tool box. My uncle has no memories of the boat journey itself, but remembers the soft white bread and hot milk they were served as they arrived in Sweden. This is what I am most interested in when pursuing this project – what memories do these “children” have of the escape? How you process something like this as a child? For the project, I make portraits of each person (siblings together if possible), but I also photograph an object&nbsp; –&nbsp; something they brought with them from Estonia or something that they have kept from that time. Ernest Hemingway wrote, “In every port in the world, at least two Estonians can be found”, and that certainly seems to be true. I will keep working on this project until there are none of these ‘children’ left to find – please get in touch if you or a family member would like to contribute with a story. The project feels especially poignant as there are so many refugees fleeing across waters all over the globe today. https://estonianmassflight.com/About Thu, 18 Apr 2019 01:01:54 +0000 Estonian Mass Flight https://estonianmassflight.com/About The Children of the 1944 Estonian Mass Flight.A photographic project by Maria Spann. In 1944, thousands of Estonians escaped from the invading Russian Army across the sea to Sweden, Finland, Germany and German-annexed parts of Poland. My uncle and mother were seven and five years old when they were smuggled with their mother onto the boat Juhan, which made nine journeys from Tallinn to Stockholm in 1944 to transport ethnic Swedes from Estonia to their ancient homeland. My grandfather followed a few weeks later in a small rowing boat. During my childhood I heard the story of their escape mostly from an adult point of view, but always wondered what it was like for the children. I became interested in pursuing the “Children of the 1944 Estonian Mass Flight” project a few years ago, when my grandparents had passed away and my mother and uncle were the only “real” Estonians left in our family with memories of Estonia and the escape from there. I became fascinated by how different their account of events was from the (very few) stories my grandparents had told us. It was more about strong sensory memories - the smell of the boat, the taste of the white bread – than the actual events of the journey itself. Also, as I have met with people for this project, I have found that what you remember as a five-year-old differs greatly to what you remember as a twelve-year-old. To this day, my mother can’t stand the smell of engine-oil as she was hiding in a tool box. My uncle has no memories of the boat journey itself, but remembers the soft white bread and hot milk they were served as they arrived in Sweden. This is what I am most interested in when pursuing this project – what memories do these “children” have of the escape? How you process something like this as a child? Ernest Hemingway wrote, “In every port in the world, at least two Estonians can be found”, and that certainly seems to be true. For the project, I make portraits of each person (siblings together if possible), but I also photograph an object&nbsp; –&nbsp; something they brought with them from Estonia or something that they have kept from that time. The project feels especially poignant as there are so many refugees fleeing across waters all over the globe today. Email: me(at)mariaspann.com Tel: +1(917)436 0742 Maria Spann is a Swedish photographer currently based in Brooklyn, New York. She was born in Sweden to an Estonian mother and moved to London in 1995 to study at Central St Martin’s School of Art. In 2015, she relocated with her family to Brooklyn.&nbsp; https://estonianmassflight.com/Sweden Wed, 17 Apr 2019 17:31:06 +0000 Estonian Mass Flight https://estonianmassflight.com/Sweden <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2f8759bedb79785749b2243400b4e1fb415314dad3d0bfdef2be2bc98765ad65/IlmeJuriNEW.jpg" data-mid="203138763" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/2f8759bedb79785749b2243400b4e1fb415314dad3d0bfdef2be2bc98765ad65/IlmeJuriNEW.jpg" /> Ilme Spann and Jüri Sonn 5 and 7 years old. Ilme and Jüri were thrown onto the schooner Juhan as it left the port in Hapsalu. Their mother was already on the boat. Ilme can remember the feeling in her stomach as she flew through the air. She also remembers the strong smell of engine-oil from the tool box she hid inside once she was onboard. Juri mostly remembers the soft white bread and hot milk they were served as they arrived in Sweden. ObjectIlme and Jüri’s father’s wallet filled with German, Russian and American bank notes. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a6a9a2ebe2283ef20097715b78dec1c9059b5019b95ab10954eae87244f97549/Jaak_K.jpg" data-mid="41621493" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a6a9a2ebe2283ef20097715b78dec1c9059b5019b95ab10954eae87244f97549/Jaak_K.jpg" /> Jaak Kutti 6 years old. Jaak remembers his father pointing at the view from Toompea Castle in Tallinn moments before they boarded thetrain to start their escape from Estonia: ‘Look carefully at this view. It’s quite likely we’ll never see it again…’ ObjectA crystal vase that the family brought with them. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3956b887fd91e2c94f8d142cf56d6c2a8734034a685dbdabf6927816f633e32c/Mai_MNEW.jpg" data-mid="203138764" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/3956b887fd91e2c94f8d142cf56d6c2a8734034a685dbdabf6927816f633e32c/Mai_MNEW.jpg" /> Mai Malmström (born Küüts) 5 years old. Remembers seeing her grandmother waving on the porch with the family dogs as they drove off from the house. ObjectMai’s father was a forester and also a handy craftsman, and made her this hammer when she was 3 years old. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/31112506b04f03d4c8e09df3d9255f96f833322c1435ec0c895a9bdbcaeaac1d/Enn_NNEW.jpg" data-mid="203138761" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/31112506b04f03d4c8e09df3d9255f96f833322c1435ec0c895a9bdbcaeaac1d/Enn_NNEW.jpg" /> Enn Nõu 11 years old. Remembers holding his breath and praying on the boat and thinking the Stockholm archipelago looked like a fairytale landscape. ObjectEnn’s boy-scout knife. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/31064fc543c4788e62a1834ee4914b0043ad370bae3707dbff985c9adc05e011/Heino_WNEW.jpg" data-mid="203138762" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/31064fc543c4788e62a1834ee4914b0043ad370bae3707dbff985c9adc05e011/Heino_WNEW.jpg" /> Heino Wänt 4 years old. Remembers walking up a long hill in Ventspils, Latvia&nbsp;to bury his baby brother who died on their first attempt to escape. ObjectSwedish-Estonian, Estonian-Swedish dictionary for farm laborers handed to Heino’s father on arrival in Sweden. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e6cdb3623c30ed26859cf4db5303c1da6639275f8d920fb2bef5509b77ded2d0/Rein_L.jpg" data-mid="41621496" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/e6cdb3623c30ed26859cf4db5303c1da6639275f8d920fb2bef5509b77ded2d0/Rein_L.jpg" /> Rein Lepik 3 years old. Remembers sitting on the floor of the boat feeling&nbsp;very seasick. ObjectMagnet for the ignition of the family’s boat, which Rein’s father removed before they disembarked in Sweden, so that the Russians wouldn’t be able to start the engine as they confiscated all Estonian vessels. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/accc24f8e41de424fbb69b0c8a6702fea0d4c6ca4ebb048580b71109a4760a0a/Tarmo_O.jpg" data-mid="41621499" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/accc24f8e41de424fbb69b0c8a6702fea0d4c6ca4ebb048580b71109a4760a0a/Tarmo_O.jpg" /> Tarmo Oja 9 years old. Tarmo remembers feeling seasick on the boat journey&nbsp;and when they finally arrived in Sweden he was given hot chocolate in big, white army mugs. ObjectThis was the book Tarmo was reading when they left Estonia and he couldn’t leave it behind as he really wanted to find out how it ended. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/cbfcb823780e283dc578ad1cb08e759a9b5748c7c91edf2bfb51e6b8d74f4cb0/Viiu_R.jpg" data-mid="41621504" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/cbfcb823780e283dc578ad1cb08e759a9b5748c7c91edf2bfb51e6b8d74f4cb0/Viiu_R.jpg" /> Viiu Riis 9 years old. The family couldn’t bring their dog Tobi, and Viiu&nbsp;remembers how they had to shut him in a fishing shed before leaving. She will never forget how he howled as they walked past in the night to get on the boat. ObjectPostcards sent to the family’s old address in Estonia. They knew they&nbsp;couldn’t let family back in Estonia know where they were, so they&nbsp;pretended to be a Swedish relative writing to them from Sweden. As they were from such a small community, the ladies at the postoffice knew it was from them and passed it on to their family. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2d37e29765200a03ba9188dfba676d22b08c7e0388097ee13f889f7873c5b256/ReinArvoHelgaNEW.jpg" data-mid="203138766" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/2d37e29765200a03ba9188dfba676d22b08c7e0388097ee13f889f7873c5b256/ReinArvoHelgaNEW.jpg" /> Rein Raukas, Helga Nõu and Arvo Raukas 4, 10 and 7 years old. Rein remembers being at the bottom of the boat, looking up at an open square hatch and seeing a strange pattern. He later found out it was the underside of the Pärnu bridge. Helga remembers there being water everywhere and seeing a loaf of bread floating around inside the boat. Arvo remembers being amazed at seeing lights as they approached Sweden in the night – in Estonia there were blackout regulations in place. ObjectRein, Helga and Arvo’s father’s pocket watch. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/dd35b7254dbf95a92f737116b0ebf835628914b819b2e2df41a983017e35133d/Vello_R.jpg" data-mid="41621502" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/dd35b7254dbf95a92f737116b0ebf835628914b819b2e2df41a983017e35133d/Vello_R.jpg" /> Vello Riomar 12 years old. Remembers feeling confused on seeing huge signs throughout the Stockholm archipelago saying ‘Kabel’ (Swedish for ‘cable’), as this means ‘chapel’ in Estonian. ObjectCap from Vello’s school in Estonia, made from wool from the sheep on his grandparent’s farm. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8e6f2e7dca604b02fba369d9bdaf531653320834f1b5f0a867b44a974a9e906f/Helgi_K.jpg" data-mid="41621490" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8e6f2e7dca604b02fba369d9bdaf531653320834f1b5f0a867b44a974a9e906f/Helgi_K.jpg" /> Helgi Kihlberg 6 years old. Helgi had her doll with her. When they had made it to Danzig in Germany by boat and then Türingen by train, they missed a train connection and had to walk 6 km. During this walk, Helgi lost the doll’s hat. Her mother walked all the way back, but never found it. ObjectThe family album. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4c630d0c956e104c1f987f859caba4689cd958b89603a7fbfcfdad6d6410659e/Helle_P.jpg" data-mid="41621491" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/4c630d0c956e104c1f987f859caba4689cd958b89603a7fbfcfdad6d6410659e/Helle_P.jpg" /> Helle Persson 8 years old. Helle remembers the first morning at sea after they&nbsp;left Estonia – the weather was lovely and still and she was sat on the bow of the boat with her hand in the water. Her father hadgiven her a stack of now-useless Ostmark notes which she&nbsp;threw overboard. ObjectBefore fleeing, the family buried their nice glassware and crockery behind the house. It was retrieved many years later. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c48d153fbe1d4b58d4e7aed5e7bcdba517d0d5b544f6dc322cbc2288e5a9b5ab/Mart_MNEW.jpg" data-mid="203138765" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/c48d153fbe1d4b58d4e7aed5e7bcdba517d0d5b544f6dc322cbc2288e5a9b5ab/Mart_MNEW.jpg" /> Mart Mägi 7 years old. Remembers walking on a small path towards the beach and seeing the horizon in the moonlight – large rocks in the water made it look like traces of snowballs thrown at a wall. ObjectMart’s Estonian birth certificate. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7473ec7cc7c649655e8008010b971139c0a6ffc817f3d1be62f8238905498521/SilviPeeter.jpg" data-mid="41621498" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/7473ec7cc7c649655e8008010b971139c0a6ffc817f3d1be62f8238905498521/SilviPeeter.jpg" /> Silvi Engman and Peter Rahnel 5 and 2 years old. Silvi remembers drinking water straight from her mother’s mouth, that she had tried to warm up by holding it inside her mouth as it was so cold on the boat. She also remembers seeing feet with rubber boots on. Peter was too young to remember the journey. ObjectA portrait of Silvi and Peter’s mother when she was young. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f589df872e452635bd0ad041193e5951df83cf6f76ae4a29af15bf27f92801e8/Tiit_TNEW.jpg" data-mid="203138767" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/f589df872e452635bd0ad041193e5951df83cf6f76ae4a29af15bf27f92801e8/Tiit_TNEW.jpg" />Tiit Tamme 6 years old. Remembers being given pancakes with jam on arrival in Sweden and throwing them straight back up as he was still seasick. ObjectTiit’s father’s Alien’s Passport which had to be stamped every year. You weren’t allowed to travel anywhere near Stockholm, Gothenburg or Malmö. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1738b59d957f4fad58f4b16b909913e038d4f436793080b82e00785b5ded160a/Tiina_R.jpg" data-mid="191330160" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/1738b59d957f4fad58f4b16b909913e038d4f436793080b82e00785b5ded160a/Tiina_R.jpg" /> Tiina Rebas 1 year old. Tiina escaped Estonia from Saaremaa with her mother in an open boat. She has no memories from the journey as she was so young. She does, however remember finding a hatch in the floor of the farm (where they stayed for the first few months)&nbsp;in Sweden very frightening. Object Photograph of Tiina’s maternal grandmother Anna Johansson from Narva. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/91a875560142486dba31c25319190da15ce4fc70f3f4121b295b0931b9e26a58/Hain_R.jpg" data-mid="191330159" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/91a875560142486dba31c25319190da15ce4fc70f3f4121b295b0931b9e26a58/Hain_R.jpg" /> Hain Rebas 1 year old. Hain fled Estonia with his mother in September 1944. His father had already left Estonia in 1943 to escape mobilization into the Russian Army. Hain doesn’t remember the escape itself as he was so young, but he clearly recalls being held in isolation at a tuberculosis clinic in Sweden shortly after arrival. A nurse held him up to a window so that he could see his father who had come to visit – so close yet so far away. Object A small vase that Hain’s father brought with him from Estonia, which was given to him on his 25th birthday in 1941.&nbsp; <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1106378d1416540315cd023021228a8ded931cf68f1d0fa33d4966296493e83b/Helmi_W.jpg" data-mid="203133017" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/1106378d1416540315cd023021228a8ded931cf68f1d0fa33d4966296493e83b/Helmi_W.jpg" /> Helmi Warg (Suur) 9 years old. Helmi remembers being so proud of her new olive-green coat that she was wearing when she left home with her mother and four sisters. During the dramatic boat journey she pulled the coat over her head as protection from the cold sea water that was washing over her where she sat underneath a broken tarpaulin. When she looked up from beneath the coat, she could see several women balancing above them and eventually managing to mend the tarpaulin. Her beautiful coat was ruined though... ObjectA photograph of Helmi and her nanny Triin, who looked after Helmi when her mother worked as a teacher. Triin became like a second mother to her. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b56c1507a5e8cf5350ff96662334d6d84b7689a73f60f3e9bd80b911280b8c04/Inga_B.jpg" data-mid="203133018" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/b56c1507a5e8cf5350ff96662334d6d84b7689a73f60f3e9bd80b911280b8c04/Inga_B.jpg" /> Inga Bjurbäck (Schönberg) 10 years old. As Coastal Swedes, Inga and her parents were evacuated to Sweden on the schooner Juhan. The ship picked up more passengers in Odinsholm, and they were seal-hunters – Inga remembers the smell they brought with them was so bad that many people started throwing up. ObjectOne of the suitcases the family brought with them. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ee2a0533904911fa41fbca97681e1d878abeee932b767b0c3af66f46657329a4/Kirsti_TA.jpg" data-mid="203133019" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ee2a0533904911fa41fbca97681e1d878abeee932b767b0c3af66f46657329a4/Kirsti_TA.jpg" /> Kristin Talts Ali 2 years old. Kristin can’t recall much as she was so young, but remembers having to walk by herself as her mother had to carry her baby brother. The ship took them to Germany and after spending two years there, they traveled to Sweden to reunite with Kristin’s father. Kristin remembers seeing her baby brother’s stroller being lifted on board the ship with a huge crane.&nbsp;Object A photograph of Kristin’s mother and aunt with their father Artur and uncle Uudo in Estonia. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d491a0e2f9e55331b152ecd9ae4ca897f566ba2ab6cb79303508272976aff1ca/Olavi_Eero_Mati_L.jpg" data-mid="203133020" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/d491a0e2f9e55331b152ecd9ae4ca897f566ba2ab6cb79303508272976aff1ca/Olavi_Eero_Mati_L.jpg" /> Eero, Olavi and Mati Lepp2 and 4 years old (Mati was born in Sweden). The boys fled with their mother on a fishing boat from the shore in Haapsalu and Olavi remembers carrying his own small backpack. He also recalls that when the Swedish ship Visby appeared to guide them safely to Sweden, a big bar of chocolate was hoisted down to the children on the little fishing boat. Another vivid memory is of his mother Salme crying on the wharf in Spillersboda (Sweden) as she didn’t know where the boys’ father Eduard was located. Eero contracted diphtheria and remembers coughing up a huge build-up of mucus when being made to breathe in turpentine fumes as a remedy. ObjectThe plane is a model of a Bristol Bulldog built by the boy’s father Eduard in the 1930’s. Eduard was a pilot and landed on a field in Sweden in a similar plane (a Fokker CV-E), which he stole from the Germans. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/134404059793cc2837a16931a66bc5f7ffd4339ffebcd44af6e18c7ce3a02b7f/Susanna_T.jpg" data-mid="203133021" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/134404059793cc2837a16931a66bc5f7ffd4339ffebcd44af6e18c7ce3a02b7f/Susanna_T.jpg" /> Susanna Tomson 18 years old. Susanna fled from the coast guard station in Saaremaa with her mother and younger brother. Susanna remembers that when the boat reached Sweden, she couldn’t stand up – her legs weren’t working. She had to be carried off the boat by Swedish soldiers, which worried her mother as she thought they would take her away.Object A suitcase the family brought with them when they fled. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4d5ee5cec8fc379b49793467b2ccc72a043d89dfb40a9ae172f5487cc58c5333/Helle_L.jpg" data-mid="203133024" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/4d5ee5cec8fc379b49793467b2ccc72a043d89dfb40a9ae172f5487cc58c5333/Helle_L.jpg" /> Helle Lehes 5 years old. Helle, her mother and baby sister managed to get on the schooner Juhan. The first time they tried, they were thrown off the boat. Helle’s mother pretended she couldn’t walk so that they would be allowed to stay, but Helle said: “But mom, you can walk!”. They had to wait to try their luck when Juhan did it’s next run. Helle remembers running in the sand while they waited. Once they were on the boat, Helle recalls running around exploring, as her mother was busy with her baby sister. The toilet was completely blocked and over-flowing and everything smelled awful.Object A gold-leaf teapot was among a tea-set the family brought with them. https://estonianmassflight.com/Canada Wed, 17 Apr 2019 18:11:25 +0000 Estonian Mass Flight https://estonianmassflight.com/Canada <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f81aafec64972da3348aa57bfbac5dccdc786aedb60882b72065f761a67e4f00/ReetL.jpg" data-mid="41619235" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/f81aafec64972da3348aa57bfbac5dccdc786aedb60882b72065f761a67e4f00/ReetL.jpg" /> Reet Lambur7 years old. Reet remembers sitting on a bench on the boat and realizing that the chicken meat her mother had just handed out was her beloved chickens Tikka and Tibi. Both Reet and her sister Viiu refused to eat despite being very hungry. ObjectA dress that Reet’s mother made her when she was 3 years old. <img width="1399" height="999" width_o="1399" height_o="999" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a0f03ea6736fdbf19c3dbe6b5bcc10353c73c40702a0ec6df785f141345d915e/Aino_M.jpg" data-mid="41619231" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a0f03ea6736fdbf19c3dbe6b5bcc10353c73c40702a0ec6df785f141345d915e/Aino_M.jpg" />Aino Mitt17 years old. Aino remembers wearing her best suit. Everything else was packed in a suitcase that ended up getting lost and all she had left was a small sugar box with a face cloth. ObjectA photograph of Aino’s father and the Estonian president Konstantin Päts in 1939. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/13583a03450cf1a69e9f7bb35243574cde8e8e603a391950534a998c6041718b/HeljuHelgi.jpg" data-mid="41619232" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/13583a03450cf1a69e9f7bb35243574cde8e8e603a391950534a998c6041718b/HeljuHelgi.jpg" /> Helgi Sooaru and Helju Salumets 13 and 19 years old. Helgi remembers looking at the trees and grass and thinking that she would never come back again. Helju remembers everything from the escape but doesn’t really want to because it hurts too much. ObjectHelju in a traditional costume in Pärnu a few years before they left. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/bea5327639d51300a85c43e89e600f5080ffe62040751eb032bbc76f30b4e107/IrinaS.jpg" data-mid="41619233" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/bea5327639d51300a85c43e89e600f5080ffe62040751eb032bbc76f30b4e107/IrinaS.jpg" /> Irina Schnickwald5 years old. Irina remembers seeing her aunt running along the Pärnu riverbank, waving goodbye with a big towel. ObjectA photo album from when Irina was a baby. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a25a187030bd682e436eab6756b4c4db989240d7dc4239461487555ed4c3d5a3/MaiAino.jpg" data-mid="41619234" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a25a187030bd682e436eab6756b4c4db989240d7dc4239461487555ed4c3d5a3/MaiAino.jpg" /> Mai Aedma and Aino Lund14 and 19 years old. Mai remembers being quite excited to get on the ship – she loved boats – but then felt terribly embarrassed as she discovered the roof of the washrooms had been blown off by a bomb and you had no privacy when going to the bathroom. Aino does not want to remember anything. ObjectA treasured photograph of their sister Vaike, who died of meningitis at 14, before the escape. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/dcc9299e2427b1fc3a420f3c63c47f8d38f9250aab18ee7658134de3a3845a95/Roman_T.jpg" data-mid="41619236" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/dcc9299e2427b1fc3a420f3c63c47f8d38f9250aab18ee7658134de3a3845a95/Roman_T.jpg" /> Roman Toi28 years old. The thing he worried most about, was that they weren’t able to bring any food for his two year-old son. ObjectA photograph taken by Roman’s wife in 1947 in Geislingen, Germany of Roman and his young son Ants. https://estonianmassflight.com/United-Kingdom Mon, 18 Sep 2023 16:08:13 +0000 Estonian Mass Flight https://estonianmassflight.com/United-Kingdom <img width="1401" height="1000" width_o="1401" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/254748c647f5d6cef790fdc8d1984d864c8da777938cd54284e31ede27e997f6/Juhan_P.jpg" data-mid="191144575" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/254748c647f5d6cef790fdc8d1984d864c8da777938cd54284e31ede27e997f6/Juhan_P.jpg" /> Juhan Parts 7 years old. &nbsp;Juhan boarded the hospital ship Moero with his mother in 1944, fleeing his home in Estonia. Initially they were denied boarding, as the ship was full, but Juhan’s mother’s friend saw them and got them onboard. They were given cork life vests by the guards and little Juhan insisted on a ladies-sized one rather than a kid’s one. The Moero was bombed by the Russian army. Juhan remembers sliding across the deck of the ship, over the railings and into the water. He watched the ship go down with a huge gurgling sound. He was helped by two injured German soldiers, who swam with him. His mother didn’t make it. ObjectA photograph of Juhan and his mother a few years before their escape. <img width="1401" height="1000" width_o="1401" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/6780b9d1712e9f59f9c09e7a6b4f67451bb10ba40f8eed8807da46d303cd37ec/Gunnar_R.jpg" data-mid="191144574" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/6780b9d1712e9f59f9c09e7a6b4f67451bb10ba40f8eed8807da46d303cd37ec/Gunnar_R.jpg" /> Gunnar Reiman 15 years old. Gunnar left Estonia on the ship Wartheland in September 1944. The convoy of three ships were attacked by the Russians and Gunnar remembers seeing a torpedo ricocheting off the water and bouncing straight through the funnel of the ship next to theirs without exploding. The hole was about a meter in diameter. ObjectThe rug Gunnar’s family brought with them on the escape, which served as their bed during the journey. <img width="1401" height="1000" width_o="1401" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7d5d74be7f6590cde1b0a9931aa72c27d836e974fca510f3eb9d30292ba308cc/Tiina_P.jpg" data-mid="191144581" border="0" data-scale="100" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/7d5d74be7f6590cde1b0a9931aa72c27d836e974fca510f3eb9d30292ba308cc/Tiina_P.jpg" /> Tiina Parts7 years old. Tiina remembers how “everything felt so loud” when she was standing on the quayside in Tallinn with her parents and brother, waiting to board the ship Minden to Germany. &nbsp; ObjectA sugar bowl and silver spoon the family brought with them. <img width="1401" height="1000" width_o="1401" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/12a026f5262631c77ba039dc971bb43efa18abdc0a46e60c57fd20a56159de20/Meeri_J.jpg" data-mid="191144580" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/12a026f5262631c77ba039dc971bb43efa18abdc0a46e60c57fd20a56159de20/Meeri_J.jpg" /> Meeri Jeckalejs 18 years old. Meeri worked for the Germans in the unemployment office in Narva. One day in 1944 her German boss told her they had to leave immediately and they drove his car through Lithuania to Latvia where Meeri boarded a ship to Germany. She remembers vomiting so much from seasickness that the captain felt sorry for her and let her sleep in his cabin. Object A ring that used to belong to Meeri’s aunt, who was married to the Estonian president’s security guard and was deported to Siberia in 1941. The day she was arrested, she managed to throw the ring to the family’s maid while the Russian soldier was in the bathroom. Meeri never saw her aunt again.&nbsp; <img width="1401" height="1000" width_o="1401" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/17e9b72d86746088167d0a48b626fc49952bf64453992024fcf263aee0617cd1/Maimu_G.jpg" data-mid="191144579" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/17e9b72d86746088167d0a48b626fc49952bf64453992024fcf263aee0617cd1/Maimu_G.jpg" /> Maimu Goundar 5 years old. Maimu left Estonia with her mother and grandmother in September 1944. They tried to board the Moero but was told it was full, which probably saved their lives. Instead they found a smaller merchant ship and Maimu remembers the gangplank made from boards tied together with rope, which made her feel very scared as she climbed aboard holding her mother’s hand. Object A small tin that Maimu loved to play with as a child. <img width="1401" height="1000" width_o="1401" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5cb3a2b8a260563129911b9beb6738185773f667d2b4e7d5670a57c9e89e26bd/Maarja_R.jpg" data-mid="191144578" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/5cb3a2b8a260563129911b9beb6738185773f667d2b4e7d5670a57c9e89e26bd/Maarja_R.jpg" /> Maarja Reiman (born Toomse) 8 years old. Maarja boarded the ship Lappland in Tallinn with her parents and siblings in September 1944 (they also tried to board the Moero but was told it was full). She remembers the German soldiers being very nice and one of them gave her chocolate. Her older sister Siiri was jealous and said: “They only give you chocolate because you have plaits!” Object Maarja’s mother’s powder compact with her initials in gold. <img width="1401" height="1000" width_o="1401" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d25024dd33807e667b1f49732764d87e9657835ca4b4a5b401a17126881a9d14/Karin_M.jpg" data-mid="191144576" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/d25024dd33807e667b1f49732764d87e9657835ca4b4a5b401a17126881a9d14/Karin_M.jpg" /> Karin Mason 12 years old. Karin and her family left Estonia under German protection in 1941. She remembers the day of departure like random slideshow pictures: A crowd assembled in a big room; the hull of a breathtakingly huge liner at the quayside; her sigh of relief steamed into the icy air as she stepped onto the gangplank under the scrutiny of a high ranking Red Army officer. Object A piece of gingham fabric that was one of the bedsheets provided in the Displaced Persons Camp in Berlin. Throughout the years it has been used for many different domestic purposes – to make clothes, for family picnics and to protect floors when painting walls (amongst others). <img width="1401" height="1000" width_o="1401" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/73aed1967c44428735d4c4459aebfce29f0d1d8b68c7212cd48343ad21f664ee/Adelies_B.jpg" data-mid="191144572" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/73aed1967c44428735d4c4459aebfce29f0d1d8b68c7212cd48343ad21f664ee/Adelies_B.jpg" /> Adelies Beerman 5 years old. In 1941 a few months prior to the first Russian deportations, Adelies with parents and family dog Dolly left Estonia for Germany, she remembers boarding the ship.&nbsp; As the ship set sail her parents planned to go on deck to view the Tallinn panorama as it vanished from the horizon.&nbsp; Adelies was told to remain in the cabin and go to bed and not be afraid of the loud noises which would come from the ship engines, Dolly the dog would protect her.&nbsp; ObjectOld Estonian rug. <img width="1401" height="1000" width_o="1401" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/6a590915f0a6414b1bee8c27574220c518b22154cbd3245c5a4828deeb964bc4/Evi_V.jpg" data-mid="191144573" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/6a590915f0a6414b1bee8c27574220c518b22154cbd3245c5a4828deeb964bc4/Evi_V.jpg" /> Evi Vink 13 years old. Evi left her home in Keila near Tallinn with her parents and younger brother on a lorry heading to Saaremaa together with the chief of police, chairman of the county and other important people. She remembers being so relieved and thinking “Thank God we couldn’t bring the piano!” as she hated practising. ObjectEvi’s pencil case from school in Estonia. &nbsp; https://estonianmassflight.com/USA Wed, 17 Apr 2019 18:22:49 +0000 Estonian Mass Flight https://estonianmassflight.com/USA <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/547ee4d1322781de1dbf40958907b2b419952054258b67a49765b4b2bf2bbabd/Mall_web.jpg" data-mid="203222868" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/547ee4d1322781de1dbf40958907b2b419952054258b67a49765b4b2bf2bbabd/Mall_web.jpg" /> Mall Timusk Blumfeld8 years old. Mall remembers being up on the deck of the ship seeing the lights of Tallinn receding. She was told they’d be back, but Mall had a strange feeling that they weren’t coming back. ObjectA little handbag Mall used when going to the opera in Tallinn. It was a gift from her mother’s sister Alma. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/44b8e0f8560ab4a3583c5bdb5e864297f40d386cc2bea161d7985b5b2347e744/Ines_H.jpg" data-mid="41620836" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/44b8e0f8560ab4a3583c5bdb5e864297f40d386cc2bea161d7985b5b2347e744/Ines_H.jpg" /> Ines Horton14 years old. Ines remembers seeing the Panorama of Tallinn receding as the ship sailed away from Estonia. She was hoping to see Tallinn again, but wasn’t sure if it would happen any time soon – the journey felt like an adventure to her. ObjectA portrait of Ines’s parents in Tallinn before the war. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/402bebcf9aeef4c1183fdf4d2ba59cab522a3f34dca98c28b0ed0c53f9772bb1/Imbi_T.jpg" data-mid="41620835" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/402bebcf9aeef4c1183fdf4d2ba59cab522a3f34dca98c28b0ed0c53f9772bb1/Imbi_T.jpg" /> Imbi Truumees (born Peebo) 12 years old. Imbi slept on the concrete floor of the ship next to a huge pipe that kept her warm. In the night she rolled over in her sleep and burnt her arm on the pipe. She still to this day has a scar from the burn. ObjectThe last photograph taken of Imbi and her little half-brother before she escaped with her mother and left him back in Estonia. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1598626286128d62e0b623496c3e5f5696aca14a69d1f9f77295e8b2ee3e8096/Andres_M.jpg" data-mid="41620823" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/1598626286128d62e0b623496c3e5f5696aca14a69d1f9f77295e8b2ee3e8096/Andres_M.jpg" /> Andres Männik 10 years old. Andres remembers standing at the back of the big boat that took them away from Estonia and seeing the Estonian coastline grow smaller and smaller. He wondered if he’d be able to jump in and swim back. ObjectA Swedish-made enamel dish that Andres’ mother packed for the journey. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8a53170d11c5b1bf080a1cbbc9214aa1ba36da41a7263fe6708e03ee84b7f2d6/Karin_P.jpg" data-mid="41620839" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8a53170d11c5b1bf080a1cbbc9214aa1ba36da41a7263fe6708e03ee84b7f2d6/Karin_P.jpg" /> Karin Pessa 12 years old. Karin remembers feeling like she was the only person on the boat not crying. Everyone around her was sad, but she was excited to finally be traveling! There had been no vacations since the occupations, and she thought this was a great opportunity to see the world – they would be back in three months anyway. ObjectA cooking pot the family brought with them. It was very useful once they were in Germany, when all they had to eat was potatoes. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e50edf70027099adb26a62981b228e2d7f33977ddf655fe7cb5d7a4bea5cf0aa/Arvid_T.jpg" data-mid="41620828" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/e50edf70027099adb26a62981b228e2d7f33977ddf655fe7cb5d7a4bea5cf0aa/Arvid_T.jpg" /> Arvid Truumees 14 years old. Arvid remembers how German soldiers came to the family farm one day and told them they had to leave straight away. The whole family started walking and were guided by the soldiers the seven miles to Kuressaare, where they had to wait for a boat for a few days. ObjectA family photograph at the farm where Arvid grew up. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/038ff514d149268045b52da8f0910df4a5d1d9697000c55029e229a154c7de5d/Virve_V.jpg" data-mid="41620850" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/038ff514d149268045b52da8f0910df4a5d1d9697000c55029e229a154c7de5d/Virve_V.jpg" /> Virve Vaher 12 years old. Virve remembers making up beds with blankets and sheets on the floor of the ship, surrounded by suitcases. ObjectVirve’s parents managed to bring the family cutlery, made in their hometown of Tartu. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9ac926957b5d0ef68e97067170a34c4bdb07d3d953d763f553cfb88c584cbcde/Sirje_HG.jpg" data-mid="41620846" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/9ac926957b5d0ef68e97067170a34c4bdb07d3d953d763f553cfb88c584cbcde/Sirje_HG.jpg" /> Sirje Helder Gold 7 years old. Sirje remembers waking up after a night at sea and when she looked out they were surrounded by huge boulder-like islands (the Finnish archipelago). ObjectThe saucepan was essential to the few things Sirje’s mother packed, the photo album was not – it went overboard. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ee722413952cc05db6d2647851e69ae01f6e6fedca87666f010cc2bc75e7d304/Mare_V.jpg" data-mid="41620845" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ee722413952cc05db6d2647851e69ae01f6e6fedca87666f010cc2bc75e7d304/Mare_V.jpg" /> Mare Valgemäe 8 years old. Mare remembers being completely fascinated by the frenzy when the imprisoned Russian soldiers on the ship were given food through a hatch. “They were fighting over the food. It was a whole new experience of human nature to me. They were so mean to each other! I never told my mother that I was watching”&nbsp; ObjectMare’s mother’s teaching certificate from the Estonian city of Elva. <img width="1400" height="1000" width_o="1400" height_o="1000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e4c1fa26b07f89560c2cb58f1d34170bf4e234cd5f0626ba213d8802f6925364/Liivia_W.jpg" data-mid="41620840" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/e4c1fa26b07f89560c2cb58f1d34170bf4e234cd5f0626ba213d8802f6925364/Liivia_W.jpg" />Liivia Westervelt 3 years old. Liivia can’t be absolutely sure, as she was so young, but thinks she remembers hearing the noise from a bomb hitting the ship’s smokestack. ObjectThe bottom of Liivia’s mother’s dress was torn by shrapnel which went through the closet door when their house in Tallinn was bombed. She altered it into a blouse and later, her mother gave the blouse to her granddaughter, who wore it in college.