"Inclusion or isolation? Multi-ethnic Estonia" is based on a doctoral thesis defended at the University of Vienna by historian Timo Aava. I

n 1925, the Riigikogu adopted a law that gave minority groups with at least 3,000 citizens complete cultural autonomy. The law was in force until 1940 and used by Jews and Germans, who were its most active advocates.

The exhibition invites visitors to think about the multi-ethnic history of Estonia, the organization of diverse societies and the rights of minorities.

Cultural autonomy is the understanding that nationalities should be able to manage their own cultural and educational affairs within a single country, while broader political issues should be resolved collectively by all peoples within the same country. The biggest dilemma was whether such an approach would unite the nations within a country or have the opposite effect.

Aava said after World War I, Europe's political map changed beyond recognition as small nation-states had replaced empires.

"All of them were multi-ethnic, because it is impossible to draw the borders of a country so that only one nationality lives there. However, the attempt to establish the majority nationality of the new states in these circumstances often meant disregarding the interests and rights of minority nationalities," he explained.

"Every people has its own story, often a story of confrontation with another people, of knowing its own needs and believing in its own rights to its historic lands," added Krista Sarv, the second curator of the exhibition.

The exhibition "Inclusion or isolation? Multi-ethnic Estonia" is part of the museum's project about nationalities groups living in Estonia.

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