Estonian Institute of Historical Memory presents new WWII refugee database
This fall marks 80 years since the Great Flight (Suur põgenemine) in September 1944, the height of refugees fleeing Estonia for the West during World War II. This weekend, the Estonian Institute of Historical Memory (EMI) presented the results of the first stage of its new refugee database – which already allow for some initial statistical conclusions to be drawn.
During World War II (WWII), a total of 70,000-80,000 people fled Estonia. To date, the refugee database, which can be found on EMI's homepage, contains records for approximately 65,000 people whose prior places of residence in Estonia have been identified. This has made it possible to draw some preliminary statistical conclusions about these refugees, which were presented at a history conference in Haapsalu opened by President Alar Karis.
"As expected, the majority of people did in fact flee from Estonia's islands and western coast," said EMI board member Meelis Maripuu. "What was somewhat surprising was that nearly as many – nearly 12 percent of the population – also fled from the city of Tallinn."
In the first stage of the database project, the focus was on tracing war refugees to their initial countries of destination, which were Germany and Sweden. 60 percent of all refugees went to Germany, although many would later move on to other countries.
"Those attempting to flee from mainland Estonia gathered in Tallinn too, from which they were transported on German ships via Poland to Germany," Maripuu explained. "Refugees from Tallinn and other parts of Estonia mainly went to Germany, and those from Western Estonia and the islands tended to flee to Sweden."
He added that development work on the database would continue.
A documentary on refugees, "Escape: Departure into the Unknown," likewise premiered at the conference on Saturday.
"There are definitely certain similarities in these people's stories, as well as many differences – how they fled, using what methods, the cunning required to reach Sweden, or sometimes just the sheer luck needed to get there," noted documentary producer Marko Poolamets.
Performed at Haapsalu Cathedral on Saturday was Raimo Kangro's "Mass for Innocently Killed Estonians" (1989, op. 40).
Additional performances in memory of the Great Flight will follow at St. Paul's Church in Tartu on August 31 and St. Charles' Church in Tallinn on September 21.
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Editor: Merili Nael, Aili Vahtla
