VEMU/Estonian Studies Centre collecting contest 

70 Years from the Mass Exodus

2014 marks the 70th anniversary of the mass exodus of 1944, when over 70,000 people fled Estonia from Soviet occupation. Their journeys into the free world were dramatic and often tumultuous. At first, their arrival in Sweden or Germany was considered temporary – they hoped to return home. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Those who didn’t remain in Sweden or Germany moved on to Australia, North or South America, or England. Many refugees tried living in several countries on various continents over the next years. We are inviting people to record their families’ journeys and subsequent fates.

The contest: We are expecting escape-themed stories about fleeing Estonia, the journeys taken, arriving in new countries and the life there, as well as any subsequent moves prior to arriving in Canada. We are also interested in how memories of the escape are transferred from generation to generation – what, if anything, was discussed in your family circle or in the Estonian community.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

● All Canadian Estonians, of any age, are welcome to participate.

● Biographies of people who escaped from Estonia in 1944 have been activelycollected in exile communities and in Estonia. These tales are mostly written or recorded by the people who were adults during the exodus. The stories of this older generation are also very welcome to this contest – especially since their numbers are diminishing.● Far less documented are the stories of Estonians who were children or teenagers during the escape. Yet it is important to know how children and young people remember escaping and adapting to their new homelands. We look forward to receiving submissions reflecting this point of view.

● Those who have no personal memories of the exodus can participate in the contest. We hope that children and teens co-operate with parents, grandparents or great-grandparents. They could interview and ask questions of both those who escaped as adults and those who were children at the time.

WHAT TO RESEARCH?

With every story of escape we ask that you please fixate the following details of the narrator: first and last name, place and date of birth, current home, residence in Estonia before leaving.

If you were an adult during the escape or are interviewing those who were adults during the escape, you should keep in mind the following questions.

● Flight from Estonia: why, who, with whom, from where, how, with what, for what fee, to where, what was taken along etc.

● Life aboard ship: the owner and crew of the ship, who were the refugees on board and what were the relationships with one another like, what was life on the ship like, what was eaten and drunk, where did one sleep, were there any bombings etc.

● If the escape was via land, then how, with whom, through where etc.

● The first destination of refugees: point of arrival, the reception received etc.

● If there were subsequent moves, describe why, with whom, how, where to etc.

● For all stopovers,describe the living conditions, everyday life, people, social and cultural life, relations with the locals, adapting to aforeign country.

● Describe your emotions.

If you were a child during the escape or are interviewing those who were children during the escape, you should keep in mind the points listed above. Don’t be discouraged if you can’t get answers for everything.

● Be as detailed as possible in describing your own memories, even if they are only small fragments of your home in Estonia, the flight from Estonia, the journey, life in new countries, the people around you.

● Describe your emotions.

● When recalling memories, try to differentiate between your own memories and feelings and what you have heard from your parents or other family members.

● Did your family or Estonian friends talk about the escape and life in refugee camps? What was said? Describe how your own or your family’s escape from Estonia has influenced your development and current life in Canada.

HOW TO RESEARCH?

● You may submit your contribution in written format (in Estonian or English), or as an audio or video file. You may also create your own home page/virtual exhibition or even a documentary.

● As part of the contest, we welcome items found in home archives, such as diaries reflecting the escape and the beginning of a new life in a new place, letters, documents and photos, as well as previously written or recorded memoirs. We also accept objects that were part of the escape, with stories and information about the origin/maker of the object, as well as its current owner.

● Collected materials will be preserved in VEMU and with the author’s permission, will be used in future VEMU exhibitions. 

The deadline for submissions is February 1^st 2015.

Please submit your works to: VEMU/Estonian Studies Centre, 310 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M5S 1W4.

Include your: name, age, address, telephone number and email address with your submission.

MONETARY AND BOOK AWARDS FOR THE BEST WORKS!

Info: Piret Noorhani, piret.noorhani@vemu.ca, t. 416 925 9405,

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