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Writer's pictureDiana Kovtun

Symbols of Estonia. Part 1: The National Flag

We can barely imagine the world map without boundaries, similar to how we can't imagine a country without a flag. Today, every state has its unique combination of colors and patterns that represent its identity domestically and internationally. Usually, the state flag design changes represent significant transformations of the state's political and ideological alignments. Let's trace the path of the Estonian flag's creation, evolution, and eventual reemergence from the ashes of the collapsed empires.


The map of Estonia (Britannica)


For the sake of saving time and keeping you sane, let's agree to skip the medieval period of political turbulence and all the complications that the shapeshifting heraldric norms brought upon the territory of the former Livonian Confederation. Our story begins in the XIX century when the territory of modern-day Estonia was under Russian control. In fact, this territory was represented by two entities: the Governorate of Estland (Reval) and the Governorate of Livland (Riga). Both of these entities had their own flags, but none of them had even a distant resemblance to the contemporary Estonian flag.


The map of Estonia, Livonia and Courland (Governorates)


Flags of the Governorate of Estland (left) and the Governorate of Livland (right)


The concept of a unified flag of Estonia emerged within the National Awakening movement in the middle of the XIX century. The combination of Blue-Black-White stripes first appeared as the colors of the corporation Vironia, the predecessor of the Estonian Students' Society (1). The tradition of forming student fraternities or unions was adopted by the students of the University of Tartu already in the first half of the XIX century. Such practice was common in German-taught universities for centuries, but the case of Virnoia was so special because it was the first Estonian-speaking corporation.


The Blue-Black-White flag was adopted as a student corporation flag already in 1881 (2). The first physical version of the flag was created by Paula Hermann in 1884. The same year, the flag was consecrated in Otepää. There was a deeper sentimental meaning behind every selected color, and the message embedded in the flag design was immortalized by Martin Lipp, an Estonian poet, who wrote a poem that would later be tranformed into a song:





While the flag's colors may have initially reflected the Estonian sky, its soil, and the beauty of the birch forests or the purity of the locals' hearts, the interpretation of the symbolic meaning was never meant to remain static (3). Since the tricolor became so popular among the Estonian people, the Blue-Black-White combination frequently appeared during the official manifestations. During the Russian Revolution of 1905, several buildings in Tallinn were decorated with the tricolor. In 1917, manifestations demanding Estonian Autonomy took place in Petrograd. The participants of those demonstrations waved the Blue-Black-White flag.


The Petrograd Manifestation demanding Estonian Autonomy (1917)


On November 21, 1918, the Blue-Black-White tricolor was officially proclaimed the state flag of Estonia. On December 12, it was raised above the Pikk Hermann Tower in Tallinn, and the tradition of raising the flag there every morning lives on. Throughout the Interbellum, the Estonian flag became a universally recognizable symbol of the state. International events had the Estonian flag waving among the other flags of the League of Nations members. Yet, this story was far from a happy ending because the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact changed the course of history for the Baltic States. That also applied to the state symbolism. (4)


Once the Soviet Regime took control over Estonia, the prohibition of the old state symbolism was introduced. Anything that even distantly resembled the national flag color combination was mercilessly censored while keeping the flag at home became dangerous since those found in possession of the flags were persecuted. Parallel to this prohibition, the Soviet Metropole assigned a new combination of state symbols to a new Soviet Estonia (5). A red banner with symbolic waves started to appear on governmental buildings as an additional reminder of the Soviet disregard or, rather, intentional erasure of the collective memory.


Flag of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic


With such a bitter attitude towards the symbolism of the independent Estonian state, one can expect the original Estonian flag to be destroyed by the Soviets to deprive the state of its primary symbol once and for all. But that was not the case, and the original flag managed to survive thanks to the bravery and dedication of the Estonian Student Union members and a sheer bit of miracle. At the beginning of the Soviet occupation, Karl Aun, president of the Estonian Student Union, retrieved the original flag consecrated in 1884 and hid it on a farm in Kõola village (6). This way, the heirloom of the Estonian Republic was safely protected from any attempts to forcefully deface the national memory. The original flag saw the lights shortly after the independence of Estonia was restored in 1991. Today, this flag is displayed at the Estonian National Museum in Tartu.


The Original Flag (Lipp)


Obtaining the right to publicly display Estonia's national flag was one of the first major achievements of the Singing Revolution. Already in the late 1980s, the tricolor was placed at the top of Pikk Hermann Tower in Tallinn, signifying the continuation of Estonian statehood and manifesting the beginning of the Estonian Identity restoration (7). Today, you can find this flag in even the smallest city and village across Estonia. It's hoisted every time Estonia celebrates a national holiday. On June 4, Estonia celebrates its Flag Day, so you will see it whenever you walk outside.


References:

(1) Tambur, S. (2023) Estonia celebrates Flag Day – a short history. Retrieved from: https://estonianworld.com/life/estonia-celebrates-flag-day-history/

(2) Riigikogu (2005) Estonian Flag Act. Retrieved from: https://www.riigiteataja.ee/en/eli/ee/505062014001/consolide

(3) President (n.d.) National Symbols. Retrieved from: https://president.ee/en/republic-of-estonia/symbols

(4) Estonia Embassy (2007) Estonia's Blue-Black-White Tricolour Flag. Retrieved from: https://web.archive.org/web/20071217152516/http://www.estemb.org/estonia/history/aid-780

(5) Harden, Z. (2023) Estonia, History of the flag. Retrieved from: https://www.fotw.info/flags/ee-histo.html

(6) Sarapik, A. (2016) Flag Day in Estonia celebrates national tricolor's 132nd birthday. Retrieved from: https://news.err.ee/118279/flag-day-in-estonia-celebrates-national-tricolor-s-132nd-birthday

(7) Whyte, A. (2018) Gallery: Estonia celebrates 134th birthday of national flag with ceremony. Retrieved from: https://news.err.ee/836868/gallery-estonia-celebrates-134th-birthday-of-national-flag-with-ceremony


Images

Lipp. Retrieved from: https://estonianworld.com/life/history-behind-estonias-flag-as-it-turns-135/#:~:text=The%20origins%20of%20the%20Estonian,became%20the%20Estonian%20national%20flag.




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