Episode 45 : Post War Soviet Estonia

In this episode, we are incredibly fortunate to have General Martin Herem, the overall commander of the Estonian Defense Forces, with us. We discuss the Forest Brothers in Estonia after World War II. We are publishing this episode on March 29, 2024, which is the 20th anniversary of Estonia's accession to NATO. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2xs06NpGzE

The Russian Factor in Baltic History in the 19th & 20th C with Professor Karsten Brugemann  Educational Credentials He earned the prestigious Dr. habil. (2013) from the University of Gießen(geesan, Germany (History Department) which is the highest academic degree in Germany He received his Dr. philosophy. (1999) also from the University of Hamburg,  (History Department) He received his M.A. in History and Slavic Philology (1993) from the University of Hamburg As far as his Professional Experience is concerned: Professor of Estonian and General History at Tallinn University, Institute of History since September 200 Research Assistant at Nordost-Institut Lüneburg (Germany) from September 2005 to August 2008  Elected Docent for General History at Narva College of Tartu University, where he also served as Head of the Humanities Department  Visiting Lecturer in History and German Studies at Narva College of Tartu University from September 2002 to August 2004 Research Assistant at the Archive of the Institut Nordost-deutsches Kulturwerk, Lüneburg (Germany) from April 1998 to December 2001 Contract Lecturer (Eastern European History) at the History Department, University of Hamburg, from 1999 to 2001 Contract Lecturer (Baltic Studies) at the Institute for Finno-Ugric Studies, University of Hamburg, from 1996 to 2002 He began his career as a Research Assistant at the Department for Education Science, Institute for History (Eastern European History) at the University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg from January 1994 to March 1998 Karsten Brüggemann’s expertise spans the history of the Baltic states and Russia, cultural history, transnational history, and the historical dimension of sports, tourism, and music.

In this episode, we discuss the National Committee of the Republic of Estonia and its importance to the Estonian State's claim of the continuance of government during the Soviet occupation. Calendar of Events in February 1944 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdS96R6WuaI Anthem of the Estonian volunteer regiment in the Finnish Army 1943- 1944

We start off the new year by following the calendar that I picked up at The Estonian War Museum which follows important events and dates in the tumultuous year of 1944. We go on to discuss Zelensky's Trip to Tallinn and Estonia's pledge to support Ukraine with .25% of GDP.

In this episode, I sit down with Toomas Hiio, the Associate Director at The General Laidoner Estonian War Museum. This is the first in-person interview of the Podcast. Toomas Hiio, born on June 1, 1965, is a distinguished Estonian historian known for his significant contributions to the study of Estonia's history during crucial periods. He completed his education at Tallinn 32nd Secondary School in 1983 and earned his degree in history from Tartu University in 1991. Hiio is highly regarded in academic circles and holds the esteemed position of research director at the Laidoner Museum. Additionally, he serves as the research manager at the Estonian Memory Institute, showcasing his expertise and dedication to preserving Estonia's historical legacy. Apart from his academic pursuits, Hiio is also a respected reserve officer, having attained the rank of second lieutenant in 1998. Recognizing his contributions to historical research and Estonian society, he was awarded the Order of the White Star IV class in 2002. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLLGtOOkPpA Peeter Tooma - Mässajate Laul

MacFarlane, John M. (2011) Rear–Admiral Sir Johan Pitka – An Unlikely British Columbian Who Founded the Estonian Navy. Nauticapedia.ca 2012. http://nauticapedia.ca/Gallery/Admiral_Pitka.php

Vicarious Sovereignty - Becoming European The Estonian Way: With Professor Maria Mälksoo Professor Maria Mälksoo, a leading scholar of international relations, security studies, and memory politics. She is currently working at the Department of Political Science at the University of Copenhagen, where she leads several research projects on the politics of memory and deterrence in Europe. She has a PhD in International Studies from the University of Cambridge, and has previously taught at the University of Kent and the University of Tartu. She is the author and co-author of several books and articles on the politics of becoming European, remembering Katyn, and the uses of ‘the East’ in international studies. She is also an Associate Editor of Review of International Studies, and has previously served as the President of the Central and East European International Studies Association. The following is a link to the music video from the band Vennaskond, the song it titled: Jumal Kaitse Kuningat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7abXZsiurLs

Interview with Professor Marek Tamm on the subject: What do Estonians remember of their past, i.e. not about Estonian history, but about Estonian mnemohistory?  Marek Tamm is the Professor of Cultural History at the School of Humanities in Tallinn University. He is a member of the Estonian Academy of Sciences and of the Academia Europaea. Graduated in history and semiotics at the University of Tartu (1998), he earned his master's degree in medieval studies from the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris (School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences) (1999) and his doctorate in medieval history from Tallinn University (2009). He is the editor-in-chief of the Estonian history journal Acta Historica Tallinnensia and the editor of the Journal of the Philosophy of History. His primary research fields are cultural history of medieval Europe, theory and history of historiography, digital history, and cultural memory studies. Author or co-author of ten books, of a hundred scholarly articles published in Estonian, English, German, and French, and editor of more than thirty collections of articles or special issues.

In this episode, we discuss Estonia's foreign and security policy since the restoration of independence. Dr Kristi Raik is the Deputy Director and Head of the Foreign Policy Programme of the International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS) as of 1 January 2023. She is also an Adjunct Professor of International Relations at the University of Turku, Finland. From 2018 to 2022, she was the Director of the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute at the ICDS, and prior to that, she served as a Senior Research Fellow and Acting Programme Director at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs in Helsinki and an official at the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union in Brussels. Kristi has published, lectured, and commented widely on European security and EU foreign policy, including the EU’s relations with Russia, Ukraine, and other Eastern neighbors. Kristi is also an expert on the foreign and security policies of the Baltic states and Finland. She has provided expert contributions to the Estonian, Finnish, EU, and NATO institutions. Kristi has a PhD from the University of Turku.

At the end of World War I, the German army was defeated, but not everywhere. In Finland, Major General Rüdiger von der Goltz represented German interests in the Finnish Civil War. When the Finnish Civil War concluded, von der Goltz fixed his eyes on Latvia and Estonia. In this short episode between interviews, we learn a little about him and the events surrounding him.