Despite a treaty signed at the time when Estonian independence was declared. the tiny Baltic State soon fell victim to the might of its powerful eastern neighbor and eventually was annexed by the Soviet Union. Between 1939 and 1949 figures show that an estimated 350.000 people. onethird of Estonias population. were lost. Yet. despite the deportation and brutal execution of Estonian freedom fighters and the abolition of all constitutional freedoms by the Soviets. the struggle to regain national independence continued. Those who fled their homeland have continued to work courageously to keep alive the memory of Estonias tragic history in the 20th century and still hope for a return to independence. As a nation and a people who have embraced the principles of selfdetermination and freedom from tyranny. we must not forget the plight of the Estonians and the millions of others who have been silenced by Soviet repression.
Keywords matched
deportation