President Arnold Rüütel, parliament Speaker Toomas Savi and Prime Minister Siim Kallas issued a joint statement on the occasion: "We commemorate the thousands of people who on that day in 1941 were torn away from their homes and sent to face an unknown future," the statement read. "A large part of them did not get farther than nameless graves on two sides of the railway to Siberia. The only guilt of those thousands of people lay in having been citizens of the independent Estonia."
The memory of the people who perished through deportation is sacred, the leaders wrote. "We share the pain and suffering of those who lost their near and dear ones but made it back to home themselves regardless of all, but whose faith in justice had been seriously shaken," they say. Rüütel, Kallas and Savi stated Estonia managed to restore statehood and was now seeking to achieve goals that were only within the powers of nation acting in consort in the name of common aims. "We cannot build our future on sufferings of the past, but neither must we ever forget them," they said. "Only if we defend our independent state and the democratic principles it rests on can we withstand attempts to turn back forward-looking developments." "Our nation has paid a heavy price for freedom and democracy," the leaders said. "May we know how to remember and commemorate, may we know how to defend freedom and democracy every day and everywhere."
On the Day of Mourning, national flags were hoisted and commemorative events were held across the country. The memorial service that was held at Toompea was also attended by the US Ambassador Joseph M. DeThomas.
The commission for the investigation of Estonia's human losses during the World War II has published a book listing over 8,200 names of the victims during the 1940-1941 Soviet and 1941-1944 Nazi occupations.
The book states, among other facts that 415 Jewish citizens of Estonia were killed by the Soviets and 940 by the Nazis. Commission leader Vello Salo admitted that the lists are preliminary as the commission had no access to Russian or German archives.
Estonia commemorated victims of Soviet deportations (2)
Viimased kommentaarid
Kommentaarid on kirjutatud EWR lugejate poolt. Nende sisu ei pruugi ühtida EWR toimetuse seisukohtadega.
Where could one purchase/obtain the book listing the over 8,200 names of the victims during the 40-41 Soviet and 41-44 Nazi occupations ?
My grandfather, on my father's side,and his ship were taken by the Russians before WWII started.He was never seen again. His wife, and 5 children never had an opportunity to say goodbye.Yet because the Soviets were on the West's side, we sweep all atrocities committed under the let's forget about it rug.
My grandfather, on my father's side,and his ship were taken by the Russians before WWII started.He was never seen again. His wife, and 5 children never had an opportunity to say goodbye.Yet because the Soviets were on the West's side, we sweep all atrocities committed under the let's forget about it rug.
When will we, as a people, learn to speak loudly enough that the world hears? I haven't met a single person outside of the Baltic or Eastern European community, who knows about this attrocity.
Arvamus
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