Gallery: Candles lit to commemorate 1949 March deportations anniversary
Monday (March 25) marks the 75th anniversary of the 1949 deportations which saw over 20,000 Estonians forcibly deported to Siberia by the Soviet Union – almost 3 percent of the population. The majority of deportees were women and children under the age of 16.
On Monday afternoon, a ceremony took place at the memorial to victims of communism at Maarjamäe, on Tallinn's seafront.
President Alar Karis, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform), and other officials gave speeches.
Commemorative ceremonies also took place across Estonia, "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported.
From 6 p.m. candles were lit on Tallinn's Freedom Square and Tartu's city council organized a similar event.
In total, over 90,000 people were banished from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in March 1949 and sent to Siberia in cattle cars. A map of deportation sites can be seen in the image below.
Politicians also marked the date on social media.
Kallas shared her family's story, which saw her mother and grandmother deported.
Today we honour the memory of the March deportation victims.
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) March 25, 2024
75 years ago, over 20,000 Estonians, including infants and the elderly, were taken from their homes and sent to Siberia in unimaginable conditions by the Soviet occupation regime.
My own family was also deported. 1/ pic.twitter.com/Fv3XPeZSeO
Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) co-authored a comment from the leader of the Belarusian democratic forces Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya about defending freedom and democracy.
As we remember the mass #deportations of people 75 years ago by the Soviets, we stand with the Belarusians on #ДзеньВолі in their fight for democracy.
— Margus Tsahkna (@Tsahkna) March 25, 2024
March 25 is a reminder of the resilience needed to uphold freedom.
My op-ed with @Tsihanouskaya⬇️https://t.co/JSBLY8JNLk
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave an overview of the deportations.
Russia has a long history of having no regard for human life & their homes.
— Estonian MFA | #StandWithUkraine (@MFAestonia) March 25, 2024
Today we are remembering 7⃣5⃣ years since Soviets #deported over 20 000 Estonians from their homes to Russia.
Not much has changed, as deportations are taking place today in #Ukraine.
pic.twitter.com/9veWYuqBVH
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Editor: Aleksander Krjukov, Helen Wright
