Ministry official: Celebrating Treaty of Tartu might be difficult for some in society
An education ministry official's response to a proposal to turn the anniversary of the Treaty of Tartu into a national holiday, according to which it may be difficult for a part of society, has been raising eyebrows.
Andero Adamson, head of the Ministry of Education and Research's language policy department, wrote that making February 2 a national holiday would help more clearly and visibly highlight one of the central events in Estonian history and give it the societal significance it deserves.
"At the same time, the sensitivities surrounding the issue must be taken into account. The Treaty of Tartu is directly linked to Estonia's victory in the War of Independence and its interpretation may be difficult for some parts of the population if the emphasis is placed solely on confrontation. This is precisely why it is important that the content and meaning of this anniversary be explained in a balanced, historically accurate and inclusive way for all groups in society," Adamson replied to the proposal made by the Estonian Heritage Society.
Since Adamson responded using the first-person plural, it could be inferred that he was reflecting not his personal opinion but the ministry's general position. He expanded on the issue by saying that teachers must also address topics such as the Treaty of Tartu in a balanced and inclusive manner for all students, regardless of their mother tongue or place of residence.
"We therefore consider it important to emphasize that merely changing the status of the anniversary will not achieve its purpose without substantive and educational support. The key issue is the consistent and high-quality teaching of Estonian history in schools. Teachers play an important role here, as they must be able to convey these topics in a balanced, meaningful and inclusive way to all students, regardless of their mother tongue or place of residence. This need is not limited to certain regions but concerns the entire education system," he cautioned.
"In conclusion, we are not opposed to declaring February 2 a national holiday, but its observance must go hand in hand with substantive historical education," Adamson wrote in a response sent to the Heritage Conservation Society on April 28.
According to the Estonian Research Information System (ETIS), Andero Adamson holds a master's degree from the University of Tartu's European College ("Europeanization Based on the Bologna Process: The Case of Estonian Higher Education Policy," 2012).
Education minister takes a different view
On May 6, Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas (Eesti 200) sent her comments to Estonian Heritage Society Executive Director Helle-Silvia Solnask, differing from those of the ministry official. Kallas noted that the Treaty of Tartu has only one clear and unambiguous interpretation: it is the foundation and "birth certificate" of the Estonian state.
"The Treaty of Tartu brought an end to the bloody War of Independence and secured Estonia's independence. Our own state is our people's greatest treasure and for that we will forever be grateful to the heroes of the War of Independence. Young people who volunteered for the front directly from their school desks to defend their country played an important role in the war. Now, more than a hundred years later, their heroic deeds have by no means lost their significance. This is also how the subject of the Treaty of Tartu is addressed in our schools," Kallas said.
She affirmed that the minister and the Ministry of Education and Research share the view that the anniversary of the Treaty of Tartu, as an extremely important date, deserves greater nationwide attention in the way Estonian history is treated.
"The Ministry of Education and Research is not opposed to making the anniversary of the Treaty of Tartu a national holiday. The corresponding decision can be made by the Riigikogu."
Former education minister and historian Tõnis Lukas (Isamaa) also expressed astonishment at the position taken by the ministry official.
"If this letter really was drafted by an official of the Estonian state, then he is essentially denying the independence of the Republic of Estonia and finding that remembering it — let alone taking pride in it — is not suitable in contemporary Estonian society. Astonishingly cynical," Lukas said.
Society: Treaty of Tartu especially important in current security situation
ERR's News reported on April 7 that the Estonian Heritage Conservation Society had proposed to the government and the Riigikogu that the anniversary of the Treaty of Tartu, February 2, be declared a national holiday. At present, the anniversary of the Treaty of Tartu is observed as a national day of significance.
In the proposal, the society's chairman Madis Morel wrote that the Treaty of Tartu holds symbolic importance in Estonian history and that the peace treaty is the birth document of the Republic of Estonia.
"Without the victorious War of Independence, we might not have the opportunity to celebrate the anniversary of the Republic of Estonia. This extremely important anniversary deserves greater nationwide attention in the way our history is addressed. This particularly concerns Ida-Viru County and Russian-speaking youth because schools in the region attempt to pass over the anniversary in silence. Many students there do not know at all why it is such an important day for Estonia's independence."
The Estonian Heritage Society maintains that, in order to properly value the Treaty of Tartu, February 2 should be declared a national holiday. The society believes this would send a particularly strong signal at a time when Russia is once again attempting to destroy an independent state and has marginalized the significance of the Treaty of Tartu in relations between Estonia and Russia, treating it merely as a historical document.
Treaty of Tartu
The peace treaty between the Republic of Estonia and Soviet Russia was signed in Tartu on February 2, 1920, following difficult negotiations. The treaty ended the War of Independence, which had lasted nearly a year and a half and marked the first major achievement in the young Estonian state's foreign relations. The agreement established Estonia's eastern border and in it Soviet Russia recognized the independence of the Republic of Estonia for all time. It also opened the way for Estonia to gain international recognition as an independent state.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski, Urmet Kook
