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ESTONIA
- EESTI.
It is easier to understand the birth and growth of Scouting and Guiding
if a little is known of the country itself.
The original Estonians
are kinsmen of the Finns. Their common ancestors - the Ugrofinns also
known as the Finno-Ugric nations - thousands of years ago, came from
Asia beyond the Ural Mountains and settled in the Valley of the River
Volga. But - much later - they went on the move again and migrated into
Europe. During the process, for reasons unknown, they divided into two
main groups, one going south settling in what is presently known as
Hungary. The other one going north and settling in northern Russia between
the Baltic and the Ural, but more in particular in the vast country
which is presently called Suomi or Finland, whereas some populated the
southern bank of the Gulf of Finland, to the west of Lake Peipus and
the river Narva, to the east of the Baltic and the Gulf of Riga, to
the north of today's Latvia, the area presently known as Estonia.
All this happened at least a 5 thousand ago years but the Estonian and
Finnish languages (which are said to be among the most difficult languages
in Europe to learn) have a good deal of similarity between them still,
and traces of them are said to be still found in Hungarian.
The Estonians, the Finns and the Hungarians have nothing in common with
the Slavs or theTeutons, neither by race nor by language. Yet particularly
during the last 2 thousand years the Estonians' destiny was always greatly
influenced and dictated by their neighbours and as a result - during
that period - the Estonians - as the Finns - have known little independence,
freedom and self determination as they were mostly dominated by foreign
powers.
The Swedish Vikings
were the first to bother the Aesti or Esti. In their Long Ships they
crossed the Baltic Sea, and, as was their usual style, raided the villages
on the Estonian shores. Later they came as traders and even as settlers
and one way or the other some mixed with the Esti and left their traces.
Meanwhile Christianity
had spread over southern and central Europe and the Teutons had been
converted. So all the others with deviating religions were branded as
being peagans and as usual the Christians thought it their duty to convert
them, if necessary by force. In today's Germany there were many second
and third sons of Knights and other gentry that - knowing that they
would never inherit their fathers' property, and that they would have
to carve their own living - sought adventure and loot. They united and
were known under several names such as the Teutonic Knights, the Knights
of the Sword, the German Order or the Fratres Militiae (The Armed Brotherhood).
Pretending it to be their main task to spread the Christian civilization
and religion by converting the heathens of the east and north, sword
in hand, they conquered the so called peagan territories. They went
on crusade. Taking Prussia, entering today's Lithuania and Latvia and,
in 1184 founding the city of Riga in Latvia. The Danes had meanwhile
occupied northern Estonia and theEsti had to fight the Danes as well
as the Teutonic Knights. In 1227 they were finally beaten and their
country was divided between the Danes and the German Knights. The Estonians
had lost their liberty and independence and during the next 7 centuries
were ruled by foreign rulers whereas their country was the arena in
which these uninvited guests fought their many battles. In 1346 the
Danes were defeated by the Knights who took possession of all of Estonia.
In 1561 theTeutonic Order disbanded though many Knights, who had, in
one way or the other, obtained large estates, remained behind and would
always keep a hold and maintain a German influence. Estonia was taken
over by the Swedes.
The originally small
Principality of Moscow extended and became known as Russia. It came
to many wars between Sweden and Russia. During the Great Nordisk War
(1700-1721) the Swedes were driven out of Estonia which the Russians
officially annexed in 1710. The war ended with the Peace Treaty of Nystad.
Sweden kept Finland but had to surrender to the Russians its Baltic
provinces, including Estonia. A situation to remain unaltered until
1917.
In August 1914 the
Great War, later known as World War One, began. Russia belonged to the
Allies, Germany to the Centrals. The German Imperial Armies invaded
Russia and occupied large areas. Tsaristic Russia was ended by a Revolution
in March 1917. The Tsar's regime was overthrown and replaced by a democratic
administration consisting of social-democrats, liberals and technocrats.
A new form of government hitherto totally unknown to the Russians and
the other subjected peoples. In October 1917 the Bolsheviks or Communists
committed a Coup d'Etat. A civil war began between the Bolshevik Red
Army and the Russian White Armies. The latter, divided in their loyalties
to either the Tsar or the new democracy, were defeated. Russia's early
and still tender democracy was strangled and replaced by the Soviet
Union, a tough, stonehard, one-party dictatorship that was to last almost
70 years and finally ceased to be on December 8th, 1991.
The Russian front
collapsed, the German armies advanced without meeting much resistance
and occupied the Baltic provinces, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. On
February 24th, 1918 they marched into the Estonian capital Tallinn,
also known as Reval. In Brest-Litowsk on March 3, 1918 the Bolsheviks
signed a peace treaty with the German Empire, surrendering the Baltic
provinces and Poland to the Germans and recognizing Finland and Ukraine
as independent states. It is not known what Imperial Germany's intentions
with the Baltic countries were. Would it annex them as part of its Reich
or grant them independence under German supervision? No one was ever
to find out as Imperial Germany also collapsed and World War One ended
with the armistice at 11the hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of
1918. The German army had to retreat from the Baltic countries. But
that did not mean that the war in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania was
over, on the contrary.
Their peoples pleased to have gotten rid of the Russians at long last,
may not have been so pleased with the German occupation as an alternative,
not knowing what the Germans intended. But when the Germans withdrew
the Latvians, Lithuanians and Estonians smelled freedom. In 1918 the
Estonians proclaimed their independence as a democratic republic. Atthe
same time the Red Army attacked, intending to retake the Baltic provinces.
But theEstonians had armed themselves and fought. Fierce battles raged
but the Red Army wasrepulsed. In 1920 a peace treaty finally settled
the conflict. Soviet Russia recognized Estonian independence. After
207 years of Russian domination Estonia was a free country at last,
as were Latvia and Lithuania.
SCOUTING.
The first scout troop ever in Estonia was founded in 1912 in the city
of Parnu on the west coast. The city, a sea port and a trade centre,
had a very mixed population. The scouts originated from all over the
western part of Tsaristic Russia, and were Estonias, Latvians, Lithuanians
and Russians. The impulse came from the Russia. In 1909 Oleg I. Pantuhoff
had founded the first Russian scout troop ever in the city of Pavlosk
to the south of St Petersburg. (see THE UNDAUNTED I, Russian Chapter.)
From there Scouting spread and consequently also reached Estonia. Russkii
Skautizm, not a National Scouting Organization but a Co-operative Society,
was founded and the Parnu troop registered with it as being the first
troop in the Tsar's Baltic provinces and it remained the only one of
its kind in Estonia for the following 4 years. It florished and developed
well.
When World War One
began in 1914 the German armies, on their way to St Petersburg, slowly
advanced from East Prussia, through Lithuania and Latvia. In 1915 units
of the Imperial Baltic Fleet appeared off the port of Parnu and shelled
the town, causing considerable damage and victims. Further the city
was bombed by German Airships, particularly so in 1917 when the German
armies were approaching. The Russian authorities in charge decided that
all, but the Estonian population, had to be evacuated. And so in the
troop the Estonian scouts were the only ones left. During the uncertain
period when the Russian army had not yet left, but had lost control
and the Germans had not yet occupied the town, the Estonian Scouts carried
on and during their opening ceremonies replaced the Russian Tsaristic
flag by the old national Estonian one, the tricolour of blue, black
and white.
In 1916 two All-Estonian
scout troops were founded at Tallinn at the initiative of Anton Ounapuu,
a teacher of physical education. He had studied in Finland and had acquainted
himself with Finnish Scouting. Although his scouting activities were
not to last long - in April 1919 he was killed in action during the
following War of Independence - the Estonian Scouts always considered
him as to be their "Founder Father" and as such he was and
is still held in high esteem. At about that time scouting troops were
also founded in various other cities. From Latvia and Luthiania evacuees
had arrived and were temporarily housed in Estonian villages and amongst
them were enthusiast students from high schools and universities, scouts
in their own areas, who now helped founding troops in their new places
or residence. These attracted local Estonian boys. And so, despite the
war and the constantly advancing Germans, scouting grew in numbers and
popularity. All used the Russian translation of Baden-Powell's SCOUTING
FOR BOYS.
Meanwhile the German Forces in pursuit of the retreating Russians advanced,
and after the Peace Treaty of Brest Litowsk had been signed (03/03/1918)
all of Estonia was officially occupied by the German Imperial Army and
put under its military rule. The Estonians having seen the Russian departure,
smelled liberty and independence but all demonstrations of such were
strictly forbidden by the Germans, as was all nationalism and were all
associations promoting nationalism and independence. Scouting was supposed
to be such an institution and so the German Command ordered the banning
and disbanding of all troops and the cessation of all scouting activities.
But as would be proven very often in later years all over the world,
the scouting spirit survived and scouts carried on illegally until the
Germans had to retreat from the country after 11/11/1918.
The Estonian War
of Liberation began and there was a temporary halt in Scouting's development.
Most of the leaders and boys of 16 and older joined the Estonian Liberaton
Forces and fought the attacking Red Army.
In 1920 the Russian
Bolshevist regime had to recognize Estonia's independence. Scouting
was reactivated immediately. Those who had survived the war rejoined
the younger ones who had kept the troops going. It spread all over the
country and many more wanted to join. This in itself was a problem as
there was a lack of experienced leaders. So many of the leaders' ages
desired had fallen during the War of Independence so that there was
a real shortage of able men.
Some problems were
solved during the 1st Estonian Scout Conference held in Tartu in March,
1921. The Eesti Skautide Litt or Estonian Boy Scout Association was
founded under the leadership of Jaan Hunerson as its NHQ chief. In December
1921 Nikolai Kann, headmasterof a Tallinn school, was elected Estonian
Peaskaut = Chief Scout. He held his post until his death in exile in
a West German Displaced Persons Camp in 1948.
In 1920 the 1st
World Jamboree was held in London,England. Ten Estonians participated.
The camping was in Richmond Park, the public demonstrations were performed
in Olympia, a large hall. Baden-Powell, proclaimed Chief Scout of the
World, called a meeting of all leaders present. This meeting was later
considered as to be the First International or World Conference. B-P
and many of his co-operators in many countries had been much impressed
by the bloodshed during WW I and as so many they understood that that
war had been caused by overdone nationalism. So in order to contain
nationalism and to concoct a better understanding between the nations
and their youngsters in particular, it was proposed the creation of
an International Movement under an International Leadership, with the
emphasison International Brotherhood. All leaders present were requested
to discuss the plans in their own movement and - having come to a conclusion
- to come to the Second International Conference to be held in Paris
in 1922.
GUIDING.
As in so many other countries the activities of the first Estonian Scouts
were also eagerly watched by their sisters. They also wanted to be part
of the game and so it happened that some Estonian troops had girl patrols.
A co-educational movement. But not for long. During the War of Independence
separate girls-troops were formed. 1920 and 1921 saw the creation of
the Eesti Gaidide Maleva - Estonian Guide Assocation - and the first
Girl Guide Districts in and around Tallinn and Tartu were founded. In
1921 1720 Girl Guides and Scouts paid a visit to Finland to meet the
Finnish Movements. In 1922 as Chief Guide was elected Eleonore Hunerson,
(Jaan's sister) a teacher of English. She remained in office until her
death in Exile in Great Britain in 1949. A country which, as representative
of her movement, she also visited many times, beginning in 1920 when
she attended the 1rst GG International Conference in Oxford.
NATIONALISM.
Baden-Powell's achievement to curtail if not bann nationalism in Scouting
and to replace it by internationalism was more or less successful in
that during the Scouts' 2nd International Conference (1922) in Paris
all movements represented accepted the proposals made and the International
or World Movement was founded with an International or World Committee
leading it and an International or World Bureau adminstering it. The
movements present were admitted as members to the International Movement
and since were known as the "Founder Members" and Eesti Skautide
Litt was one of them.
But nationalism
as such was still at large in many countries. This was, maybe, not surprising
in countries like Estonia which had only recently obtained their freedom
and independence. But regrettably it caused a split in Estonian Scouting.
B-P's plans were discussed during the 1st National Conference, December
1921, and it was found that some Estonian Scoutleaders considered the
internationalism of World Scouting not to be quite compatible with their
nationalistic ideas and wanted to keep a more nationalistic outlook
in their Scouting. As early as 1920 they left Eesti Skautide Litt and
founded a new association more in line with their trend of thought.
They chose the name Noorsepad or Noored Sepad = Young Smiths. Initially
Noorsepad was a great success. Many scouts left their original movement
and soon Noorsepad's numbers were so large that a dozen districts could
be formed.
Eesti Skautide Litt.
Despite this drain the movement, under the strong leadership of its
President Jaan Hunerson, survived this crisis. Its membership went down
to a fraction of what it had been and in some places the movement disappeared
when its troops joined Noorsepad. In 1923 new rules and regulations
were introduced, a strict translation of the B-P's British originals,
as in so many other countries. He also introduced the Council of Scouters
and his initiative also led to the founding of the Skaudi Sofirade Litt
= Scouts Friends Organization, and adult support group. It had its branches
in every district and its task was to support and above all sponser
not only the scout troops but also the guide companies..
After a couple of
years purposeful measures began to show effects. A national camp or
a Suurlaager (Big Camp) was organized in 1926 which brought together
about 500 boys including some foreign scouts. This was the first Suurlaager
of a long sequence to follow. In 1932 the second one was held with 1200
participants, including 200 from abroad. From then onwards the movement
went upwards again, recovered and prospered.
GUIDING.
The Guides held their First National Guiders Conference at Valga in
1924. A Peastaap = NHQ was created and a Committee was formed with the
task to formulate the association's statutes which were based on those
of the Scout movement and were approved and accepted in 1929.
Marcia O. Dunham,
a British Guider, visited Estonia and sent her detailed report dated
07/12/1920 to Gladys Bretherton at British GG Imperial Headquarters
in London. In it she stated that in Tallinn/Reval she had "inspected"
three companies, two of Estonian Girl Guides and one of Russian Girl
Guides. In 1925 Miss Bretherton herself came to see and offered a lot
of advice. Apart from being involved in British Guiding she was also
a leading person in the British and World YWCA and as such an organisation
also excisted in Estonia. she brought the two together. Eversince YWCA
and YMCA, as in most of the Scandinavian countries too, influenced Estonian
Scouting and Guiding very much until this very day.
In 1926 another
conference was held in Tallinn. The guide uniforms and the badges were
standarized. The membership badge to be a Green Metal Trefoil, which
in 1931 was replaced by a beautiful Green Enamel Trefoil. There were
Brownies - Hellakesed (motto Saa Paremaks = Try to Improve) , Guides
- Gaidid, Rangers - Venemgaidid and Commissioners = Vanem, all with
the motto Ole Valmis = Be Prepared, also used by the Scouts. Next to
Promise and Law there were the Iron Commands : A Guide learns deligently
- A Guide uses neither alcoholic drink nor tobacco.
In 1928 - during
an International Conference in Parad/Hungary - WAGGGS was founded and
Eesti Gaidide Maleva was represented and belonged to the "Founder
Members". During this founding meeting it was decided that each
member movement was to send WAGGGS a Biennial Report regarding the "State
of the Movement". Stating names of the leadership, particulars
re training and activities etc, the number of members. First report
covered the period July 1rst 1928 - June 30th, 1930. Five such Estonian
Reports were preserved and are giving the membership as 710, 802, 1271,
1840 and - in the very last report - as per June 30th, 1938 : 2463.
In Southampton, on August 12th, 1933, the Chief Scout and Chief Guide
of the World boarded the White Star Line's luxery liner "CALGARIG"
for a seventeen days' Baltic Cruise. . The Baden-Powells were accompagnied
by 650 British Guiders and Scouters. The ship had several ports of call
in the Netherlands, Poland, Latvia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Lithuania
and also Estonia, where she moored on August 19th. The B-Ps and the
others went ashore in Tallinn and were - as everywhere else - greeted
with great enthusiasm by the local scouts and guides. The happening
stopped all traffic, attracted the public's attention and boasted the
movements' popularity.
NOORED KOTKAD =
Young Eagles..
More trouble ahead. In 1938 the Boy Scout International Bureau in London
received an Estonian report (1) quote :
" Immediately after the Revolution or War of Independence, a voluntary
Defence League, or, as it it sometimes called, Civil Guard, was formed
in order to help to secure the defence of the country and its establishment
as an independent unit. This Defence League is still maintained as a
voluntary body, under State supervision. It has both men and women members,
organised separately but dependent on each other"
" There is now a men's membership of some 150.000."
" Eight years (1931) ago the question of future recruitment to
the Defence League was considered and it was decided to establish a
Youth Branch consisting of Noored Kotkad = Young Eagles for boys and
Koduttred =Home Daughters for girls, not in opposition to the existing
Scouts and Guides, but complementary to them."
" Speaking in general terms this new movement was not welcomed
by the Scouts who resented its introduction. The Chief Scout Dr N. Kann,
principal of one of the Estonian Colleges in Tallinn was also in opposition,
partly on political grounds. Some individual scouters took up work with
the Young Eagles. and were unfortunately suspended and removed from
the Scout Association for so doing."
The Civil Defence's
Youth Branch was founded in May 1930 and the boys' part was operative
in November, whereas the girls began in 1933. .Sponsered by the government
it had a solid and sound financial backing. The leaders were salaried
and many scout and guide leaders were lured to its ranks. The new movement
soon attained a membership double that of the scouts. It used the scouting
method but with additional military training and could thus not be considered
as being a scout movement according to the World Movements' rules. As
some English Guiders, who were sent to Estonia to help with the original
Movement stated in their report to the International Bureau:
One of the principal difficulties is that the Guide Movement has to
compete with an official youth movement, which is encouraged and subsidized
by the State, whereas the Guides are only tolerated. We found small
groups of girls in out-of-the have paid leaders, whose uniforms are
given them, and whose camps are free. But there is an inspiration in
the World Movement which seems lacking in the other."
The Eesti Skautide
Litt. and Eesti Gaidide Maleva again lost members to this new movement.
A rivalry developed which had a positive effect on the scout and guide
organisations. They improved the quality of their training and activities
now that there was more competition. Generally speaking, despite everything,
the movements were not doing too badly afterall. They held their own
and also increased their numbers including an influx of new leaders,
that is adults who had been scouts and guides from the beginning and
had now reached the age required for leadership. But they also wanted
more say in the running of the movements and in Eesti Gaidide Maleva
a National Guiders Council was created with as its first Chairwoman
Aty Joks.
In 1932 a Guide
Shop was opened and the first Guide's Handbook was published. Also for
the first time a national Scout and a national Guide magazine were published.
The scouts held their 2nd Suurlager or national camp attended by 1200
scouts, including 200 guests from Finland, Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania
and Poland. Camp Chief was Herbert Michelson who was also to be in charge
of the Suurlagers in the following years and whose name will be mentioned
again later.
In 1933 the Girl Guides had their Suurlager from July 15th - 25th and
British Guiders visited this camp. It was during this camp that the
above mentioned National Guiders Council was created. The visit by the
Baden-Powells and the large a number of British leaders for the Guides
proved to also be an important boost of morale and good propaganda in
general.
DARKENING SKIES.
The great advantage of Scouting and Guiding is that they are open to
all, that neither on the national nor the international level do they
meddle with party-politics and they do not attach themselves to a political
party or ideology. So everybody of every background can be a member.
This, as related in other chapters, did not mean that politics did not
try to interfere with or even attempt to annex scouting and guiding.
Estonia's geographic
situation was not favourable. In the east the adjacent Union of Socialist
Soviet Republics was getting stronger all the time and it looked upon
the Baltic States with an envious and greedy eye. Reluctantly and under
pressure of the circumstances having permitted them to become independent.
Its leaders - or rather its leader Joseph Stalin - had still not forgotten
that for hundreds of years these now independent territories had until
recently been Russian provinces. Further the USSR was intent on spreading
the "blessings" of communism to other countries but at the
same time it was afraid of being counter attacked by capitalist states,
a fear which increased when in January 1933 Adolf Hitler and his National
Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) had taken over and turned Germany
into a one-party, dictatorial state. The Nazis, as Hitler and his gang
were known, were declared enemies of communism, which they promissed
to destroy. Even though Poland and the Baltic States were buffer-states
separating the two arch enemies, both were trying to get - in particular
- the Baltic States under their influence. The Nazi-Germans had it easy.
Throughout the ages Germans had been living in the Baltic states. There
had always been a German minority, mostly a wealthy one, and their influence
in every level of society was strong. The Nazi propaganda had a great
impact and not only on them. They had the advantage that the populations
of the three Baltic countries were much afraid and in fear of the power
of the Soviet Union. Above all they wanted to maintain and protect their
independence for which they had sacrificed so much in 1920. Yet there
were small communist and small nazi-parties. The Estonian government
in its efforts to remain neutral and to maintain independence took harsh
steps.
In March 1934 Konstantin Pats installed his dictatorship and promoted
strict neutrality.
Everybody of German lineage, living abroad, including those whose ancestors
had settled there generations ago - and consequently had the nationality
of their country of birth - according to the Nazi ideology was still
considered to be a German (Volksdeutsche) whether he or she liked it
or not. Some liked it and the Nazi Party and its Hitler Youth, had many
units in other European countries and the USA. The German element in
Estonia was rather strong and most, not all, felt very close to Nazi
Germany. Obviously their youngsters joined the Hitler Jugend or the
Bund Deutscher M"del (Leaque of German Girls). Some other Estonians,
attracted by the Nazi ideas, were also permitted to join. In 1936 the
Hitler Jugend made approaches to Civil Defence's Noored Kotkad = Young
Eagles. In order to avoid and prevent a take-over the government decided
to place all Youth Organisations - Scouts, Guides, Young Eagles, Home
Daughters and all the others - under State supervision, disbanding and
banning some. The Commander-in-Chief, General Laidoner, was named by
the President as the Supreme Head of all Youth Movements because he
was responsible for the peace and defence of the country and also because
he was not a politician. The amalgamation of the Youth Movements was
supposed to be concluded on December 31st, 1939.
The Estonian Girl
Guides were prepared to cooperate more with the trend of affairs than
the Eesti Skautide Malev. The latter feared political influence and
was afraid that it might, as a result, lose its World Movement recognition
and membership.
The "Camp Chief" (1) was rather pessimistic in a report to
Wilson - the Camp Chief of Gilwell Park near London :
"There are at present negotiations in progress about the amalgamation
of the Scouts with the Nationals. The Scouts have not yet said their
last word, but they will have to so do, otherwise the organisation will
be suppressed. The Scouts' chief objection in that the youth organisations
are being controlled by the Ministry.
The head of the Youth Organisation is Laidoner.
The name of the organisation will be "Teras-Poisid" (Steel
Youth) for the boys and "Kodututred" (Home Daughters) for
the girls. The organisations belong to the Defence Corps and the leaders
are paid. The program shall be 100% Hitlerian."
Eesti Gaidide Maleva's
Secretary Sigrid Elken 's letter to Dame Katherine Furse of the WAGGGS
International Bureau - dated 08/09/1937 - reported :
"Now it is almost a whole year that the Estonian Guides are under
the control of the Government's Youth Department. In your last letter
you seemed rather anxious about our independence. I may tell you that
we ourselves were also very anxious about all the new arrangements,
but everything has turned out quite nice in the end.
The National Movement, the "Kodututred" (Home Daughters) is
called the official youth movement and the Guides are considered a private
organization but with all the official right and duties the other youth
movements in our contry have. But ofcourse we are always secondary."
"Our numbers have increased greatly on account of the Russian National
Guides who have to cooperate with us as no other nation's youth movement
is allowed to exist separately any more in Estonia. The German Hitler
Jugend have changed into School Clubs. The Jews have not yet joined
us as far as I am informed." (2)
"To help each other in training leaders and make close friendship
between Guides of the Baltic States, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia,
the Headquarters of all the three countries have decided to make a Union,
the constitution of which will be sanctioned this autumn in October
in Tartu. It will be a small conference of the Chief
Guides and Secretaries of the three countries. Lithuania and Latvija
have had a Union for two years already and the Estonian Guides are very
happy to join."
".....the Director of our Youth Department is quite satisfied with
us and always and everywhere declares in his speeches that the Guides
have the same rights to live as the official youth movement, and the
schoolmasters ought to treat the Guides on the same lines as the "Kodututred",
but ofcourse they are the "official" and we are the "private"
organization."
But apparently State
supervision appeared not to be political indoctrination and Eesti Gaidide
Maleva as well as Eesti Skautide Malew were more or less left alone,
discrimintated but tolerated to carry on. The International Bureaux
investigated but saw no reason to expell them from the World Movements'
memberships.
In 1937 the 25 Estonians were present in subcamp 6 (blue/white badge)
of the 5th World Jamboree at Vogelenzang in the Netherlands.
In 1939 the Noored
Kotkad, using the scouting method, and the Eesti Skautide Malew formed
the Estonian Boy Scout Union resulting in the former being able to send
3 of its officers to the Gilwell Course in England, to consign observers
to the Lithuanian national camp in 1939 and to let some of its members
participate in the last pre-war Rover Moot in Scotland in that year.
PRELUDE TO THE SOVIET
SYSTEM.
Adolf Hitler, leader of the German Nazi Party and "Fuhrer"
of the Third Reich, which he intended to be "the Thousand Years'
Reich", had made many demands and had had his way for some time
detrimental to the countries surrounding Germany. The European democracies
desiring to prevent a war, hoped to appease him by giving in to his
demands. Hitler considered this attitude as being an expression of weakness
and fear and so time and again he increased his demands. Until Poland
refused to obey and decided to resist. So September 1st, 1939 at 0445
hours he ordered the German armies to cross the German-Polish border
and the conflict had begun. Hitler was convinced that England and France
would - maybe - protest but give in again. But to his surprise and disappointment
this time the reaction was quite different. On September 3rd at 0900
hours Great Britain presented an ultimatum demanding the immediate withdrawal
of all German forces from Poland. If not Great Britain would consider
itself at war with Nazi Germany as from 1300 hours. France delivered
a similar ultimatum at 1230 hours saying that unless the demands were
met, it would be at war as from 1700 hours.
Hitler's Nazi Germany
had always declared the communists and the Jews to be its main enemies
and the destruction of same to be its main task. Yet, what the Germans
and in particular the High Command feared most, was an other war with
a Western and an Eastern front. So in order to prevent this - to the
world's utter surprise - the Nazis changed their tune when on August
23, 1939 their foreign minister Ribbentrop and his Soviet colleague
Molotov, in Moscow's Kremlin, under the watchful eye of the great dictator
Joseph Stalin, signed a non-aggression pact. What was not told was that
there was also a secret agreement dividing Eastern Europe in a nazi
and a soviet sphere of influence. To the former were to belong Western
Poland and Lithuania, to the latter Eastern Poland, Rumania's Bessarabia
(now Moldova), Finland, Latvia and Estonia. Least of all the inhabitants
of these region were to know, but they were soon to find out.
It all began when
on September 17th, 1939 the Soviet Red Army suddenly attacked Poland,
stabbing in the back the Poles fighting the Germans. A Red Army was
concentrated near the Latvian and Estionian borders which put pressure
on Estonia. On September 27th, 1939 Estonia and the Soviet Union signed
a support or security treaty. Thereupon the Soviets demanded army and
navy bases and the Latvians and Estonians had to give in and their frightened
and worried populations had to watch the Red Army march in and occupy
their country. In June 1940 the Estonian communists backed up by the
Red Army committed a coup d'tat overthrowing the legal government and
installing a communist one-party administration which requested its
masters in Moscow to kindly accept Estonia as a member of its Union
of Soviet Republics. Moscow gracefully obliged and from then on Estonia
was known as Eesti Noukogude Sotsialistik Vabariik or the Estonian Socialist
Soviet Republic. (3).and as such would exist until 1989.
Right away the Soviets
began a process of curtailing all opposition. The non-communist officials
were removed from office. The Civil Defence Leaque and its youth organizations
Noored Kotkad and Kodututred were disbanded and abolished. Strangely
enough the scout and guide movement were permitted to continue their
activities though camping was notallowed anymore. Reason why the first
Estonian Gilwell Course, which DCC Herbert Morisson (1) had prepared
was not held.
In August 1940 the representatives of all bodies sponsering the scout
and guide movements were called to attend a meeting. The pretended purpose
was the electing of a new executive for the Federation of Friends of
Scouts, which had sponsered and promoted Scouting and Guiding almost
from the beginning, and to install a new leadership and a new NHQ staff
for the scout and guide movements. But no elections were held. Instead
the communist party representatives just dictated the names of the new
members, all of them communist party members and most of them had never
been scouts or guides. The former leadership was removed from office
whereupon the new "leaders" issued the first order : to liquidate
the scout and guide organizations and to surrender all its properties,
membership administration and archives to the Komsomols and Pioneers,
the communist youth organizations. The motivation (not unlike the Nazis'
) was that Scouting and Guiding were Anglo-American espionage organizations
in disguise serving their capitalist masters. Continuation of all activities
thereafter was illegal and would be punished.
The Sovietisation and purges began. Leading Estonians were arrested
and deported to camps, sometimes as far away as Siberia. All those suspected
of having the abilities to lead a possible resistance were also removed
such as professors, teachers, journalists and last but not least scout
and guide leaders. Some left home and went into hiding. Their officers
having been removed the other ranks of the Estonian army were forced
to join the Red Army. An estimated total of 60.000 Estonians was deported,
most of them never to come back.
On Sunday June 22nd,
1941 Nazi Germany dropped its mask of friendship and attacked its ally
the Soviet Union. There were several spearheads, one in the south intended
to occupy the fertile Ukraine and the oil fields on the banks of the
Caspian Sea, the central one aimed at taking Moscow and eliminating
the Soviet leadership and the third one heading north to conquer Leningrad,
marching through the Baltic States. The German armies did not meet much
resistance and sliced through the Soviet defence lines like a hot knife
through butter. The Red Army retreated and those Estonians still at
liberty watched and, in the period between the Red Army's retreat and
the actual arrival of the Nazi forces, the Estonians rose. Some armed
themselves and harassed the retreating Russian units also settling a
bill with agents of the secret police and their collaborators who had
terrorised the people. The scouts and guides also reappeared and the
Estonian flag was hoisted again. The expectation being that liberty
and independence would be restored.
But the Germans
had other ideas. In the long run the Baltic States were supposed to
be annexed by Germany and to become provinces of same. A Nazi administration
under the leadership of a Reichscommissar was installed. The Estonians
who had armed themselves were disarmed, the national flag was no longer
tolerated, the revived movements, including and above all scouting and
guiding were banned again. The Estonians were soon to experience that
the Red Terror had been replaced by the Brown Terror. No independence
but an occupied country and the front lines' hinterland.
The German Wehrmacht
reached the outskirts of Leningrad (now St Petersburg) as early as September
6th, 1941. Shortly thereafter the city was surrounded, cut off from
the rest of the Soviet Union and a long siege began. The Germans never
succeeded in entering the city but it was not until January 18th 1943
that the Red Army broke through though it took until January 14th, 1944
until the Germans really retreated from the city's outskirts.
BETWEEN THE DEVIL
AND THE DEEP DARK SEA.
And all the time Estonia served as the front's hinterland. On all its
fronts Nazi Germany lost millions of soldiers and it was soon forced
to recruit other nationals for its "crusade to eliminate communism"
as its propaganda called it. The Estonians' position was difficult.
By now they fully understood that the Germans were not intent on restoring
their independence on the other hand they had every reason to fear the
return of the Soviets. The Nazis also changed their tune and Estonian
nationalism was used. It was an uncomfortable situation, difficult to
make choices. So some fell for the German propaganda, and donned the
German uniform. Others were pressed to do so. They were sent to the
Waffen-SS. and were suddenly permitted to wear on the German uniform
a shield with the Estonian national colours, suggesting they were fighting
for a free Estonia.
Though Hitler did
not permit it, the slow German retreat in the north actually began in
january/february 1944 when the Red Army got on the move. But the rear
guard fighting was fierce.
The Estonians understood that one day the Red Army would return and
most of them did not fancy that at all. So some decided to flee and
to keep ahead of the advancing Red Army. All in all an estimated 66.000
Estonians went on the move. Some took the land route south via the other
Baltic states and Poland into Germany going as far west as possible
hoping to meet the American, British and Canadian armies advancing.
But most went to the seaside intent on escaping across the Baltic. Everything
that floated was used. Small freighters, fishing vessels, rowing boats
and canoes even or rafts towed by other craft. Many never made it and
perished.
SWEDEN - SVERIGE.
In August and September 1944 the first refugees reached the shores of
neutral Sweden. They were made welcome, were accommodated in comfortable
reception camps and they were taken good care of. It was understood
that in particular the kids had to be entertained. Now it so happened
that there were large numbers of scouts, guides but also scout and guide
leaders amongst the many refugees and the latter soon took the initiative
and in several camps scout groups and guide companies were begun. One
of the groups met as early as October 22nd, 1944. They received the
assistance of the Swedish movements and authorities. It is said that
in the camps 17 scout groups were operational and an equal number of
guide groups. The refugees did not stay in the camps long but were distributed
all over Sweden as soon as work and permanent new residences were available.
In particular in the big cities there were fair concentrations of Estonians
and as soon as they had got used to the new environment the scouts and
guides used to find each other and between 1944 and 1946 various scout
and guide groups were founded.
The guides were
supported by the Swedish YWCA or KFUK Guides and Eesti Gaidide Maleva
was reestablished in very close cooperation with and within the KFUK
Guides. In June 1945 the Guiders held their first annual leaders meeting
in Stockholm and in July the first summer camp. By 1949, when the first
GG Suurlaager was held, the membership was 525 with a total of 12 groups.
The Scouts did not so badly either. Groups were founded in Stockholm,
Goteborg
(Gothenburg) Uppsala, Malm", Boras, Norrkoping, Eskilstuna etc..
These groups belonged to the Sveriges Scoutforbund the overall body
in which the various Swedish Scout Organisations were united. Their
sub-section was named Eesti Skautlike Noorte Malev. In 1957 the scouts
numbered 693 members. But soon the membership of the Scouts and Guides
in Sweden decreased as many Estonians found a new home in Canada.
GERMANY- DEUTSCHLAND.
The Estonian refugees that took the land route down south soon mixed
with Latvians and Lithuanians also prefering not to wait until the Red
Army returned. Behind them the retreatingGerman army and the advancing
Red Army. Above them, quite often the Soviet Air Force which - without
investigation too thoroughly - fired at everything that looked like
a military column. Many died during this trip, which began in summer
but got worse when a harsh, cold winter set in and the Red Army reached
East Prussia. The sad stream of refugees was augmented by Germans also
wanting to get as far away from the Soviets as possible. Again hundreds
died during the trip across the frozen coastal waters of East Prussia,
some times fired at by long distance guns or straffed by low flying
Russian fighter planes. Many lost their lives. Family members got separated
in the turmoil. Thousands of several nationalities thus arrived in Germany
and went through cities destroyed and were subjected to the massive
bombardements. But they headed to the west as much as possible until
they were in the western part of Germany and could not go any further
as they were now approaching the western front. It was difficult to
find accommodation. Some were put in camps, others in schoolbuildings,
army barracks but most of them had to stay in the open air, day and
night and food was a problem. The desperate Nazis, aware of but not
admitting that they were losing the war, forced them to dig fortifications
or even pressed some to fight for them. Food was difficult to be had.
Then the advancing units of the American, British and Canadian forces
reached them. The new authorities took over and tried to sort things
out. Only when Nazi-Germany had finally accepted defeat and surrendered
unconditionally on May 8th, 1945 things gradually took a turn for the
better.
Added to the refugees
were concentation camp and prison inmates, the labourers who had been
forced by the Nazis to work in their war industries and also those who
had been serving in the German army or the SS and had, in time, donned
civil clothing thus escaping being taken Prisonners of War. All sorts
of former German camps, barracks, factories, schools etc. etc. were
turned into accommodation for the refugees. At first there was a mixture
of various nationalities, later, when the turmoil died down a bit, nationalities
were sorted out and concentrated in several special "national"
camps. But the living was still far from pleasant. Food, medical care,
clothing etc. etc were missing and had to be provided by the Allies.
The later soon experienced that the refugees from Eastern Europe did
not desire to return to their homelands "liberated" by the
Red Army. From that moment on the refugees became Displaced Persons
and as such they were officially registered.
In the drab existence
the Scouting Spirit revived. The kids were suffering most and had to
be entertained so that there would be a ray of sun shines in their daily
lives. Scout and Guide leaders and older scouts and guides collected
the boys and girls, formed groups and activities began. This did not
go undetected as in the armies of the Western Allies many scouts and
guides were serving. In the British occupation zone the Guide International
Service and the Scout International Relief Service were active and in
some of the camps they were in charge. (5). Their task was not to revive
scouting or guiding but, as the scouts and guides amongst the army officers
and the other ranks, they were attracted by the activities of the DP
Scouts and Guides. They reported their findings to their NHQs and the
International Bureaux and soon the DP scouts and guides received assistance.
As early as May
13th, 1945, five days after World War 2 had officially ended in Europe,
the first Estonian groups was founded in a refugee camp. Practically
all Estonian kids in all the camps joined the scout and guide groups,
whether before they had been members or not or had perhaps belonged
to one of the other associations which were not revived in the camps.
Thus they were kept occupied and were protected from the deteriorating
effects of the poverty and sadness of the empty camp life.
During the following
summer when things got a bit easier, with the assistance of scouts and
guides serving in the occupation forces, contacts could be made between
the Estonian groups in the various camps. A sort of inventory was made
of who was there and where and it was found that the Eesti Gaidide Maleva's
Chief Guide Eleonore Hunerson had survived and was in Germany and so
were Eesti Skautide Malev's Chief Scout Nikolai Kann and DCC Herbert
Michelson. The former was able to contact the BSIB or Boy Scouts International
Bureau in London, the latter the former Gilwell Camp Chief J.S. Wilson,
then the BSIB's director, whereas the Chief Guide resumed her communications
with the WAGGGS in London. (6)
The above mentioned and some other leaders created the Estonian Central
Bureau which was headed by DCC Herbert Michelson. It acted as a kind
of a National Headquarters in the beginning covering the British and
US Zones of West Germany only but later contacts were also made with
the Estonian groups in Sweden. It organised camps and above all training
activities. Herbert Michelson was at last able to conduct his first
Estonian Gilwell Course which was originally planned for August 1940.
Between 1946 and 1949, in close cooperation with BSIB and Gilwell Park
in England, he lead three Woodbadge Course in Germany as well as nine
other training camps for cub scout, scout and rover leaders.
The Estonians, as
the others DP scouts, operated under the protecting wings of the BSIB
and were able to participate in the 6th World Jamboree at Moisson/France
in 1947 with a fair contingent of scouts from Germany and Sweden. During
the 11th International Conference of August 1947 the Displaced Persons'
Division of the Boy Scouts International Bureau was created. It registered
all DP scouts and issued them with an identity card. It also supported
all DP Scout activities, such as training and other camps, provided
them with uniforms, manuals etc. The DPDoBSIB organized some DP Scout
International Patrol Rallies, no 1 in Wellerode Walk near Kassel (19-31/08/1948)
and no 2 near Nurnberg-Fischbach (19-29/08/1949) and a 3rd was to have
been in 1950. But by then most of the DP scouts had left Germany and
so the rally was never to be. Estonian patrols participated.
But the BSIB also
informed the DP scouts that, as soon as they would be leaving the camps
for their new residences in the countries, that were willing and able
to offer the DPs a new existence, they would have to join - as groups
or individuals - the NSOs of the countries concerned as no "National
Scout Movements on Foreign Soil" could be recognized.(6) These
NSOoFSs were tolerated in Germany as there was no official German movement
they could have joined. In 1948 the DP Division of BSIB registered 32
Estonian groups with a membership of 1104.
Gradually the Displaced Persons were leaving the terrible camps, conditions
of which had, however, changed during the years, but were never pleasant.
The Chief Guide Eleonore Hunerson, thanks to WAGGGS' influence, was
invited to settle in England (1947) where she died in 1949. But others
were going too. In September 1948 1000 Estonian Scouts were left in
Germany. In 1950 it was reported that only one Estonian Girl Guide patrol
was still active in West Germany and that it had joined a German guide
company. By 1952 only 45 Estonian scouts were still resident in Germany
(6) who had joined the Bund Deutscher Pfadfinder in 1950 as associated
members. But in 1976 there were 60 again, mainly in the rover-ranger
(over 18) age group and, despite its small numbers, in l970, it managed
to organise a camp to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Estonian Scouting
in which participated Estonian scouts from all over the world. (6).
WHERE HAD ALL THE
SCOUTS AND GUIDES GONE ?
GREAT BRITAIN.
Some Estonian refugees had managed to get to Great Britain. Two scout
units have been known to have been operating in that country. A Rover
Crew was formed in 1948 in Yorkshire and in 1949 a scout group in Corsham,
between Bath and Chippenham in Wiltshire. In 1950 the latter had more
than ninety members but the next year it did no longer exist, the families
having left for Canada.
AUSTRALIA.
In November 1947 a ship, carrying a large number of DPs, left a German
port and set sail for Australia. The Estonian scouts aboard formed a
group and during the long voyage held normal pack, troop and rover meetings,
inviting non-members. Having arrived at destination the DPs were received
in a comfortable government camp for a period of adjustment. In it the
group continued its activities. Thereafter, as the other DPs, the Estonians
settled in several places. Their numbers were increased when other contingents
arrived and the scouts and guides, once in their permanent residences,
rallyed again and formed groups. In Sydney, May 1949, the 9th Sydney-Estonian
was founded. Considering name and number it had joined the Australian
Scout Movement.(7) Sydney was also the city with the first Estonian
Guide Company in 1950. In Melbourne and other cities groups were founded
too.
CANADA.
This country took a large number of Displaced Persons. Estonians from
Germany but also Great Britain and Sweden were offered a new existence
in this vast country and the first Estonian scout and guide groups were
founded soon. The first scouts in Toronto in 1948. In 1952 there were
about 400 Estonian scouts and an almost similar number of guides, whose
first start was one patrol in 1949 but in 1959 had about 400, most of
whom were born in Canada. Throughout the years their numbers remained
rather constant always about 600 of each. The relationship with the
Canadian NHQ progressed nicely as did those with the Canadian districts.
All groups joined the Canadian Scout and Guide Associations, wore Canadian
uniforms but were permitted to have on it a special badge indicating
them as being Estonians. (7). In cooperation with the Ontario Scouts
the Estonians were able to arrange a number of Wood Badge training courses
in Estonian led by DCC Jaan Lepp.
UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA.
The States also took their fair share of Displaced Persons, including
Estonians. As early as May 1949 the first Estonian groups was founded
in Seabrook, New Jersey, followed by a rover crew in New York City that
very same year. The Boy Scouts of America HQ considered the matter and
in autumn 1949 gave its official consent and recognition. Several other
groups came to being and by 1952 there were 13 Estonian scout groups
most of them in the Eastern States where most Estonians had settled.
The first Guide companies were founded in 1949.
ARGENTINA &
BRAZIL.
Some Estonians landed in South America, very far away from their home
country , but they were mostly widely scattered, which was a handicap
when it came to organizing scout and guide groups. Yet, encouraged and
sponsered by the Estonian community, groups were founded in Buenos Aires
in 1951 and they remained active ever since.
The number of Estonians that had chosen Brazil for settlement was very
small. Estonian scouting began in Sao Paulo, in 1968, one patrol of
three boys and three girls. In 1969 there were seven and they participated
in an Estonian camp organized by the Argentinian Estonians.
But in 1976 it was all over in Brazil.
THE HOMELAND.
Those who had not attempted to escape or had not succceeded in so doing
and were unlucky to have to stay behind saw the German military forces
retreat and their country once again reoccupied by the Red Army. In
its wake returned the KGB - Secret Police - and the Estonian communists.
Basing themselves on the assumption that all who had had to live under
the Nazi occupation also had collaborated with the latter, which some
had and others had not, they took revenge and reinstituted the terror.
Between 1945 and 1949 an estimated number of more than 500.000 Estonians
were arrested and deported to far away places, prisons or concentration
camps. Many were killed whereas others, in the long run, perished. After
Stalin's death in 1953, when the regime showed more leniency, only 25%
of the deportees managed to return to the home country. The Sovietisation
was continued and thousands of Russians, Ukrainians and Belarussians
were - compulsory or voluntary - sent to Estonia to take the empty places
and to live and work. In later years, when these imported citizens had
been living there for decades, they were to become a minority problem.
Though in name the Eesti Noukogude Sotsialistik Vabariik was supposed
to be a souvereign state, the instructions came directly from Moscow
and had to be obeyed. All expressions of nationalism were forbidden
and persecuted, the national flag was banned and replaced by a "national
Soviet" one. Such was the terror and the fear of it that scouts
and guides, as all the others had to be very careful in everything they
did and said and they could only talk to and vent their real feelings
to a few trusted friends or relatives and even than ! But small numbers
used to meet on a regular basis and it is known that several met on
Thinking Day or St George's Day to repeat the Promise once made. Scouting
and Guiding were not forgotten. But since they could not be practised
they were remembered only and the survivers concentrated on the idealistic
side, the Promise and Law. Whereas at first Estonia was totally isolated
from the outside world in later years communication by means of correspondence
was possible be it that there was a censorship and relatives in exile
were able to carefully be in touch with their kinship in the home country.
Information regarding the harsh situation filtered through the Iron
Curtain.
During the period
known as the "Cold War" there was an arms race between the
communist block and the socalled Free Western World lead by the USA.
On both sides millions were spent on the arms race. This caused the
economic situation in the the Soviet Union to deteriorate but neither
its inhabitans nor the outside world was to know. On March 11th, 1985
Gorbatchev was appointed secretary general of the Russian communist
party, the most powerful position in the USSR. Slowly but gradually
he introduced changes. The remaining die-hards of the old regime were
being removed from office. Glassnost - Openness and Perestrojka - Renewal
or Renovation were being introduced. At first undetected by the outsideworld,
changes set in. There was unrest in various communist satelite countries
such as Poland and Hungary and the latter's regime was the first to
open the Iron Curtain (11/09/1989) permitting its citizens and East
Germans to travel freely to the Free West. British and American radio
stations, broadcasting in almost all the languages spoken in the Soviet
Union, spread the news. But the peoples of the Baltic States were also
getting restless. The new wind that blew in Moscow gave the Estonians
new hope for a better future and it electrified them. They demanded
economic independence. In winter 1988/1989 they tested how far the regime
would permit them to go. In January 1989 some one had the courage to
hoist the old Estonian national flag (Blue-Black-White) and since nothing
much happened it soon proudly flew everwhere. In July 1989 they were
given economic independence.
But the population wanted more. One protest after the other and on August
23rd, 1989 a human chain was created by the peoples of Estonia, Latvia
and Lithuania, right from the north to the south, one thin line of human
beings. On October 23rd, 1989 the populations of the Baltic States organized
a large protest demonstration. This very day, 50 years ago, Nazi- Germany
and the Soviet Union signed the infamous Ribbentrop-Molotov treaty with
the secret additional putting Lithuania in the Nazi and Latvia and Estonia
in the Soviet sphere of influence with as a result the occupation and
the annexation of the two states by the Soviet Union. The ball started
roling. On November 9th, 1989 the Berlin Wall came tumbling down and
the Iron Curtain was opened. Meanwhile the Western press had free access
to the Soviet Union and all these occurances were seen on Western TV.
In December 1989, Gorbatchev, visiting the Baltic States, promised the
possibility for them to secede from the Soviet Union and to regain independence.
On 18/03/1990 the first free elections were held and the
opposition entered parliament whereupon the Estonian communist party
broke away from Moscow and on 29/03/1990 the oppositional Estonian Nationalist
People's front (which had been permitted) proposed to declare independence
which was accepted by a majority in parliament on the very next day.
But in Moscow Gorbatchev
had to deal with a strong opposition which wanted to keep the situation
as it used to be and so developments were slow and certain fractions,
such as the army, tried to halt them, also in the Baltic States. It
was a period of high tension and even fighting, when communists, backed
by Soviet special forces were trying to regain power and turn the clock
back. On March 1st, 1991 a referendum was held and 80% of the Estonian
population voted for independence. But the troubles were not over yet.
On August 19th, 1991 the world was shocked and held its breath when
the news reached it that a communist coup d'etat in Moscow had removed
Gorbatchev from office. Three uncertain days, during which, on August
20th, at 2310 hours, the Estonian Parliament declared its country's
total national independence as from that very moment. An independence
which - a few days later - was recognized by most of the West European
countries and the United Nations. Estonia was a free country again after
51 years !
SCOUTING AND GUIDING' S REVIVAL.
Quotes from a report dated November 29th, 1991 written by by Jaan Lepp
of the Estionan groups in Canada and sent to the World Bureau WOSM in
Geneva.
"The years of depression after World War 2 instilled fear in the
Estonians and helps us to understand their reluctance to initiate the
regorganization of scouting.
However, even during these years, the scout and guide leaders maintained
social contacts and retained their scouting identity."
"The first independent youth groupings evolved from the nationalistically
thinking
youth, who wanted to express their independence and anti communist/USSR
feelings. They called themselves "scouts". It is evident,
that they were not scouts as we know them, but they adopted scouting's
name to underline their independence from the ruling authorities. These
first groupings formed in summer 1988 showed that under the new political
thaw independent youth organizations such as former banned scouting
would be tolerated."
"The formal rebirth of the scouting movement is traced back to
a meeting in March
of 1989, when a group of leaders met with former scoutmasters in Nomme
(near Tallinn) for the specific purpose to re-eastablish the former
Estonian Scouting. This meeting was attended by 8 Scoutmasters, 5 Guiders
and 13 new leaders. At the meeting an action committee was elected to
develop and prepare documentation for the formal re-registration of
the Estonian Scout Association (Eesti Skautide Malev).
The documentation was completed within a few weeks in March and presented
for acceptance and approval to the Ministry of Education. The charter
received formal governmental registration on 22. June, 1989."
"Where possible former scouting documents were consulted. But as
can be expected, most of the documentation was derived and developed
on common logic and extensively based on memory. As ownership of scouting
materials during the preceding years was interpreted as anti-governmental
action, there were very few scouting documents from 50 years back."
Ofcourse the Ministry
refered to above was belonging to the communist government, still in
power, but understanding that Gorbatchev's actions were to be taken
seriously and had to be followed, it showed some leniency. Yet these
authorities expected or hoped that they would be able to remain in office
-and so in order to remain in control of the situation - they took some
steps to keep their influence in all renewals. This was made quite clear
in another letter by Jaan Lepp which the World Bureau in Geneva received
on March 17th, 1989.
"As the scouting movement in Estonia is independent, it has not
been wellcomed by the government. While not formally prohibited, nor
are they encouraged, but rather tolerated. In order to overshadow the
scouting, the government has formed a parallel organization, which first
was called "Estonian Youth Organization" (Eesti Laste Organisatioon)
and which changed its name to Estonian Boys Federation (Eesti Poiste
Liit). The latter has adopted as its symbol the scout emblem, with a
minor difference from the scouting one. In the center, the Estonian
Crest has been replaced with the Estonian National colours - blue, black
and white. To the best of our information, this organization does not
follow scouting principles nor does it use any religious teachings in
its activities. As we understand it, this organisation was formed with
one purpose - to overshadow the scouting movement. To this extent, they
have also received governmental support for their activities. We also
understand, that their leader Leho Manniksoo, has been a governmental
employee for many years, with the specific task to organize youth movements
that reflect the Communist Part ideology.
The Eesti Poiste
Liit 's constituent meeting was held in the White Hall of the city of
Tallin on December 10th, 1988. According to a report dated Helsinki
20/12/1988 it members were to be called Eetserit = "activists moving
forward" and its objective was to be a centre organization for
all youth clubs, a way to maintain government control. The name "activists"
was also a bit suspicious, having a Soviet ring. No wonder some - e.g.
the Exiles - looked at it with certain misgivings and doubts.
Meanwhile others were busy re-establishing the real scout and guide
movements and communicated with the World Bureaus in Geneva and London.
Patrick McLaughlin,
the director of the European Scout Office WOSM in Geneva, in
Helsinki/Finland on 16/01/1990 had a meeting with the representatives
of Estonian guiding and scouting movements in the foundation process.
As he reported to the combined WAGGGS/WOSM meeting on Scouting Revival
in Eastern Europe (02-04/02/1990) at Geneva :
"Two Scout and two Guide movements exist. One Scout and one Guide
association operate a bit like IFOFSAG (8) members, being largely composed
of people who had been in Scouting and Guiding before and during the
Second World War. They believe that they are the continuity of Scouting
and that no new Scouts can be created without their involvement."
During the meeting the Finnish International commissioner gave a detailed
presentation on the cooperation between the Fins and the Estonians,
which had sprung up..
Meanwhile the World
Bureaux WAGGGS and WOSM, apart from replying to a load of letters from
Estonia, also provided all sorts of information on the rules to be met
to be recognized as members of the world organisations.
From January 22nd - 27th, 1991 Yrj" Gorski, a Finnish profesional
member of staff of the World Bureau WOSM in Geneva, went on a fact-finding-mission
to the three Baltic Republics. His findings regarding Estonia were that
there were several movements united in ESOKL, the Cooperation Union
of Estonian Scouting Organizations. On January 22nd and 23rd he met
the representatives of the following movements being :
1) Eesti Skautide Maleva, ESM which considering itself as being the
revival of the movement of the same name, in 1922 Founder Member of
the World Movement, and banned in 1940. It held its first informal meeting
in 1988 and organized its first summercamp in that year. The re-establishment
meeting was held on March 18th, 1989 and offical recognition was granted
on June 22nd, 1989 by the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic.
2) Eesti Eetserskautide uhendus. EEu. Gorski was told that this movement
had been originally established under the government's auspices of the
as the Eesti Laste Organisatioon (Estonian Youth Organization). In December
1988 had changed it name into Eesti Poiste Liit (Estonian Boys Federation).
To later rename it again
as Eesti Eetserskautide uhendus.
3) Eesti Gaidide uhendus -EGu, originally the EPL's girl section and
closely
cooperating with EEu.
4) Eesti Skautlik Antoni Kesk Gild - ESAKG an association of former
Scouts, saying that they sought recognition by IFOFSAG but for the moment
were reviewing the situation in ESOKL.
5)Noored Kotkad/Kodututred, also revived. Gorski was supposed to meet
their
representatives at the meeting, but they never came.
6)Eesti Gaidide Maleva, EGM. claiming to be the continuation of the
original WAGGGS member of that name, as banned in 1940.
A second WOSM mission
was in Estonia on the 2nd and 3rd of September 1991. Yrjo Gorski discovered
that the ESKOL had been but a name during his the 1st visit and had
- in reality - been founded after the first mission's visit, viz on
March 10th, 1991. and was now said to be
representing :
1) Eesti Skautide Malev - ESM (900 members/boys.)
2) Eesti Gaidide Maleva - EGM (200 members/girls.)
3) Eesti Eetserskautide uhendus - EEu (400 boys and girls.)
4) Eesti Gaidide uhendus -EGu. (700 members/girls.)
5) Estonian Union of Noorkotkad and Kodutytred. (300 members/boys and
girls)
6) Estonian Ukrainian Guide Group. (numbers unknown.)
7) Eesti Skautlik Antoni Kesk Gild. (former scouts and guides. )
A few days before
this meeting, on August 20th, 1991, Estonia had declared its independence
but no one was at all certain whether this was a bold move that would
be severely punished or that it would really work. Well it worked when
the various West European countries recognized Estonia as an independent
state.
A little later WOSM was informed that the ESM and the EEu intended to
merge and to create one single association: The Estonian Scouts. The
General Assembly to take place on November 9th, 1991. (WOSM's Situation
Report no 6, 01/10/1991). The merger had already been broadcast by the
the Estonian radio on 07/09/1991.
Ofcourse at the time neither Yrjo Gorski nor the World Bureaux WOSM
and WAGGGS may have been aware of the character and the origin Eesti
Eetserskautide uhendus. EEu. And Eesti Gaidide uhendus -EGu. though
warnings were being received from the Swedish movements and the Estonian
Exiles, as mentioned earlier. It, however, struck Gorski that the Eesti
Gauide Maleva EGM ''s representatives stressed in particular that the
movement was not an ESKOL member and they were at the meeting as observers
only.
After the declaration
of independence the country's situation changed. The original fear,
impressed upon the nation by the Soviet Secret Police for so long gave
way, people tended to speak their mind again as free people ought to.
The Eesti Skautide Malev - ESM, sent an extensive letter (17/10/1991)
on EGu and EEu to WOSM and WAGGGS, These, however, were willing to give
the EEu and the EGu the benefit of the doubt and requested them to merge
with ESM and EGM as, for recognition of a National Movement, one organisation
would be required.
Yet is was all very confusing - no wonder under the circumstances prevailing.
A quote from WOSM's
Situation Report no 7, March 1992, adds to the confusion. Under the
heading ESTONIA the following is said :
"In addition to being a link with WOSM, the Cooperation Union of
Estonian Scouting Organisations - ESKOL -, the umbrella structure founded
in March 1991, has helped the two Estonian Scout associations - Eesti
Eetserskautide uhendus (EEu) and Eesti Skautide Malev (ESM)) - to examine
whether they should merge an create a single Scout Association or establish
a federation. The same discussion have been taking place between the
two Guide Associations - Eesti Gaidide uhendus (EGu) and Eesti Gaidide
Maleva (EGM). The other associations, such as the Estonian Union of
Noorkotkad and Kodutytred and the Estonian Ukrainian Guide Group, have
incorporated in the above mentioned associations."
"In a meeting held between the associations on 11th of January
1992, the decission was taken to structure the Cooperation Union into
a dormant body."
which meant the final collapse of ESOKL. Unity was not yet to be.
The EEu met on 12/11/1991
and again on 23/11/1991 and 4 leaders were appointed to negotiate. More
and more meetings between the two movements in November 1991 and January
1992 and in February one in the presence or Yrjo Gorski, who being a
Finn, thanks to Finnish having a similarity to Estonian, had the great
benefit of not needing an interpreter. No agreement was reached however.
WAGGGS was also
very active in Estonia. In its Central and Eastern Europe Report
-November 1991 - March 1992, its Executive for that region - Rosie Dunn
- revealed that she had been visiting Estonia from February 20th - 25th,
1992, also participating in the Thinking Day and Independence Day celebrations
(22nd and 24th of February). Quote :
" the Estonian Associations, Eesti Gaidide Maleva - EGM - and Eesti
Gaidide
uhendus -EGu, created a joint union on the 25th of January 1992 and
are now working to develop the cooperation. Their combined membership
is 1300 girls and they have groups in most parts of Estonia." .
In her report to the WAGGGS Constitutions Commitee dated 28/02/1992
:
" The 2 Guide Associations have now formally agreed to cooperate
to apply for membership of WAGGGS."
"This cooperation will begin as a Federation but with the aim of
becoming one organization as a natural consequence of working together.
After extensiv meetings with both associations it was agreed on a federation
structure and ways work. The Constitution will be forwarded to the World
Bureau as soon as possible."
It so seemed as
if the ladies were making more progress than the men. As Rosie Dunn
reported in her "Update on the Situation in the Countries"
of Central and Eastern Europe of May 1993:
" Following the collapse of ESOKL at the end of 1991, the two Guide
Associations developed a stronger relationship and formed a Federation
in February 1992. The 2 Associations have developed from different traditions
: Eesti Gaidide uhendus -EGu. has worked closely with Finland while
Eesti Gaidide Maleva - EGM, has had strong links with the Exile Associations
particularly in Canada and Sweden."
As had Eesti Skautide Malev - ESM - and it had its effects.
THE EXILES.
The collapse of the communist regime and the declaration of total independence
had caused the Estonians-in-Exile, all over the world, great joy and
satisfaction. Some older ones, belonging to the original 1940-1944 refugees,
having prospered in their new countries of residence, actually returned
to their homeland as pensioners, and settled there once again after
so many years of Exile. Experiencing, however, that during their prolonged
absence the general situation and the mentality of those that had stayed
in the homeland had been strongly influenced by the circumstances and
had changed a lot more than they had expected. That nothing was the
same anymore as in 1940 or 1944 when they left. That, also, the clock
could not be turned back. Consequently they were sometimes feeling as
being strangers in their own homeland. Ofcourse they themselves having
lived in other countries for so long had also changed without sensing
it, influenced and moulded as they had been by their
long domicile elsewhere.
But there is no
doubt that the Exiles considered the liberation of the homeland to be
their finest hour and the Exile Movement immediately took action to
support reviving Eesti Skautide Malev - ESM and Eesti Gaidide Maleva
- EGM in the material as well as the financial way. Considering their
own backgrounds the Exiles were not so much in favour of - Eesti Eetserskautide
uhendus - EEu and Eesti Gaidide uhendus -Egu which, because of their
roots. They too considered to be a communist cuckoo egg laid in the
wrong nest. (The WOSM and WAGGGS recognized Finnish Movement, supporting
and cooperating with them, did not seem to object.) Even before the
restored independence ESM and EGM leaders were invited to come to Canada
and Sweden - all expenses paid by the Exiles - for training courses
at the Exile Movement's own training centres. Thereafter the experienced
Exile Movement training teams went to Estonia and ran instruction courses
for not the leaders only but also to for the boys and the girls. But
most of them could not stay, having jobs in their countries of residence
in which most of them had been born and bred. Further badges, manuals
and other handbooks - or their printing plates - as used by the Exile
Movement were sent to Estonia in large quantities. A strong relationship
was also established between the Exiles and the Eesti Skautlik Antoni
Kesk Gild, in which had united most of the pre 1940 scouts, guides and
some surviving leaders of those days. Mostly these Seniors were the
ESM's and EGM's revivors. Remembering their own happy scouting and guiding
days, they offered their experience and assistance. Although the ESM's
Chief Scout was 30, the other leaders were sometimes fairly aged, as
were the Gild members.
But in most of the
Exile movements, Scouting and Guiding in the free world had changed
considerably between 1940 and 1989. Their power of survival had been
that they had constantly adjusted to the possibilities of the modern
world and the demands of the modern youngsters. In many aspects an improvement,
in others not so much as many valuable traditions had also been thrown
overboard. The Exile Movements - and not the Estonian one only - had
stuck to the old game and the old traditions and with pride, had always
kept the Flame of Estonian Scouting burning on Foreign Soil. Though
most of the groups, particularly in Canada, the USA and Sweden had been
members, with a special status, of their country of residence's NSOs
they had fostered and nourished pre-1940 Estonian Scouting and Guiding
and so the Gild members and the Exiles were well suited to each other.
Under their combined influence and training ESM and EGM very much took
the shape of the pre-1940 movements. Hence the ESM and the EGM stroke
the Westerners, including the WOSM, WAGGGS staff members and the representatives
of the several NSOs involved, as being rather old- fashioned. But the
younger Estonians scouts and guides, and the younger leaders got the
same idea. They met Swedish, Finnish and Canadian/Estonian scouts and
leaders of their own age groups and detected a different, more moden
scouting style than they were being taught.
Modernisation and adjustment to the Scouting and Guiding as they had
developed in the Free West, was necessary but this was not always understood
and accepted by the seniors and some of the Exiles. who - during all
those long and dark years, when Estonia was not a free country - had
in their hearts kept alive the Scouting and Guiding as they had known
it in better days. This again was not understood by the younger Westerners
representing WOSM, WAGGGS and the NSOs that offered assistance. They
had never known war, had been bred and born in free countries, never
had they experienced oppression, foreign occupation, loss of freedom
and the fear, above all the everlasting fear. So how would they have
been able to understand. Whereas in turn the Seniors and Exiles could
not understand them and thought that Western Scouting had drifted away
from B.P., the Founder. They were living on different planets. And not
in Estonia only, it was a problem in so many reviving movements. A conflict
between older and younger generations - tradition versus modernity -
endangered the further development as there might be a split into rival
fractions.
Meanwhile Yrjo Gorski
having found other employment in his home country Finland, had left
the WOSM World Bureau and his place was taken by Jacqueline Collier,
a former French International Commissioner and Dominique Benard, also
a former French IC, who had succeeded Patrick McLaughlin as head of
the European Scout Region.
Situation Report
no 8 of May 1993 was published by the European Scout Office. It revealed
that the two had been in Estonia in March 1993.
They spoke to Eesti
Skautide Malev - ESM and to Eesti Eetserskautide uhendus - Eeu. There
being no religious differences between the two and hence no need for
a Federation, the visitors insisted on a merger and the creation of
one single Scout Association. There were some obstacles to the unification.
Its constitution, historical continuity and the name of the future association.
The latter two could be solved by WOSM making a statement that the new
association would be recognized as being the legal successor to the
association established in 1920 and the 1922 Founder Member. The Estonian
Union of Noorkotkad and Kodutytred (Young Eagles and Home Daughters),
had also revived, though - as before 1940 - bearing some similarities
with Scouting and Guiding, were again strongly linked to the Ministry
of Defence and refused to join a new association to be created and vanished
from the scene.
Another problem
was that of the minorities. As related earlier, during the Soviet period
- in order to take the places of the thousands of Estonian deportees,
and in order to Russify Estonia, Russians, Ukrainians and Belorussians
- under pressure or voluntary - had been settling in Estonia. At the
time Estonia regained its independence some of their youngsters were
second or third generation, considering Estonia as their home. But the
Estonians had always thought of them as being intruders, uninvited and
unwelcome guests. And these minorities also formed scout and guide groups.
And now the question was were they to be permitted to join the revived
Estonian movements ?
Further as in most
of the countries which had reemerged from under the communist pressure,
nationalism was very much alive. Now one cannot blame a people - having
had to live under foreign denomination and a system they found difficult
to accept - for having fostered nationalistic feelings and, when freedom
returned at last, to fully surrender to such feelings., Which had its
repercussions with regards to "those foreigners living amongst
us." The slogan "Russian Go Home" was often heard. But
where could they go ?
In Western Europe
the approach towards nationalism and patriotism had changed. The West
Europeans in particular - including the scouts and guides - were flabbergasted
and shocked when they were confronted by this nationalism. An - in their
eyes - old fashioned phenomenan which they considered as belonging to
the past. (10) On the other hand they knew so little of what had happened
in the revived countries, between 1940 and 1989, that it was all difficult
for them to understand and so there were misunderstandings on both sides
and sometimes conflicts.
How to achieve unity
and create one National Scout and one National Guide Association?
There were endless discussions and there was a split between the older
generations and the younger ones.
Whilst these were
going on the root levels were enjoying their freedom and their scouting
and guiding. Training camps were held for leaders but also for scouts
and guides and often Exile instructors or instructors from other countries
came to assist. Suurlagers were held too and enjoyed by all. Often foreing
scouts and guides came to participate in these camps and the Estionians
got to know these foreigners, their attitudes and their scouting and
guiding and often admired and accepted the more modernized style. Estonian
scouts were enabled to go to the 17th World Jamboree at Mount Sorak
National Park in South Korea in 1991 and later (1995) to the 18th at
Dronten/Flevoland in the Netherlands. Generally speaking the kids enjoyed
it all and were not so much bothered by the discussions going on at
higher levels. But younger leaders too attended all sorts of WOSM and
WAGGGS meetings and conferences and got to know things better and from
a different angle.
Whilst the bickering
went on in the Scouting world, as is often the case, the ladies of the
two guides associations were more easy going, less fanatic, and tackled
the differences in a more lightly way. The Eesti Gaidide uhendus -EGu.
and the Eesti Gaidide Maleva - EGM founded a Federation Eesti Gaidide
Maleva Ja Eesti Gaidide uhenduse Kkostooliit with a joint Executive
Committee and a Federation Congress which was to meet once a year. The
general idea was that the Federation would - one day - develop into
one National Guide Association. This was acceptable to WAGGGS. During
its 28th World Conference (01-09/07/1993 at Nyborg/Denmark) WAGGGS admitted
the Federation as an "associate member". So after 53 years
the Estonian Guides were back home again where they belonged.
In the scouts' world
things did not go so smoothly. The World Committee, the World Bureau
WOSM, the European Scout Office and the supporting NSOs did what they
could under the motto : "The target is to feed the fire, not to
guard the ashes". But there was a conflict of generations and the
generation gap only widened. Regretfully it came to a split between
those who wanted to stick to the old and those who wanted to progress
and be recognized. Following a period of endless talks and negotiations
during which Scouting split into various factions most of the young
leaders and the youth members of Eesti Skautide Malev - ESM and Eesti
Eetserskautide uhendus - EEu got very much fed up with the situation,
stuck their heads together, united and founded the Eesti Skautide uhing
- ESu. An act strongly supported by the Finnish NSO, the KFUM Spejderne
Danmark (11) and the Estonian groups of the Canadian NSO and applauded
by WOSM. The ESu stated that it would be open to all young people in
Estonia without distinction of race, origin, creed or sex and its groups
are well- established om about all parts of the country. It pledged
to unify scouting and to try and persuade the remaining parts of ESM
and EEu to also join. The Russian and Ukrainian speaking groups operating
in Estonia were invited too to enrol.
The ESu sent an application for membership to WOSM. The World Scout
Committee considered same during its meeting of September 23rd - 24th,
1995. On October 16th, 1995 WOSM issued its Circular 23/95 stating that
ESu had been accepted as a WOSM member as per January 17th, 1996.
As Dr Jacques Moreillon, WOSM's Secretary General put it in his Report
on his visit to the Baltic States 26/06 - 02/07/1999.:
" This did not take place without a few problems. Scouts from the
country who had lived in exile and returned home -. as well as those
who had stopped practising Scouting in 1939 while staying under Soviet,
then Nazi, then again Soviet rule - tended to reintroduce a form of
Scouting which had aged considerably and which had partially lost its
original purpose of personality and citizenship building to become essentially
an organization for culture-preservation. However, young people born
locally, whilst ready to keep the flame of tradition, were not interested
in its ashes. They wanted to belong to a forward-looking movement, not
to one only foscused on the past. Yet many of the older genertion saw
themselves as holders a holy grail that had to be handed over intact:
theirs was the only true form of Scouting and they found it hard to
accept that this was contested. One can well imagine the tensions which
this type of situation created over a period of transition
lasting many years.
However, that period is now nearing its end and the scoutleadership
is young and most of the older generation has accepted that Scouting
is indeed a movement of young people and not only for young people."
Regretfully some
were not involved and are now not able to enjoy the benefits of the
membership of the World Wide Scout Movement. They chose to be outsiders.
The Eesti Skautlik Antoni Kesk Gild, not willing to recognise ESu could
not join the International Fellowship of Scouts and Guides as the latter
can accept only organizations of "formers" that have been
recognized by the WOSM and WAGGGS' recognized NSOs.(8) Some individual
members, however, registered with IFSG's General Branch (8).
But it is hoped
that one day all will see the light and that unity will be restored
to the benefit Estonian's Youth.
Piet J. Kroonenberg, Amsterdam, January 2000.
FOOTNOTES.
1) Quotes from a "Report on the Scout Union in Estonia" to
the Boy Scout International Bureau in London, dated July 25th, 1938,
signed "Camp Chief". This may have been Herbert Michelson
as - at the time - he was the only Estonian DCC and consequently the
only one that could sign that way. He had been to Gilwell Park in England
and returned, not only as a Gilwellian but also as a Deputy Camp Chief
(DCC) thus entitled to run Estonian Gilwell training courses. He collected
a Gilwell training staff and prepared the first Estonian Gilwell Course,
the practical part of which was to have been in July 1940. In June 1940,
however, the Estonian communists committed a coup d'etat and camping
was forbidden, including the Gilwell training camp.
2) During the Tsar's
Empire Russian was the one and only official language but there
were so many different nationalities in the vast realm that more than
100 languages were spoken. Also the various nationalities were mixed.
Some were simply deported and thus forced to settle elsewhere, whereas
others did so voluntary. This is the reason why - this very day - some,
presently independent countries do have minorities. Estonia, during
its short spell of independence harboured its original, ancient German
and Swedish minorities but in addition there were Latvians, Lithuanians,
Poles, Jews and Russians. During the Russian Civil (1917-1922) more
White Russians had found refuge in the Baltic States. Apart from the
Russian National Guides - mentioned in this report - the other minorities
also had their own Scout and Guide movements which must, however, have
been small, one or two groups mainly. The government measures forced
them either to disband and cease to be or to join the other movements
officially permitted to exist.
Some of the German minorities all over the world were so enticed by
Adolf Hitler's unbelievable radiation that they were hypnotized. Hence
the fact that in Estonia and many other countries (e.g. the USA) branches
of the Nazi party including the Hitler Jugend (Hitler Youth or HJ) and
the Bund Deutscher Madel (League German Girls or BDM) were founded and
operating.
3) Estonian Socialist
Soviet Republic. Soviet in Russian characters is written as CoBeT and
translated is : Council. During their coup d'etat of 1917 the Russian
communists, in the areas they conquered removed the authorities and
initially put CoBeT's of intellectuals and workers in their place. But
in later years, when a dictatorship was introduced, these councils were
just bodies that only had to do what they were told. They became just
a cover like also the word Socialist was missused as the system had
nothing to do with real democratic socialism.
4) a) NSDAP = National
Socialist German Workers Party - not founded but led by Adolf Hitler.
b) POLICE. Germany, before the Nazi take-over in January 1933, had a
normal policeforce - Die Polizei - divided in the Ordnungspolizei(=
Order Police) doing street duties, directing traffic and maintianing
law and order - dressed in green uniforms they were also known as the
Grune Polizei or Green Police - and the Kriminalpolizei or Kripo, the
normal criminal investigation department. Added were .
the Sicherheitspolizei or Sipo (= Security Police) in charge of the
state's security.
the Geheime Staats Poilizei or Gestapo (Secret State Police) controling
the people
c) PARTY. HJ = Hitler Jugend or Hitler Youth. Founded 1926. Units Deutsche
Jungvolk : 10-14 years, HJ: 14 - 18.
d) BDM = Bund Deutsche Madel - German Girls Leaque, Deutsche Jungmadel
: 10-14 years and BDM : 14-18.
SA = Sturmabteilung = storming unit. Dressed in brown uniforms. Used
to protect the Nazi leaders during their propaganda meetings before
1933. Like the communists the nazis misused and word "socialist".
Some, having joined the NSDAP, expecting it would introduce real socialism,
got disappointed soon after the Nazis had take over in Germany. There
was unrest and discontent in the ranks and the SA was considered not
to be trustworthy anymore. (The Night of the Long Knives!) Consequently
was created the
SS = Schutz Staffel (Protection Unite) dressed in black uniforms and
at first a small unit to take over the protection of the Nazi leaders
from the SA. Later known as the Allgemeine SS (General SS) from which
recruits were attracted for the Waffen-SS and the SS-Totenkopf-Verbande
(SS-Skull-Units). The former the well trained, tough army which fought
side by side with the Wehrmacht, the regular army. The latter the Concentration
Camp guards.
GESTAPO, the Geheime Staatspolizei (Secret State Police). Originally
a unit belonging to the Nazi Party and meant to detect unwanted elements
in the Party and to register those opposing the Party. After 1933 to
arrest all those Germans opposing the Nazi regime.
When Adolf Hitler and his party had attained power in German the police
forces was nazified. In 1936 the Gestapo was united with the Kripo and
the Sipo and was known as the Sicherheits Dienst or SD though they mostly
operated under their original names: Gestapo, Kripo or Sipo. The SD
was part of the SS and led by Reichsfuhrer SS Heinrich Himmler.
5) The GIS = Guide
International Service and the SIRS = the Scout International Relief
Service were part of British COBSRA = Council of British Societies for
Relief Abroad. COBSRA's task was to operate behind the front lines in
the just liberated parts of Western, South Eastern Europe, the Middle
East and the Far East bringing relief to the civilian population. The
British government provided the means such as lorries, canteen trucks,
motorbikes and the food. The members were provided with military uniforms
but with Scout or Guide insignia. The money to pay for the operations
was provided by the movements. Some of these units were later in charge
of some of the Displaced Persons Camp in West Germany. Wheresoever GIS
or SIRS teams - their vehicles showing either the Trefoil or the Arrowhead
- arrived they attracted the attention of the just liberated scouts
and guides of the reemerging movements, but it was not GIS or SIRS's
tasks to assist them, nor was it to assist the Displaced Persons' Scouts
and Guides in the camps. But blood being thicker than water, they paid
attention to them. See the special chapter on these services.
6) For more specific
and detailed information see Chapter One of "THE UNDAUNTED"
part one.
7) The Boy Scouts International Committee, through the Boy Scouts International
Bureau informed all "DP National Scout Associations" founded
in the camps in occupied West Germany that their members - not the associations
- would be protected and sponsered by the Displaced Persons Division
of the BSIB for only as long as the members would be in the camps. As
soon as they would be moving to their new countries of residence they
would be losing their special status within the International movement
and if they desired to remain scouts, they would have to join the National
Scout Organizations of their new countries or cease to be scouts. Under
no condition would the "DP National Scout Organizations" be
recognized as members of the International Movement as membership of
same was open only to those movements operating within the bounderies
of their homelands. "National Scout Organisations on Foreign Soil"
would not be tolerated.
Whereas many of the Movements in Exile did not take this seriously,
such as the Poles, Ukrainians etc. etc. the Estonians apparently did.
During their stay in the DP Camps the Estonian leadership created the
Central Bureau of Estonian Boy Scouts in Germany which, in close cooperation
with the DP Division of the BSIB, lead the Estonian DP groups, at first
in Germany later also in Sweden. In August 1949 representatives of the
groups in Germany, Britain and Sweden met in London and signed the Charter
of "The Estonian Boy Scouts in Exile". In later years Estonians
in Australia, Canada and the USA. Joined. In 1954 the institute was
renamed "Eesti Skautide Liit" or Estionian Boy Scouts Federation.
The "Estonian Girl Guides in Exile"'s Central Organization
established in 1949 was later also renamed "Eesti Gaidide Liit"
or Estonian Girl Guides World Federation. Wheresoever they were the
Estonians also revived their " Federation of Friends of Scouting"
as a sponsering and supporting body for both movements.
But unlike other Scouts and Guides in Exile these bodies never pretended
to be NHQ of an Estonian National Movement in Exile. In Australia, Canada
and the USA the groups founded joined the National Scout or Guide Organisation.
They were given a special status permitting them to use their own language
during meetings, and to hoist the Estonian flag next to the National
Flag. They wore the uniform of the NSO of their country of residence,
permitted, however, to wear a special badge indicating them as being
of Estonian origin. Further the "Eesti Skautide Liit" or Estionian
Boy Scouts Federation, the "Eesti Gaidide Liit" or Estonian
Girl Guides World Federation and the " Federation of Friends of
Scouting" were permitted to freely finance, sponser and promote
them, which they did in generously but never acting as or even pretending
to be the NHQs of a National Exile Organisation on Foreign Soil.
These institutes arranged special trainings courses, also the Suurlaagers
which Estonian Scouts or Guides from all over the world attended and
to which others were invited. As special units of the NSOs they belonged
to, Estonian scouts participated in all World Jamborees and they could
use all the services the World Organizations had on offer.
The Estonians were often held up as an example to other Scouts-in-Exile
and it is unbelieveable that the others would not accept. Particularly
the Poles-in-Exile desired nothing but recognition as a full member
of the World Movement, which was impossible.
8) IFOFSAG
The International Fellowship of Former Scout and Guides founded during
international conference at Lucerne/Switserland 25/10/1953 by 18 National
Organisations of Old or Former Scouts and Guides.
During its 21rst World Conference - 30/06-06/07/1996- in Montegrotto
Terme/Italy IFOFSAG was renamed International Scout and Guide Fellowship
(an organisation for adults) - ISGF. In 1999 there were 35 such national
organizations registered. A disappointing small number considering that
the fact that there are an estimated 250 millions of former scouts and
a 150 millions of former guides all over the world.
As per agreement
with WAGGGS and WOSM the ISGF can accept as members only those national
associations that in turn have been recognised by their National Scout
and Guide Organisations registered with WOSM and/or WAGGGS. As the Estonian
Eesti Skautlike Antoni Kesk Gild refused to agree with the founding
of the ESu, the latter when recognized by WOSM, could automaticly not
sanction the Gild's joining of ISGF.
9) The vast Empire
of the Tsars as well as the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics was
inhabited by more than one hundred different nations all with a language
and culture of their own. Both regimes were afraid of outbursts of nationalism
leading to revolts of even civil war. Hence Russian was introduced as
the overall language and was also used to promote the Russification
of all citizens. But sometimes even more drastic means were used and
whole nations or parts of nations were simply deported to other, sometime
very distant parts of the extensive country.
When in 1940 the deporation of Estonians began and was continued again
in 1944/1945, whereas thousands had fled the country before the Red
Army returned in 1944, there was a shortage of labour and to meet this
and, at the same time boost the Russification process, Russians, Belarussians
and Ukrainians were - forced or voluntary - transfered to Estonia. Some
of these were so convinced that the situation would never change that
they simply never bothered to learn the Estonian language. The Estonians
considered them as to be intruders, uninvited and unwelcome guests,
instruments of the system that repressed them. In the vast Union the
Estonians were a minority but as soon as Estonia was a free country
again the Russians and the others were minorities in Estonia with all
the consequences of same. They were not considered to be Estonians by
the Estonians.
Now one cannot
blame a people - for decades having had to live under foreign rule and
a system they found difficult to accept - for having fostered nationalistic
and patriotic feelings and, when freedom returned at last, to fully
surrender to such feelings. Which had its repercussions with regards
to "those foreigners living amongst us". The slogan "Russian
Go Home" was often heard. But where could they go? Some were bred
and born in Estonia. and had lived and worked their all their lives.
(Proving once again that nationalism is one of humanity's worst enemies.
)
10) The communist dictatorships - hiding behind the mask of "Democratic
and Socialist People's Republics" - made great efforts to keep
their peoples well isolated from the outside world which was presented
as being hostile and oppressing its peoples. Those able to listen to
foreign radio stations - which was not always permitted - used to pick
up some smatterings of news from the Free World but they were mostly
not aware that there had been a change in the mentality of most of the
westerners, particularly the younger ones, a far as their attitude towards
patriotism and nationalism were concerned.
1.1. Patriotism
= a natural affection and/or liking for the city, the region and/or
the country one is born and bred in but with an understanding for and
a friendly approach to the peoples of other neighbouring countries or
their minorities living in one's country.
1.2. Nationalism
=a strong, mostly overdone predilection for one's own people, country
and culture, all foreign nations, peoples, countries and cultures considered
to be inferior. Some extreme nationalist feelings need "an enemy"
as without one's own national group cannot excist.
2.1. Nationalism, often mistaken for patriotism, it cannot be denied,
was one of the
causes of World War One (1914-1918). Hardly had it begun when the citizens
of the countries concerned lined the streets to cheer the young men,
who cheerfully singing patriotic songs, marched to the battle fields
to - as they did not know at the time - be sacrificied on the altar
of nationalism. War was considered to be a feast, a splendid adventure.
2.2. The senseless slaughter on the blood drenched battle fields soon
opened the eyes of many. Baden- Powell, despite his military background,
was also much impressed and shocked by all the bloodshed and apparently
also learned to understand the true meaning and dangers of nationalism
and the disasters it caused.
2.3. Against the expectations of many, Scouting managed to survive the
conflict. B-P. and his associates gradually began adding a new element
to the principles of Scouting viz Scouting for Peace and International
Understanding and Brotherhood. Teaching all members that all human beings
were considered to be equal, despite their various nationalities, languages,
religions, the colours of their skins.
2.4. Gradually Baden-Powell and his men made Scouting drift away from
nationalism to internationalism. He proposed a structure of international
leadership (1921) and during the 2nd International Conference in Paris
(1922) the foundation of the World Brotherhood of Scouting was definitely
laid. The International (now World) Conference was created (1922) in
addition to the International (now World) Bureau (1921).
2.5. It was a gradual process of evaluation which met resistance in
some of the movement causing some nationalists/patriots to cede from
the World Movement and found truly real nationalist movements. The various
peoples - still drenched in nationalism, mistaken for patriotism opposed
the revolutionary idea and became enemies of scouting.
2.6. These were still early days when nationalism and patriotism were
still confused and some fanatic nationalists filled with hatred for
the surrounding countries, created fascism and national socialism -
the latter being the worst miscarriage of nationalism - rejecting all
internationalism and equality of the human race. Whereever they gained
power Scouting (and Guiding) were disbanded, banned an persecuted.
2.7. National Socialism, (abusing the word socialism and what it stood
for as the
communists also did all the time) fostered a revenceful nationalsm which
led to World War II (1939-1945), racism, the holocaust and the preaching
of a doctrine declaring all races, other than the Teutonic one, to be
inferior and their peoples to be just fit enough to serve the master
race as slaves. Not only the Jews were exterminated, so were the gipsies
and millions belonging to the Slavonic peoples such as the Poles, the
Ukrainians, the Russians etc. were treated very badly, deported and
very often killed starved to death in nazi camps.
WESTERN EUROPE.
5.1. In Western
Europe, the peoples of the nazi occupied countries and in paticular
the younger ones - involved or not involved in the resistance - were
taught the lesson that nationalism was a danger and one of the enemies
of the human race. It, throughout history, not only having caused many
wars but also having given birth to national-socialism and fascism.
So during those dark years the understanding grew gradually that nationalism
was no longer to be tolerated after the war and that it should be abandonned
in order to prevent that the European nations from ever going to war
again.
5.2. WW II over and done with in the West Europan countries was founded
the European Federalists Movement, aiming at the creation of a Federal
or United Europe in which wars between the nations would never be possible
again and nationalists would never be given the chance again to mislead
the people and lead them to slaughter and disaster omnce more.
5.3. The Federalists European flag and symbol was the Green Capital
E on a white field. Around this Flag rallied thousands of West European
youngsters and others, including Germans, who - despite what had happened
during the nazi-era - were made welcome and were accepted as equal partners,
and more important, also as victims of overdone nationalism.
5.4. Scouting, being a world movement and non-politcal was not involved
in this new Federalism but thousands of scouts and guides were - privately
- also members of the Federalist Movement, whose ideals - such as the
equality and brotherhood of men and all peoples being equal, were very
much the same as what the World Brotherhoods of Guiding and Scouting
taught.
5.5. The 6th World Jamboree, Jamboree de la Paix - Jamboree of Peace,
at Moisson in France in summer 1947 became a great incentive for the
World Brotherhood and the aversion to nationalism. Many WestEuropean
scouts, on their shirts, next to their national flag badge, also wore
the European E strip badge. Hands across the borders for a better understanding,
the prevention of nationalism and war.
5.6. The European Federalist movement grew larger and larger in all
West European countries. European institutions were founded, viz the
European Economic Community, the Coal and Steel Community. Nationalism
either disappeared, faded away, lost importance and was replaced a longing
for Peace and an United Europe. Patriotism meaning affection, love and
liking for ones place of birth was at last separated from nationalism.
National frontiers faded away too and though many, many difficulties
had to be overcome in the end, after many years, it lead to the European
Union and the introduction of the Euro.
5.7. The European Union is still not perfect, far from it and much will
still to have to be done. It certainly is not what the original European
Federalists had in mind. But hopefully in another 50 years the men and
women won't know any better and will be puzzled how it was possible
that in the previous century nationalism and racism held humanity in
such a terrible and disastrous grip. .
11) The YMCA (Young
Men Christian Association) and the YWCA (Young Women Christian Assocation)
of British origin both embraced scouting and guiding and within its
system many groups were founded. In some countries these groups joined
immediately the NSOs, whereas in other countries they - at first had
separate movements which later joined the NSOs and thus WAGGGS and/or
WOSM. In particular in the Scandinavian and the Baltic countries the
YMCA and the YWCA were very active in scouting and guiding.
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