Tallinn Tales

As more countries have emerged from the influence of the Soviet Union, they have re-asserted their national identity and finally achieved the independence striven for throughout history, although, interestingly, some have given away a measure of independence to the European Union. Unlike many others, however, Estonia did have an earlier taste of independence between the World Wars, before the Germans and Russians invaded, starting a period of 45 years when they could not even access freely their coast for fear that they would flee to Finland.

In previous centuries it was the same old story of occupying powers – the Germans created a prosperous period in medieval times and gave it a different name, Reval – it was a leading member of the Hanseatic League. The Swedes and Russians subsequently occupied Estonia and the eventual return to the name of Tallinn is in itself ironic as this is a word meaning ‘Danish Stronghold’ from an even earlier occupation! Estonia still possesses a Russian Tsar’s summer palace and shares a border with Russia itself, which perhaps helps to explain its EU membership. 2011 saw two further steps in its development. In January it adopted the Euro, a pity as its currency has the wonderful abbreviation of ‘EEK’. At the same time its capital, the medieval gem that is Tallinn, was elected a ‘European City of Culture’. Tallinn developed little after the 15th century and has retained its medieval beauty whilst the low population has also curtailed development.