History: Estonia

Sources for this page

Each number marks a specific claim. Notes give the source, its locator and how it relates to the claim.

1. 1.

   Claim: On 24 February 1918, the Manifesto to the Peoples of Estonia was published, declaring an independent and democratic Republic of Estonia; it had first been read publicly the previous evening in Pärnu, and was signed by the three members of the Estonian Salvation Committee: Konstantin Päts, Jüri Vilms and Konstantin Konik.

   • Riigikantselei (State Chancellery of Estonia), National holiday (Riigikantselei) link, article text. Government perspective or primary official source Source record
2. 2.

   Claim: On 23 August 1939, the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, whose secret protocols assigned Estonia to the Soviet sphere of influence; on 28 September 1939, under threat of military force, Estonia was compelled to sign a mutual-assistance pact permitting Soviet military bases on its territory. In summer 1940 the Soviet Union militarily occupied and forcibly annexed Estonia, together with Latvia and Lithuania, overthrowing the lawful government and imposing Soviet rule by force.

   • Estonia in the grip of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and the realpolitik of great powers (Estonian World) link, article text. Source record
3. 3.

   Claim: The Singing Revolution began with a night-time public singing gathering on 10 June 1988; a September 1988 song festival in Tallinn drew roughly 300,000 people, nearly a quarter of the Estonian population, with the first open public calls for restoring independence. On 23 August 1989, the 50th anniversary of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, over two million people across Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania formed a continuous human chain, the "Baltic Way," from Tallinn to Vilnius.

   • Singing Revolution (Wikipedia) link, Origins and Baltic Way sections. Source record
4. 4.

   Claim: On 20 August 1991, the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia adopted a resolution whose operative clause read: "To confirm the Republic of Estonia's national independence and seek the restoration of the Republic of Estonia's diplomatic relations." The resolution passed with 69 members voting in favour and also provided for a Constitutional Assembly and new parliamentary elections.

   • ERR (Eesti Rahvusringhääling, Estonian Public Broadcasting), Restoration of independence: Events of August 20, 1991 explained (ERR) link, article text. Source record
5. 5.

   Claim: On 12 September 1991, at its 3007th meeting, the Security Council, having examined the application of the Republic of Estonia, recommended without a vote that the General Assembly admit it to UN membership, alongside identical recommendations for Latvia and Lithuania. The Council's President stated that "the independence of the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia and the Republic of Lithuania was regained peacefully, by means of dialogue, with the consent of the parties concerned, and in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of the three peoples."

   • United Nations Security Council, Security Council resolution 709 (1991) (United Nations, 12 September 1991) link, resolution text and President's statement. Source record
6. 6.

   Claim: The General Assembly, at its 1st plenary meeting on 17 September 1991, having received the Security Council's recommendation and considered Estonia's application, decided to admit the Republic of Estonia to United Nations membership.

   • United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly resolution 46/4: Admission of the Republic of Estonia to membership in the United Nations (United Nations, 17 September 1991) link, operative paragraph. Source record