Estonian culture has existed for over 4000 years in north central Europe. The nation has coasts on the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Finland, and Gulf of Riga. Included in the Estonian territory are more than 800 islands that exist in the Baltic Sea. To the east of Estonia is Russia. Across the Baltic Sea to the west is Sweden, and Finland lies to the north beyond the Gulf of Finland. South of Estonia is Latvia. Estonia and its culture have been influenced by outside forces since the late 12th century. During the 12th century, Christian soldiers called crusaders invaded Estonia in 1193. Waging war against all Estonian farmers, and after many bloody battles, Estonia accepted Christianity. This acceptance brought officials of the Roman Catholic Church. These officials brought with them German landowners called Knights of the Sword that seized ethnic Estonian farms and reduced farmers to serfs.
In the early 13th century, invaders from Denmark occupied northern Estonia, where they founded the city of Tallinn (current capital of Estonia). At this same time, the Knights of the Sword in southern Estonia joined forces with the order of Teutonic Knights. This alliance along with the Danes selling there Estonian lands to the Germans, left the Teutonic Knights ruling all of Estonia and northern Latvia, a territory that Germans called Livonia. The Teutonic Knights ruled Livonia until the 16th century.
In the early 16th century, German rulers of Livonia were under attack on two fronts. To the east attacked the Duchy of Moscow, and to the southwest attacked Poland. These two powers fought over Livonia until the Russians won in 1559. All of Livonia went to the Russians except a small part in southern Livonia that went to Poland. Russian occupation of Estonia did not last long as Swedes and Poles joined forces to run out Russians from Estonia. Estonia was left under Swedish rule, and all ethnic Estonians as landless peasants. These peasants farmed for German Nobility who maintained ownership of land even after Sweden occupation. Peasants paid a percentage of their crop and their labor as taxes.
Russia never lost its goal of conquering Estonia. In the early 1700’s, Russia attacked Swedish forces in Estonia. Russia quickly overtook Estonia and imposed their cultural values and language upon the people of Estonia. German rule of estates within Estonia never changed, and native Estonians still worked as pesents on German farms. In the early 1800’s, things began to change in favor of peasant rights. Russian law gave peasants more freedom to choose their profession and access to higher education, which lead to new political and social ideas among native Estonians. In 1917 Estonia chose to declare it independence form Russia. It chose this time because Russia was depleted of resources due to World War 1. Russia put up little resistance and recognized Estonia’s independence in 1920. This independence was short lived as Russia retook Estonia along with all other Baltic states in 1940. This rule lasted shortly also as Germany retook Estonia, and then lost it again to Russia during World War 2. Estonia again reclaimed its independence from weak Russia in 1991.
Estonia quickly established its own currency, flag, language, and foreign policy to attract foreign investors. This foreign policy was in acted to improve Estonian economy and revitalize Estonian culture. Some of these foreign policys include tax breaks, and other incentives. The economy in Estonia has always been unstable due to the constant conflict occurring within Estonia. Most Estonians work in factories or on farms. This is changing though as Estonia posses a favorable location for trade routes with Europe and the United States. Lots of financial aid has been pouring into Estonia from the United States to foster technological improvements.
Daily life in Estonia revolves around the constant struggle to make a living. In the last 30 years German Estates have been divided into smaller farms and redistributed to native Estonians. Estonians farm small lots with old technologies in a constant struggle to get ahead. Many Estonians have chosen not to farm or were not given land and work in industrial jobs mining shale. Young Estonians go to school with the hopes and dreams of going to college. Most end up working in factories or farming their parents land.
The best-known feature of the Estonian culture is there incredible Catholic churches that dot the Estonian landscape. These churches symbolize the Russian Empires effort to conquer Estonia. These churches are incredible dome shaped works of art. Estonian conflicts with Russia and Germany have shaped Estonian culture. Bits and pieces of each invading countries culture has been adopted by native Estonians. But the number one cultural impact of being invaded so often is the constant fear that Estonian independence will be threatened by outside forces.
Rodgers, Mary. Estonia: Now & Then. Minneapolis: Lerner, 1992
“ESTONIA COUNTRY GUIDE – CULTURE.” CIESIN Baltics Regional Node WWW http://www.ciesin.ee/ESTCG/CULTURE/ 10/23/00
“A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ESTONIAN BOOK.” CIESIN Baltics Regional Node WWW http://www.ciesin.ee/ESTCG/CULTURE/EB/ 10/23/00
Written by, Chris Holste