Mourning and Commemoration Day
June 14, Saturday
Historical context
* On June 14, 1941, the first large wave of Soviet deportations began from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania
* Within a few days, more than 10,000 people were deported from Estonia, including women, children, the elderly, and members of the intelligentsia
* Men were often separated from their families and sent to Gulag camps, where many died
* The main destinations of deportation were Siberia and remote areas of the USSR
* These events became a symbol of the violence and repression experienced by Estonia in the 20th century
Official status
* Freedom Day was officially established in independent Estonia in the 1990s
* June 14 was chosen as the day marking the beginning of the first deportation in 1941
* The day holds the status of a national memorial day
How is the day observed?
* State flags are raised with mourning ribbons
* Memorial ceremonies are held in the capital and across the country
* Speeches are made at monuments dedicated to the victims of repression
* Religious services are conducted in churches for the deceased
* Schools and media pay special attention to the historical events related to deportations
* People bring flowers and candles to memorials
Meaning and significance for the Estonian people
* The day serves as a reminder of the tragic experience of Soviet occupation
* Honoring the memory of the deported and deceased strengthens national identity
* It is a day of mourning but also a symbol of resilience, resistance, and the desire for freedom
Related memorial dates
* March 25 is another memorial day connected to the 1949 deportations (Operation Priboi)
* August 23 is the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Stalinism and Nazism, coinciding with the anniversary of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
* These dates form the foundation of national historical memory about repression and occupation