Background: Estonia — People | Cyber-Lenin

Background: Estonia

28 people

By birth A–Z List Cards

Jaan Tõnisson Jaan Tõnisson Estonian prime minister who concluded the Treaty of Tartu, publisher of Postimees Political and party leadership 1868–1941?
Konstantin Päts Konstantin Päts Head of Estonia's government in the independence war, later dictator of the 'era of silence' Government and administration · Estonia state institutions 1874–1956
Nikolai Mikhailovich Yanson Николай Михайлович Янсон Estonian Bolshevik and Soviet People's Commissar of Justice who helped design the Gulag camp system Law and justice · Soviet Union 1882–1938
Jaan Anvelt Jaan Anvelt Head of the Estonian Workers' Commune and leader of the 1924 rising Political and party leadership · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks 1884–1937
Johan Laidoner Johan Laidoner Commander-in-chief of Estonia's war of independence Military command · Estonia state institutions 1884–1953
August Ivanovich Kork Август Иванович Корк Imperial staff officer who rose to the top of the Red Army command Military command · Soviet Union 1887–1937
Viktor Kingissepp Viktor Kingissepp Bolshevik who led the underground communist party in independent Estonia and was executed Political and party leadership · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks 1888–1922
Jüri Uluots Jüri Uluots Law professor and Estonia’s last constitutional prime minister who, acting as president, formed the Tief government in 1944 Government and administration · Estonia state institutions 1890–1945
Johannes Vares Johannes Vares Poet and doctor whom Zhdanov forced on Estonia as puppet prime minister in June 1940, and who led the petition to join the Soviet Union Legislature and state representation · Soviet Union 1890–1946
Voldemar Avgustovich Ulmer Вольдемар Августович Ульмер Operational secretary of the GUGB whose 'certified' signature closes the Great Terror's operational orders Security, intelligence and policing · Soviet Union 1896–1945
Nikolai Karotamm Nikolai Karotamm First Secretary of the Estonian Communist Party in 1944–1950, removed in 1950 for allegedly shielding “bourgeois nationalists” Political and party leadership · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks 1901–1969
Hjalmar Mäe Hjalmar Mäe Estonian Vaps politician who headed the collaborationist Estonian Self-Administration under German occupation in 1941–1944 Government and administration 1901–1978
Johannes Gustavovich Käbin Иван Густавович Кэбин A pragmatic national communist who navigated between Moscow and Estonia for 28 years Political and party leadership · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks 1905–1999
Karl Genrikhovich Vaino Карл Генрихович Вайно First Secretary of the Estonian Communist Party (1978–1988) who resisted perestroika and pushed Russification until Moscow replaced him. Political and party leadership · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks 1923–2022
Arnold Rüütel Arnold Rüütel The agronomist who pushed a sovereignty declaration through the Soviet system and led Estonia out of the empire Legislature and state representation · Estonia state institutions 1928–2024
Endel Teodorovich Lippmaa Endel Teodorovich Lippmaa The Estonian scientist who blocked phosphorite mining from inside the system Science and technology · Estonia state institutions 1930–2015
Vaino Iosipovich Väljas Vaino Väljas Recalled from Nicaragua in June 1988, he led Estonia's Communists through the sovereignty declaration, the first breach in the Soviet wall. Political and party leadership · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks 1931–2024
Heinz Valk Heinz Valk The artist who gave the Singing Revolution its name Literature and arts 1936–
Marju Lauristin Marju Lauristin Sociologist raised within the Soviet system who became an intellectual pillar of the Baltic independence movement Social movements and organizing · Popular Front of Estonia (Rahvarinne) 1940–
Lagle Parek Lagle Parek The dissident architect who walked out of a Soviet prison camp and opened Estonia's political road to independence Political and party leadership 1941–
Lembit Annus Lembit Annus An Estonian communist leader who chose to preserve the Soviet Union Political and party leadership · Soviet Union 1941–2018
Enn-Arno Augustovich Sillari Enn-Arno Augustovich Sillari The last Soviet-aligned communist leader of Estonia amid a party split Political and party leadership · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks 1944–
Jüri Mikk Jüri Mikk MRP-AEG co-founder who warned of demographic threat and answered the slander campaign with a hunger strike Social movements and organizing 1948–2010
Tiit Madisson Tiit Madisson The Estonian dissident who helped break the silence at Hirvepark Social movements and organizing 1950–2021
Edgar Savisaar Edgar Savisaar Architect of mass mobilization and independence politics Political and party leadership · Popular Front of Estonia (Rahvarinne) 1950–2022
Igor Nikolayevich Gräzin Igor Nikolayevich Gräzin An Estonian legal scholar who challenged the Soviet official narrative in the language of law Law and justice · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks 1952–
Heiki Ahonen Heiki Ahonen Estonian former political prisoner who survived the Soviet camps and co-organized the first open rally of the Baltic independence movement Social movements and organizing 1956–
Alo Mattiisen Alo Mattiisen The composer whose five 'Fatherland' songs became the emotional engine of the Singing Revolution Literature and arts 1961–1996