Battle of Paju

[DMC]

Driving in Estonia on 31 January I passed a monument where there had been some kind of ceremony going on, with Estonian and Finnish flags displayed. There were a lot of people, some of whom had arrived by coach but many on foot. Looking at the trail of young people (teenagers, probably students) walking back after the ceremony it seemed they were going to Valga, about 8km away. What was so important that they would walk that distance? I couldn't really stop and ask.

An internet search turned up the Battle of Paju in which the Estonians, with the aid of Finnish volounteers, defeated Soviet Russia during the Estonian War of Independence in 1919. Obviously this is still an event to be remembered in Estonia. Is it of any importance to Finns? I, of course, had never heard of it before.

[Hank W.]

Well, there is a monument in the "plague park" for "volunteers died in Estonia",

but as you know it was politically incorrect to mention that war for half a decade.

Try dig up this DVD Nimed marmortahvlil (pops up in Anttila occasionally)-its a bit propagandistic though.

Estonian Independence war has a few more turns than the Finnish one, they fought both the Soviets as well as Germans.

[Xochiquetzal]

That's really interesting info, Hank. Thanks!

[Karhunkoski]

Try dig up this DVD Nimed marmortahvlil (pops up in Anttila occasionally)-its a bit propagandistic though.

DMC - I got a copy of this for Xmas, you're welcome to borrow it, when are you next in Jyväs? Or I could post.

[DMC]

Thanks for the offer. I'll take you up on it next time I am over. Not sure when that will be, but there is no need to post the disk - there is no rush.