Figure 1.--These Estonians are left to right: Milvi Tomasson, grandfather Jaan Tuum, and Uuno Tomason, The photograph was taken in Tallinn during 1937. The Tomasson family was deported, but not the grandfather. Only about half the deportees survived to return to Estonia. In the dreadful conditions experienced in the deportations, the children were especially vulnerable. In this case their father Johannes died in Sverdlovsk Oblast prison camp April 1943.

Here we see two generations of the Tomasson family. They are left to right: Milvi Tomasson, grandfather Jaan Tuum, and Uuno Tomason, The photograph was taken in Tallinn during 1937. Here we see two generations of the Tomasson family. They are left to right: Milvi Tomasson, grandfather Jaan Tuum, and Uuno Tomason, The photograph was taken in Tallinn during 1937. We do not know much about the family, but by the way they were dressed, they look like they are members of a prosperous middle class family. Clearly it was a chilly day since all are wearing overcoats. Milvi wears what looks like a dressy velvet double-breasted overcoat with a generous collar. She seems to be wearing a matching hat. Although independent for almost 20 years, the Soviets continued to see Estonia and the other Baltic Republics as lost provinces of Russia. Afterv the Soviet occuparion (1940), Stalin had large numbers of Estonians deported.

Tomasson Family

Here we see two generations of the Tomasson family. They are left to right: Milvi Tomasson, grandfather Jaan Tuum, and Uuno Tomason, The photograph was taken in Tallinn during 1937. We do not know much about the family, but by the way they were dressed, they look like they are members of a prosperous middle class family. The Tomasson family was deported, but not the grandfather. We do not have complete information on how the fmily madevout. Only about half the deportees survived to return to Estonia. In the dreadful conditions experienced in the deportations, the children were especially vulnerable. In this case their father Johannes died in Sverdlovsk Oblast prison camp April 1943.

Clothing

The Tomasson children, Milvi (the graddaughter) and Uuno (the grandson), seem to be about 7 and 8 years old respectively. They were obviously rather dressed up for their photograph with their grandfather. Clearly it was a chilly day since all are wearing overcoats. Milvi wears what looks like a dressy velvet double-breasted overcoat with a generous collar. She seems to be wearing a matching hat. It is hard to be sure what she is wearing underneath because the velvet overcoat covers most of her knees, but it looks as though she were wearing light-colored knee socks, probably with a rather short skirt. The socks appear to be folded over elastic bands or garters beneath her knees. Uuno is dressed with equal formality. Under his belted double-breasted overcoat he wears a shirt and tie and probably a short-pants suit. He is obviously wearing short pants and long brown stockings. He wears a cloth cap with a bill, set somewhat rakishly on the back of his head to expose his front hair lock. Notice that Milvi wears neatly cut bangs under her (velvet?) hat. It must have been a bit on the cold side because, although the children are not wearing gloves, the girl warms her hands under her coat and Uuno thrusts one of his hands into the pocket of his overcoat. These clothes are probably typical of what well-dressed Estonian children were wearing in 1937, especially for travel. They appear to be sitting on a bench at what may be a railway station. It looks to me as though railway cars are visible as a backdrop.

Soviet Deportations (June 1941)

Although independent for almost 20 years, the Soviets continued to see Estonia and the other Baltic Republics as lost provinces of Russia. Estonia was a small nation and in 1939 faced a Soviet Union that now had a massive army. The NAZI Blitzkrieg against Poland doomed Estonia. Following the NAZI success in Poland, Stalin ordered the Red Army to invade from the east. Within days the Soviets were making demands on the Estonians. The Soviets demanded bases in Estonia for the Red Army (September 24, 1939). The Government yielded to the Soviet ultimatum (September 28.) An estimated 25,000 Red Army soldiers entered Estonia (October 18). Some of the bases were used to launch air strikes against Finland uin the Winter War. Some Estonians went to Finland to fight the Soviets there. The Estonian Government had no real control on the number of Red Army personnel. One source estimates that there were 30,000 Red Army soldiers and 10,000 members of a labor batalion in Estonia (April 1940). The NAZIs launched their Western offensive (May 10) amd entered Paris (June 14). The French were forced to sign a humiliating armitice and it looked at the time like Britain would soon follow. The Allied military dissater removed in any reservations Stalin might have had about seizing the Baltic Republics. The Soviets presented a new ultimatum to Estonia demanding that a new government be appointed and that they accept the total occupation og the country (June 16). The Estonian Government complied (June 17). This essentially meant the end of the Estonian state. The Red Army occupation was accomplished with 160,000 men and 600 tanks. The Soviets used 5 divisions of the Air Force with 1,150 aircraft to control the whole Baltic air space. The Soviet Navy blockaded Estonian and other Baltic ports. The KGB was ordered to prepare to receive 58,000 prisoners of war. One author reports that about 130,000 Soviet soldiers, KGB personnel, and other specialists assigned to establish new Soviet administrative apparatus in Estonia. Arrests, deportment, and executions were to follow. [Walter]

Created: April 12, 2004
Last updated: April 12, 2004