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| The '''Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic''', short: '''Estonian SSR''' (in ]: ''Eesti Nõukogude Sotsialistlik Vabariik'', short: ''Eesti NSV'') was the name given to the ] created on ], ] during ] in the territory of the previously independent ] after it had been ] by the ] on ], 1940. The Estonian SSR was formally ] into the ] (USSR) on ], 1940, when it nominally became the 16th ]. (On ], ], ] was reorganised into ], and from then on until ], ] was considered the 15th constituent republic.) Its territory was subsequently |
The '''Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic''', short: '''Estonian SSR''' (in ]: ''Eesti Nõukogude Sotsialistlik Vabariik'', short: ''Eesti NSV'') was the name given to the ] created on ], ] during ] in the territory of the previously independent ] after it had been ] by the ] on ], 1940. The Estonian SSR was formally ] into the ] (USSR) on ], 1940, when it nominally became the 16th ]. (On ], ], ] was reorganised into ], and from then on until ], ] was considered the 15th constituent republic.) Its territory was subsequently conquered by ] in ], before being reconquered and re-annexed by the Soviets in ]. | ||
| The ], ] and other western powers considered the annexation of Estonia by USSR illegal following the ] — a stance that made the doctrine an established precedent of ]. They retained diplomatic relations with the ]d representatives of the independent Republic of Estonia, never recognized the existence of the Estonian SSR ], and never recognized Estonia as a legal constituent part of the Soviet Union<ref>{{cite journal | last=European Parliament | title=Resolution on the situation in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania | journal=Official Journal of the European Communities | volume=C 42/78 | date=January 13, ] | url=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/80/Europarliament13011983.jpg }} ''"whereas the Soviet annexias of the three Baltic States still has not been formally recognized by most European States and the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and the Vatican still adhere to the concept of the Baltic States"''.</ref>. | The ], ] and other western powers considered the annexation of Estonia by USSR illegal following the ] — a stance that made the doctrine an established precedent of ]. They retained diplomatic relations with the ]d representatives of the independent Republic of Estonia, never recognized the existence of the Estonian SSR ], and never recognized Estonia as a legal constituent part of the Soviet Union<ref>{{cite journal | last=European Parliament | title=Resolution on the situation in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania | journal=Official Journal of the European Communities | volume=C 42/78 | date=January 13, ] | url=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/80/Europarliament13011983.jpg }} ''"whereas the Soviet annexias of the three Baltic States still has not been formally recognized by most European States and the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and the Vatican still adhere to the concept of the Baltic States"''.</ref>. | ||
| In addition to the human and material losses suffered due to war, thousands of civilians were killed and tens of thousands of people deported from Estonia by the Soviet authorities until ]'s death in ]. | In addition to the human and material losses suffered due to war, thousands of civilians were killed and tens of thousands of people deported from Estonia by the Soviet authorities until ]'s death in ]. | ||
| Population of the Estonian SSR grew from 1,054 million in 1940<ref>], 3rd edition, entry on "СССР.Население", available online </ref> to 1,565,662 million in 1989.<ref></ref> Natural growth rate of population (i.e. number of births per thousand minus number of deaths per thousand) of Estonia during the Soviet rule ], greatly contributing to the total growth of population, along with population migration from other republics. | |||
| The state was renamed the 'Republic of Estonia' again on ], ], over a year before the formal Declaration of Independence on ], ], and international recognition of thereof over the next couple of weeks. | The state was renamed the 'Republic of Estonia' again on ], ], over a year before the formal Declaration of Independence on ], ], and international recognition of thereof over the next couple of weeks. | ||
| == Moscow olympic games of 1980 == | |||
| Tallinn was selected the host for ]. In preparations, a number of sports and general infrastructure buildings were built, including ], ] and ]. | |||
| == Economy == | == Economy == | ||
| ⚫ | The Soviet rule significantly slowed Estonia's economic growth, resulting in a wide ''wealth gap'' in comparison with its neighboring countries that went free of Soviet yoke (e.g., ], ]).<ref>, pages 125, 148</ref> It has been estimated that the ] of Estonia in year ] was only one sixth of what it would likely have been if the occupation had not occurred. The economic damages directly attributable to the second Soviet occupation (from 1945 to 1991) have been estimated to lie in the range of hundreds of billions of ].<ref>, page 20</ref> Similarly, the damages to Estonian ] were estimated at around 4 billion USD. | ||
| During the Soviet rule Estonia was greatly ], including two world's largest ]-fired ] built in the 1960s and the 1970s. Hence, Estonia's power output per year raised from 190 million ] in 1940 to 16,712 million in 1975.<ref name="GSE_p">], 3rd edition, entry on "Эстонская ССР", available online </ref> Due to the growth of towns in the Soviet time, percentage of ] population of Estonia raised from 33 in 1940 to 61 in 1976 <ref name="GSE_p"/> | |||
| Put another way, by the end of ]s, Estonian economy had acquired a lag of about three decades.<ref>, page 134</ref> | |||
| Cities, such as ], destroyed during the ], were rebuilt. In 1955 TV Centre was built in Tallinn, that began TV broadcasts on ] of that year.<ref>{{ru icon}} </ref> During preparations to the ] (Tallinn was selected the host for ]) a lot of sports and general infrastructure buildings were built, including ], ] and ]. ], the host for song festivals, were built in 1960 <ref></ref> | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| In comparison with other parts of the USSR its economy fared better and today Estonia remains the wealthiest of the formerly Soviet-controlled states. | In comparison with other parts of the USSR its economy fared better and today Estonia remains the wealthiest of the formerly Soviet-controlled states. | ||
| == Stagnation and technological lag == | |||
| From late ]s, economic stagnation hit Estonia. This was expressed in falls in production and exports, as well as significant slowing in technological progress, especially in machine and metal industries.<ref>, page 140</ref> | |||
| == Colonisation == | |||
| The occupation brought with it ]:<ref>, page 127</ref> | |||
| * the earlier economic structures constructed mostly in ]-] were purposefully destroyed; | |||
| * new production structures were constructed only to satisfy interests of the colonial power, assigning priorities according to an ] production chain network; | |||
| * local environmental resources were used in an extensive, robber-like manner; | |||
| * the employment and migration policies were tailored towards assimilating the native population; | |||
| * former economic ties of Estonia were cut off and Estonian economy was isolated from non-Soviet markets. | |||
| All bank accounts were essentially destroyed; a lot of industrial machinery was disassembled and relocated to other Soviet territories.<ref>, page 129</ref> Before retreating in ], ], following the ] policies, burnt most industrial constructions, destroying power plants, vehicles and cattle. Millions of dollars of goods were also moved from Estonia to Russia under the pretext of "evacuation" without providing any compensation. | |||
| Immediately after the war, major immigration projects were undertaken, labelled "brotherly aid under Stalinist nationality policies". For postwar reconstruction, hundreds of thousands of ]s were relocated into Estonia, mainly the cities. For example, during the years of ]-], the total urban population count grew from 267,000 to 516,000, over 90% of the increase being fresh immigrants.<ref>, page 129</ref> | |||
| A special care was taken to change the ethnic structure of population in Northeastern Estonia. For example, a policy of prioritising immigrants before returning war refugees in assigning dwelling quarters was adopted.<ref>"Narvskij rabochij" ], ], quoted in , page 132.</ref> | |||
| === Soviet capital investments in Estonia === | |||
| In order to more efficiently extract Estonia's natural resources, most importantly, ] and ], later also ], a number of large-volume capital investments were undertaken by the Soviet central power on Estonian territories, mostly under the guise of "postwar reconstruction".<ref>, page 130</ref> The first ] of the occupation, called the fourth Five Year Plan, prescribed a total of 3.5 billion roubles of investments for enterprises in Estonia. | |||
| One of the important goals in this reformation of Estonia's economy was providing economic support to ]. To this end, 40% of the total capital investments of the fourth Five Year Plan to be spent in Estonia were intended for investments in oil shale mining infrastructure. Gasified oil shale was delivered to Leningrad via a specially built pipeline beginning from ]; gas from this very same source didn't reach Tallinn until ]. Even in year ], 62.5% of the gas produced was delivered to Leningrad. | |||
| By the end of ], 227000 apartments in Leningrad were gasified using the gas output of ]; only about three percent of that, 6041 apartments, were gasified in Tallinn.<ref>, page 132</ref> | |||
| === Demographic changes due to occupation === | |||
| Even before Estonian SSR was formally announced, Soviet authorities started deporting Estonians considered politically inconvenient into ]s. Through these deportations, anti-civilian warfare and sometimes, plain massacring of the natives, an estimated 43900 lives were irrecoverably lost, not counting refugees, during the first year of occupation, 1940-1941, alone.<ref>, page 42</ref> (In comparison, the following three-year Nazi occupation brought with it a loss of only 32740 lives, again not counting refugees.) Another 16000 people deaths were caused through repressions in the years following 1944; this number is that small mainly because of ]'s death in ]. | |||
| == See also == | == See also == | ||
Revision as of 18:44, 29 May 2007
The Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, short: Estonian SSR (in Estonian: Eesti Nõukogude Sotsialistlik Vabariik, short: Eesti NSV) was the name given to the puppet state created on July 21, 1940 during World War II in the territory of the previously independent Republic of Estonia after it had been occupied by the Soviet army on June 17, 1940. The Estonian SSR was formally annexed into the Soviet Union (USSR) on August 6, 1940, when it nominally became the 16th constituent republic of the USSR. (On July 16, 1956, Karelo-Finnish SSR was reorganised into Karelian ASSR, and from then on until 1991, Estonian SSR was considered the 15th constituent republic.) Its territory was subsequently conquered by Nazi Germany in 1941, before being reconquered and re-annexed by the Soviets in 1944.
The United States, United Kingdom and other western powers considered the annexation of Estonia by USSR illegal following the Stimson Doctrine — a stance that made the doctrine an established precedent of international law. They retained diplomatic relations with the exiled representatives of the independent Republic of Estonia, never recognized the existence of the Estonian SSR de jure, and never recognized Estonia as a legal constituent part of the Soviet Union.
In addition to the human and material losses suffered due to war, thousands of civilians were killed and tens of thousands of people deported from Estonia by the Soviet authorities until Joseph Stalin's death in 1953.
The state was renamed the 'Republic of Estonia' again on May 8, 1990, over a year before the formal Declaration of Independence on August 20, 1991, and international recognition of thereof over the next couple of weeks.
Moscow olympic games of 1980
Tallinn was selected the host for sailing events. In preparations, a number of sports and general infrastructure buildings were built, including Tallinn TV Tower, Pirita Yachting Centre and Linnahall.
Economy
The Soviet rule significantly slowed Estonia's economic growth, resulting in a wide wealth gap in comparison with its neighboring countries that went free of Soviet yoke (e.g., Finland, Sweden). It has been estimated that the GDP per capita of Estonia in year 2003 was only one sixth of what it would likely have been if the occupation had not occurred. The economic damages directly attributable to the second Soviet occupation (from 1945 to 1991) have been estimated to lie in the range of hundreds of billions of dollars. Similarly, the damages to Estonian ecology were estimated at around 4 billion USD.
Put another way, by the end of 1980s, Estonian economy had acquired a lag of about three decades.
In comparison with other parts of the USSR its economy fared better and today Estonia remains the wealthiest of the formerly Soviet-controlled states.
Stagnation and technological lag
From late 1960s, economic stagnation hit Estonia. This was expressed in falls in production and exports, as well as significant slowing in technological progress, especially in machine and metal industries.
Colonisation
The occupation brought with it colonisation:
- the earlier economic structures constructed mostly in 1920-1940 were purposefully destroyed;
- new production structures were constructed only to satisfy interests of the colonial power, assigning priorities according to an all-union production chain network;
- local environmental resources were used in an extensive, robber-like manner;
- the employment and migration policies were tailored towards assimilating the native population;
- former economic ties of Estonia were cut off and Estonian economy was isolated from non-Soviet markets.
All bank accounts were essentially destroyed; a lot of industrial machinery was disassembled and relocated to other Soviet territories. Before retreating in 1941, Red Army, following the scorched earth policies, burnt most industrial constructions, destroying power plants, vehicles and cattle. Millions of dollars of goods were also moved from Estonia to Russia under the pretext of "evacuation" without providing any compensation.
Immediately after the war, major immigration projects were undertaken, labelled "brotherly aid under Stalinist nationality policies". For postwar reconstruction, hundreds of thousands of Russophones were relocated into Estonia, mainly the cities. For example, during the years of 1945-1950, the total urban population count grew from 267,000 to 516,000, over 90% of the increase being fresh immigrants.
A special care was taken to change the ethnic structure of population in Northeastern Estonia. For example, a policy of prioritising immigrants before returning war refugees in assigning dwelling quarters was adopted.
Soviet capital investments in Estonia
In order to more efficiently extract Estonia's natural resources, most importantly, oil shale and lumber, later also uranium ore, a number of large-volume capital investments were undertaken by the Soviet central power on Estonian territories, mostly under the guise of "postwar reconstruction". The first Five Year Plan of the occupation, called the fourth Five Year Plan, prescribed a total of 3.5 billion roubles of investments for enterprises in Estonia.
One of the important goals in this reformation of Estonia's economy was providing economic support to Leningrad. To this end, 40% of the total capital investments of the fourth Five Year Plan to be spent in Estonia were intended for investments in oil shale mining infrastructure. Gasified oil shale was delivered to Leningrad via a specially built pipeline beginning from 1948; gas from this very same source didn't reach Tallinn until 1953. Even in year 1961, 62.5% of the gas produced was delivered to Leningrad.
By the end of 1954, 227000 apartments in Leningrad were gasified using the gas output of Kohtla-Järve; only about three percent of that, 6041 apartments, were gasified in Tallinn.
Demographic changes due to occupation
Even before Estonian SSR was formally announced, Soviet authorities started deporting Estonians considered politically inconvenient into Gulags. Through these deportations, anti-civilian warfare and sometimes, plain massacring of the natives, an estimated 43900 lives were irrecoverably lost, not counting refugees, during the first year of occupation, 1940-1941, alone. (In comparison, the following three-year Nazi occupation brought with it a loss of only 32740 lives, again not counting refugees.) Another 16000 people deaths were caused through repressions in the years following 1944; this number is that small mainly because of Joseph Stalin's death in 1953.
See also
References
- European Parliament (January 13, 1983). "Resolution on the situation in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania". Official Journal of the European Communities. C 42/78.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) "whereas the Soviet annexias of the three Baltic States still has not been formally recognized by most European States and the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and the Vatican still adhere to the concept of the Baltic States". - Valge raamat, pages 125, 148
- Valge raamat, page 20
- Valge raamat, page 134
- Valge raamat, page 140
- Valge raamat, page 127
- Valge raamat, page 129
- Valge raamat, page 129
- "Narvskij rabochij" April 25, 1950, quoted in Valge raamat, page 132.
- Valge raamat, page 130
- Valge raamat, page 132
- Valge raamat, page 42
External links
- Museum of occupations of Estonia — Project by the Kistler-Ritso Estonian Foundation
- Estonian International Commission for Investigation of Crimes Against Humanity
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