This new entry was overdue a long time ago. Politics in Estonia with special regards to me have been bothering me for weeks and weeks. I am not a very political person, yet I like discussing various topics with some sort of passion. Estonia has been a troubled country in the past. With a glance at the history books, I can barely see any longer periods of independence, leaving aside the current time after the Soviet block got lost in the iron curtain.
The “Singing Revolution”, a piece of national identity which helped shaping the unity of the people during the occupation was considered to be the most peaceful act towards a suppressing regime in recent history.
I have met a guy in the streets, weeks ago.Said he used to be an Estonian skinhead, a Nazi (note: he considered himself a Nazi, not a Neo-Nazi). Said he used to go on rallies. Said Tartu is the skinhead capital of the country. I asked him whether I should care a great deal about my appearing, my behaviour, my steps at night. “Of course not”, he answered. “You are not Russian – we are after them!”…
A single opinion of an individual? Not even close. Almost every second time I spend a night out and my nationality is being revealed, I am confronted with the history of my country as well as Estonia’s. Several people (though not being completely sober) approach me and let me know that I should not be ashamed of my heritage, nor my country’s past. In their view, Hitler was not fighting the Jews (not primarily at least) but he was fighting the communistic Soviet Union. Therefore, as a more or less logic consequence from that thought, Hitler was fighting for the Estonian freedom! That is why Germans are most welcomed in Estonia (well, speaking for Tartu at least), while the Russians are still being looked at suspiciously. This is something rather new to me, as I have years of experience in defending my history and thus my heritage to others. However, I am still shocked by the lightness of these people when it comes to “justifying” the atrocities committed during the last century.
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Okay, I will now turn my focus on a more delightful aspect of life in Tartu – watching football! Today, finally, after weeks and weeks of postponing the trip, I made it the ground of JK Tammeka Tartu. The opponent was FC Flora Tallinn, last year’s cup winner and runner-up in the league. Thus, Tartu, who lost 6 of the 7 games they played since I entered this country, was clearly the underdogs vs a team, which stands on top of the Meistriliiga. So what?! Tartu won, 2:1!! After a rather weak match with little action on both sides did Tammeka keep the 3 points at home. Home in that case would be a track-and-field pitch with a, constantly being rebuilt, shed on the one side. 1,40€ entrance, beer for 1,20€ and warm sunshine made this afternoon a pleasant experience 🙂 Below some pics from the match. Enjoy!
J. Linke: explordinary journeys 