Continued. Estonian History. the Nation

50reviews continued. Estonian history. The nation as bridge and battlefield mit that the decision to ignore Estonia’s Seppo Zetterberg eppo Zetterberg, professor of history at Jy- up until about 1230. Over the follow- Russian-speakers is consistent with the Viron historia väskylä University, has written a voluminous ing centuries, Estonia was invaded by economic-political orientation of the work on Estonia’s history. The work, which is Denmark, Poland, Sweden and Russia. concept of the state that Bötker’s study [The History of Estonia] sover 800 pages long, is dedicated to the Esto- Estonia became a leading center for adopts. Suomalaisen Kirjallisuu- nian people, which have ”borne up under its history”. northern Europe’s trade network. The den Seuran toimituksia No further hints are needed of the author’s sympathies towns Tallinn (Reval), Tartu (Dorpat), 1118 [Publication of for Finland’s neighbor nation. Estonia’s history is, as Viljandi and Pärnu were members of Finnish Literary Society]. Zetterberg describes it, one long story of the will to the Hanseatic League. Hämeenlinna, 2007, survive repression and fight for freedom. Zetterberg iii. 810 pages is an experienced historian and was an Estophile as Zetterberg writes extensively about Despite the criticism I have leveled early as the 1970s; his previous research has revolved the Swedish era (1561–1721), which in against Bötker’s treatment of his subject around Finnish-Estonian relations and Estonia’s re- Estonian history writing is called ”the matter, the key merits of his thesis still cent history. During the 1990s, Zetterberg also worked good old Swedish era”. The Swedish re- stand. The study constitutes an against- as Director of Finland’s Institute of Culture in Tallinn. gents initiated an extensive program of the-tide, even provocative attempt to According to Zetterberg, Estonia’s history can be reforms. They introduced Swedish law, focus on ”hard” economic and political understood through two metaphors. The country is and in 1630 a Court of Appeal was estab- power struggles and competition over simultaneously a bridge and a battlefield. This princi- lished in Tartu. Two years later, a univer- resources when analyzing the new pal idea permeates the work’s eleven central chapters. sity was founded in the same town. As a Estonia. More precisely, his topic — the The narrative progresses in a conventional, chrono- result of investment in popular educa- relationship between Estonia’s politi- Laura kolbe Professor logical manner: from prehistory to the present, but tion, most young Estonians were liter- cal leadership and administration in of European History at with a primary focus on the Middle Ages (”A part of the ate by the end of the 1600s. Trade and a ”new democracy” — is both topical, the University of Helsinki. old Livonia”) and the Swedish and Russian eras. The industry bloomed and a civil service and and underexplored. The choice dem- She has published seve- national awakening and first period of independence state administration was developed. onstrates the author’s determination ral works on academic are given thorough coverage, as are the decennia fol- At the Peace Treaty of Nystad in 1721, to use his dissertation to examine a history and city history, lowing World War II (”The lost independence”, ”In the Sweden conceded Estonia to Russia. socially and politically central macro- is- including Brändö. Dröm- grasp of the hammer and sickle”). The last ten pages of Zetterberg’s characterization of the Rus- sue. The subject is thorny and difficult men om en bättre framtid the book discuss the era of newly-won independence sian era is relatively neutral. Serfdom was to work on, something which accounts [Brändö: The Dream of following 1991. Zetterberg also pays great attention to abolished (1820), the peasants’ situation for a number of the problems he en- a Better Future] (1990), economic as well as cultural history. improved and a modernization process countered in his study. Helsingfors. Östersjöns was initiated. The national awakening An interesting point is Bötker’s own dotter [Helsinki: The Zetterberg’s book is a monumental scientific received impulses from Europe; the position, situated between Estonia and Daughter of the Baltic] work and is an exceptional work in its genre. It fills a Russification of the late 1800s hastened Sweden. As someone who spent his (with Matti Klinge) (1999), large gap: there are few existing synthetic histories its development. The ”singing” national childhood in Estonia and then moved and Helsingfors stads of Estonia, and the best ones date back to the 1930s. movement increased in strength, and to Sweden in early adulthood, Bötker is historia efter 1945: kom- Zetterberg has been able to take advantage of recent symbolized a popular will to be free. neither an insider nor an outsider in re- munalförvaltning och historical research, which has hitherto been available So-called Young-Estonian elite groups lation to Estonia. His position seems to -politik [The history of only in the form of unpublished research and con- took the lead in culture and politics. differ from that of the Estonian scholars the City of Helsinki after ference papers. The author sees himself as a Nordic who see the situation from within, in 1945: Municipal Admi- popular educator. The primary objective of the work During the 1900s, Estonia was posi- that he appears to be at a point that of- nistration and Politics] is the elucidation of the great historical differences be- tioned in the shadow of two great pow- fers him an exceptionally independent (2002). In 2007, fellow at tween the countries around the Baltic Sea. The great- ers: Germany and Russia (the Soviet and profoundly critical look at recent the Swedish Collegium est difference between the Nordic nations and Estonia Union). The country balanced between developments. But he also differs from for Advanced Study has to do with conditions in the countryside. Sweden two world wars, several occupations those with a more distant relationship (SCAS) in Uppsala. Since and Finland had an independent peasant population and peace treaties. After World War I, to Estonia, e.g., second-generation 2006, member of the which enjoyed political rights. In Estonia, the rural no- Estonia got a taste of independence, emigrants trained in the United States. Helsinki City Council (as bility and feudalism dominated, or as Zetterberg puts but in 1940 it was united with the Soviet Bötker’s particular position is reflected, a member of the Center it: ”Estonian collective memory still harbors strong Union. Zetterberg offers a thorough and in an interesting and intriguing manner, Party). traces of the German proprietors’ lash.” balanced description of these events, in his unconventional, sometimes even Zetterberg admits that concepts such as Estonian and uncovers national and historical myths iconoclastic, thinking. Bötker’s reason- Estonia’s history are problematic. The first Estonians and analyzes the development of Esto- ing is sometimes controversial, but it (around 3000 BC) were assimilated with the predeces- nia’s history in a broader European con- reflects the author’s intellectual inde- sors of the Baltic, North-Germanic and West-Slavic peo- text. This is also meant to give us a better pendence and his ability to bring fresh ples. They established permanent settlements, protected understanding of August 20, 1991, when perspectives to the analysis of Estonian by fortifications, and applied themselves to agriculture. the 1918 Declaration of Independence politics. ¯ The border situation varied greatly over time. The term was restored. For Estonia, this became ”Estonian” was first used in the nineteenth century dur- an important historical and symbolic ing the national awakening. The purpose was to make date. The nation’s constitution was rein- risto alapuro the ”un-German” Estonians visible as a modern Europe- stituted. Estonia got its own currency, a The author of the article was the faculty an people, with a cultural will and identity of their own. Parliament and a head of state. Estonia examiner at Bötker’s thesis defense. During the Middle Ages, Estonia becomes part of became a part of Europe. Again. ¯ European history. The Estonians were converted to Christianity by German crusaders — this process lasted laura kolbe