The Kistler-Ritso Estonian
Foundation
Goals and Objectives
General
The Kistler-Ritso Foundation aims to establish an Occupation Museum of the recent past in
Estonia, where the developmental processes during the period 1940-1991 can be studied and
where relevant materials, both objects and documents, can be collected and exhibited. The
museum will be a modern institution, which will use advanced technical means, both for
exhibitions and for study. Its homepage is part of a so-called virtual museum, which will
form the basis of an interactive exposition of the future museum.
The museum deals with a period about which we have incomplete information - an epoch
characterised by totalitarian power and mass repression - and there is a plan to create a
memorial complex, to remember those who did not return to their homeland.
It would be a tombstone for the thousands of countrymen buried in anonymous graves. Our
dead will remain unburied until the memoirs of those that perished are immortalised.
Our task is to document the catastrophes and cataclysms, which took place during the last
fifty years and to find detailed proof about the past based on facts and analysis. We are
interested in how the generation which re-established Estonia's independence in 1991 was
formed and want to learn which obstacles they had to overcome. We are interested in the
life of Estonians, and also of Russians, Germans, Jews, Swedes and other minorities under
the totalitarian regime of the second half of the XX century. We have
no reason to be ashamed of our history, rather the reverse. At the same time we should not
forget our experiences and keep silent. On the contrary, we must prevent the dreadful
offences from being forgotten.
We started to collect objects, documents and articles for the exposition and to create a
program of scientific study in 1999. At the same time we also began making contact with
private and state institutions, which, in a similar way, dealt with similar problems.
Working contacts have been set up with the Estonian International Commission for the
Investigation of the Crimes Against Humanity, the Estonian State Commission on
Examination of the Policies of Repression, MEMENTO
and the Research Centre of the
Soviet Era in Estonia ( S-Centre). We have also set up a co-operation project
with the Russian MEMORIAL. A
working contact is being
established with the GULAG Museum, established on the former site of the Perm-36 labour
camp for political prisoners. Co-operation projects have been set up with the Cultural
Endowment of Estonia and the KARTA Centre in Warsaw.
In this context, the recent past is considered to be the period 1940-1991, although
talking about the year 1940 we can't dismiss the year 1939, so the above-mentioned time
frame is provisional to some extent. Our project, which is unique in the Baltic region,
allows us to collect objects and documents, which symbolise the epoch and to gather
memoirs from witnesses, that are still alive.
Unfortunately, the study of the recent past is in a relatively poor state. State
institutions, which aim to carry out research into this period (the Institute of History
and the History Museum) lack resources. But, we have to start collecting information now
as time is working against us. The scientific study of the above-mentioned period is in
its infancy, in fact, it could be said that the basis of the research (the methodology and
periodisation) doesn't exist, or if it does, it is not very logical.
Council and Board.
At the moment,
the Kistler-Ritso Foundation is financed by Dr. Olga Kistler-Ritso, who is at the same
time the founder and president of the foundation. In addition, the members of the council
are Bob Citron, Mark Romman and Sesh Velamoor. There are four
members on the Board of the Kistler-Ritso Estonian
Foundation, in addition to Heiki Ahonen, the chairman, there is Tunne Kelam, Lagle Parek
and Arvo Pesti. The scientific work of the Kistler-Ritso Foundation is co-ordinated by Dr.
Enn Tarvel. Patron of the project was the President of the Republic of Estonia
1992-2001 Lennart Meri .
Work Plan.
According to Kistler-Ritso Foundation work plan, we have to begin assessing the present
situation as regards research work into the recent past. After this we need to record the
main study directions of the period (in co-operation with state institutions, which deal
with history to prevent duplication) and we must start the systematic work of filling in
the gaps in research. Two events, organised by the Kistler-Ritso Foundation, took place in
January 1999, and these can be considered preliminary work towards filling in the
above-mentioned gaps. A discussion on the theme «The Possibilities of the Periodisation
of the Recent Past of Estonia» was held
by representatives of different disciplines and a conference was staged, entitled «The
Source-Critical Problems of the Recent Past of Estonia». The Scheme of Periodisation of
the Recent Past in Estonia was born. In May, a short seminar took place, called «The
Possibilities of Using Info-Technology in Studies of History», during which the homepage
of the Kistler-Ritso Foundation of Estonia was introduced. A documentary film project,
dealing with this period, has been started. An eight-part documentary « Occupations in
the Recent Past in Estonia» will be produced and provided with subtitles in foreign
languages. There is also a plan to show the film in the museum exposition and provide
access to it via the internet. The project is supported by the Cultural Endowment of
Estonia.
Materials from the charting seminars, organised by the S-Centre from 1996-1997, were
published for the conference of source-critics in a collection called «Rajaotsingud»
(«Path Searching»). The conference materials will be gathered into a collection, which
will be published as a separate book in the second half of 1999.
We have also started to collect objects and materials. The press has been given
information about the Foundation's activities and contacts have been set up with
establishments and private persons. At present, the collection is small, but it is growing
rapidly. Trivial objects (the equipment of a cell of Patarei prison) can be found in the
collection as well as relatively unique objects (an album thrown over the barbed wire of
Klooga death camp in 1944).
Published materials on this theme have been assembled into a single electronic database,
which, at the moment, includes several publications by ORURK, MEMENTO and other
organisations.
The Occupation Museum needed a permanent physical home. Unfortunately, Estonia has had
little experience with building museums. Since this particular establishment deals with a
very dramatic and important period of Estonia's history, a convenient and presentable
location had to be found for the building. Next, an open and international architectural
competition was declared in October 2000, to find the best solution for the lot which had
been obtained at the corner of Kaarli Boulevard and Toompea Street. The final date for
entries was 15 January 2001, and the jury of experts made its choice known on 2 February
2001. A booklet was published, to familiarize the public with
the winning designs.
Cornerstone to the building was laid on October 22nd of 2002, construction was completed
in June 2003. Opening ceremony took place on June 27th(speeches)
and museum opened for public on July 1st.
Main Directions and Priorities of the Scientific Work.
The aim of our activities is to seek and find answers to essential questions about the
recent history of Estonia: Who are our heroes? Who are our friends? Who are our enemies?
The main directions are: to help determine an identity, to determine and consolidate a
national consciousness and to teach our small nation the value of its independent
statehood. Research work, which began in 1999, concentrated on exploring the nature of
Soviet period institutions. The priorities of the research work can be listed as follows:
1. Problems of source-critics and methodology.
2. Role of the Communist Party of Estonia.
3. Repressive politics.
4. Agrarian politics.
5. Cultural politics.
In addition to the conference on source-critics, which took place at the beginning of
1999, a conference will be held in the second half of the year to deal with problems of
methodology. Research work into the role of the Communist Party of Estonia began in 1999
in a bid to clarify the connection between the Communist Party and the repressive security
organisations. It also aims to discover how and to what extent the authority and
responsibilities of these institutions of power coincide. The research work is financed by
long term-scholarships from KRES. The results are published in the form of articles and
monographs. The aim of the data published abroad (in foreign language publications etc.)
is to provide, in a universal and understandable way, a picture of our national
catastrophe and the anti-human character of the Soviet national and economic policy. The
research work is based on published historical sources, unpublished archive materials and
on oral inheritance. The results of the work will be published in the form of
serious scientific papers, but, at the same time, they will be as interesting and readable
as possible. In order to provide real historical
information, the planned research work must have scientific, educational, national and
political significance and, at the same time, improve the quality of our writings on
history.
Support
We need to collect a lot of the materials, which characterize the developmental processes
of the period, to throw as much light as possible on the events that took place in Estonia
from 1940-1991. Anyone in possession of any materials, objects or documents, can help.
Please send any interesting information to the bureau address.
This unique project also accepts financial support. The Foundation has opened an account:
17170001700067336(EEK)
541700017000673349(EUR)
NORDEA pank/ Nordea Bank Finland Plc/Estonia Branch, Hobujaama 4, 15068 Tallinn
Contact
The postal address of the Kistler-Ritso Estonian Foundation is
Toompea 8,
10142 Tallinn
Telephone +372 66 80 250, Fax +372 66 80 251 , e-mail muuseum@okupatsioon.ee