The «Memento» Union.

The Memento union includes associations of those that suffered and fought for Estonia's independence in all counties (except Rapla, Põlva and Jõgeva), and Tallinn and Narva and the Estonian Association of the Former Members of the Labor Battalion. The Estonian Union of Political Prisoners and its Society of Northwest Estonia are also associated members.

The membership of these organisations sometimes overlaps, so the exact number of associated members is hard to estimate. The total number is approximately 4000, but there are around 2500 actual members. Many fellow sufferers cannot take part in the union's activities due to ill health and old age, because of this there are around 10 000 people (fellow sufferers) whose interests are represented by «Memento». This is confirmed by a comparison of data of the Pension Boards of Tallinn and Harju county.

Most of the member-associations and the union are legal entities. Endel Palmiste is chairman of the union «Memento», tel. 45 09 74 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 14.00 to 17.00. the Postal address is pk 115, Peapostkontor, EE 0090.

Each association has an active committee. In addition to these, one of the working structures of the «Memento» union is the Registration Bureau of Repressed People in Estonia (Chairman Leo Õispuu), which compiled and published a register of those that fought and suffered for Estonia's independence. (The organisation has recorded the fate of 110 000 people on a database and published two volumes of a register, which includes information about the fate of 35,000 people and about those arrested for political
reasons. The manuscript of the register of those deported in March 1949 is presently being compiled - according to preliminary data it could include as many as 30 000 names).

The county associations in the «Memento» union have taken part in restoration of War of Independence monuments and in erecting monuments to victims of communist terror. The «Memento» of Viljandi has over several years assisted Enno Piir in publishing a unique series, called «Sakalamaa ei unusta» («Sakala County will not Forget»). The «Memento» of Rakvere has published the works «Lääne-Virumaa elanikkonna kaotused okupatsiooniaastatel» («Losses of the Citizens of the Lääne-Virumaa County During the Years of Occupation»), and a book on deportees from Lääne-Virumaa on March 25, 1949, will be printed.

The membership of «Memento» and its fellow sufferers need more moral and real support than the union can offer at present. First and foremost, it does not have enough judicial help, although the associations of Tallinn, Tartu, Pärnu etc. have tried to offer this help through the rehabilitation of political, civic and economic rights to those that were repressed under the occupying powers. Getting judicial help is very difficult as many fellow sufferers live in bad economic conditions. Unfortunately, assistance has only been provided through humanitarian aid from Estonians abroad and associations of citizens of foreign states.

The most important activity in terms of moral support is the congratulation of elderly fellow sufferers on their birthday by Estonian Radio. Many of the associations use this service. But there are very few opportunities to organise club activities, which elderly people who have lost their companions need most of all.

Inspite of the difficulties, there are a number of defiant, elderly freedom fighters in every association, who give much support to fellow sufferers and to the idea of the independence of Estonia.

The information newspaper «Memento» was published during 1989 - 1997.