Global InformationEstonian Soviet Socialist Republic information
Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
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| 1940–1941, 1944–1990/1991 | |||||||||
 Flag
(1953–1990)  Emblem
(1940–1990) | |||||||||
| Motto: Kõigi maade proletaarlased, ühinege! (Estonian) "Workers of the world, unite!" | |||||||||
| Anthem: "Anthem of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic" | |||||||||
 Location of annexed Estonia (red) within the USSR (as of 1956–1991) | |||||||||
| Status | Internationally unrecognized territory occupied by the Soviet Union (1940–1941, 1944–1991) | ||||||||
| Capital | Tallinn 59°25′00″N 24°45′00″E / 59.4167°N 24.75°E | ||||||||
| Common languages | Estonian Russian | ||||||||
| Religion | Secular state (de jure) State atheism (de facto) | ||||||||
| Demonym(s) | Estonian | ||||||||
| Government | Unitary Marxist-Leninist one-party Soviet-style socialist republic (1940–1989) Unitary multi-party parliamentary republic (1989–1991)[a] | ||||||||
| First Secretary | |||||||||
• 1940–1941 | Karl Säre | ||||||||
• 1944–1950 | Nikolai Karotamm | ||||||||
• 1950–1978 | Johannes Käbin | ||||||||
• 1978–1988 | Karl Vaino | ||||||||
• 1988–1990 | Vaino Väljas | ||||||||
| Head of state | |||||||||
• 1940–1946 (first) | Johannes Vares | ||||||||
• 1983–1990 (last) | Arnold Rüütel | ||||||||
| Head of government | |||||||||
• 1940–1941 (first) | Johannes Lauristin | ||||||||
• 1988–1990 (last) | Indrek Toome | ||||||||
| Legislature | Supreme Soviet | ||||||||
| Historical era | World War II · Cold War | ||||||||
• Soviet invasion and occupation | 16 June 1940 | ||||||||
• SSR declared | 21 July 1940 | ||||||||
• Annexed into the Soviet Union | 6 August 1940 | ||||||||
• German occupation | 1941–1944 | ||||||||
• Second Soviet occupation | 1944–1991 | ||||||||
• Beginning of the Singing Revolution | 1988 | ||||||||
• Soviet occupation declared illegal | 8 May 1990 | ||||||||
• Restoration of the fully independent Republic of Estonia | 20 August 1991 | ||||||||
• Independent Republic of Estonia recognised by the USSR | 6 September 1991 | ||||||||
| Area | |||||||||
| 1989 | 45,227 km2 (17,462 sq mi) | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
• 1989 | 1,565,662 | ||||||||
| Currency | Soviet ruble (SUR) | ||||||||
| Calling code | +7 014 | ||||||||
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| Today part of | Estonia | ||||||||
| History of Estonia |
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| Chronology |
 Estonia portal |
The Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic (Estonian SSR), Soviet Estonia, or simply Estonia, was a union republic of the Soviet Union (USSR),[1][2] covering the occupied and annexed territory of Estonia in 1940–1941 and 1944–1991. The Estonian SSR was nominally established to replace the until then independent Republic of Estonia on 21 July 1940, a month after the 16–17 June 1940 Soviet military invasion and occupation of the country during World War II. After the installation of a Stalinist government[3] which, backed by the occupying Soviet Red Army, declared Estonia a Soviet constituency, the Estonian SSR was subsequently incorporated into the Soviet Union as a "union republic" on 6 August 1940.[4][5] Estonia was occupied by Nazi Germany in 1941, and administered as a part of Reichskommissariat Ostland until it was reconquered by the USSR in 1944.
The majority of the world's countries[6] did not recognise the incorporation of Estonia into the Soviet Union de jure and only recognised its Soviet administration de facto or not at all.[7][8] A number of countries continued to recognise Estonian diplomats and consuls who still functioned in the name of their former government.[9][10] This policy of non-recognition gave rise to the principle of legal continuity, which held that de jure, Estonia remained an independent state under occupation throughout the period 1940–1991.[11]
On 16 November 1988, Estonia became the first of the then Soviet-controlled countries to declare state sovereignty from the central government in Moscow.[12] On 30 March 1990, the newly elected parliament declared that the Republic of Estonia had been illegally occupied since 1940, and formally announced a transitional period for the restoration of the country's full independence.[13] Subsequently, on 8 May 1990, the Supreme Soviet ended the use of the Soviet symbols as state symbols together with the name Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic and adopted Republic of Estonia as the official name of the state.[14] The parliament of Estonia declared the re-establishment of full independence on 20 August 1991. The Soviet Union formally recognised the independence of Estonia on 6 September 1991.
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
- ^ Hough, Jerry F (1997). Democratization and revolution in the USSR, 1985–1991. Brookings Institution Press. p. 214. ISBN 0-8157-3749-1.
- ^ "Republic, definition 3". Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster Online. 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
- ^ Ronen, Yaël (2011). Transition from Illegal Regimes Under International Law. Cambridge University Press. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-521-19777-9.
- ^ The Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (Postcommunist States and Nations) David J. Smith from Front Matter ISBN 0-415-28580-1
- ^ Estonia: Identity and Independence: Jean-Jacques Subrenat, David Cousins, Alexander Harding, Richard C. Waterhouse on Page 246. ISBN 90-420-0890-3
- ^ Mälksoo, Lauri (2003). Illegal annexation and state continuity: the case of the incorporation of the Baltic states by the USSR. M. Nijhoff Publishers. p. 76. ISBN 978-90-411-2177-6.
incorporation into the Soviet Union in 1940 took place against the will of the population, and was never recognised de jure by most countries
- ^ Hiden, John; Vahur Made; David J. Smith (2008). The Baltic question during the Cold War. Routledge. p. 209. ISBN 978-0-415-37100-1.
- ^ Aust, Anthony (2005). Handbook of International Law. Cambridge University Press. pp. 26. ISBN 0-521-82349-8.
- ^ Diplomats Without a Country: Baltic Diplomacy, International Law, and the Cold War by James T. McHugh, James S. Pacy, Page 2. ISBN 0-313-31878-6
- ^ "President of the Republic at the State Dinner hosted by President T. E. Mary McAleese and Dr. Martin McAleese". President. April 14, 2008. Archived from the original on December 23, 2015. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
... we are thankful that Ireland never recognised the illegal annexation of Estonia by the Soviet Union after the Second World War. We will never forget John McEvoy, Estonia's honorary consul in Dublin from 1938 to 1960.
- ^ David James Smith, Estonia: independence and European integration, Routledge, 2001, ISBN 0-415-26728-5, pXIX
- ^ "Soviet Estonia's legislature declares its 'sovreignity'". Washington Post. 31 December 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ "Estonia declares transition to independence - UPI Archives". What is the UPI website? United Press International. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ "Seadus Eesti sümboolikast". Riigi Teataja (in Estonian). Riigikantselei. Retrieved 17 February 2024.