Post War Revival in Estonia

"Slowly, we seek to serve others, believing that history will encourage membership retention."

HISTORY●GLOBAL●DISTRICT●CLUB●MISSING●LIBRARY●HARRIS●PEACE●TRF●PHILOSOPHY●PRESIDENTS●CONVENTIONS●NEW●COMMITTEE●JOIN●email●FORUM●SEARCH●RGHF RGHF is not responsible for Google translation errors

POST WAR REVIVAL IN ESTONIA

At the invitation of the Estonian Friendship Society in 1988, some Swedish Rotarians visited Tallinn where till 1940 a Rotary Club had existed.

There they found that the meeting place of the former Tallinn Rotary club had become the Palace of Pioneers. Unfortunately they did not find a single living pre-war Rotarian. Things did not go any further than information. In the spring of 1989 a return visit took place. The delegation included Tynu Karu of Estonia and three Russians, people convinced of the necessity to create clubs like Rotary in East Europe, and those who wanted to learn more about such a club's everyday work, traditions and laws.

After visits to many Rotary clubs in Scandinavia, members of the delegation returned home with a desire to prepare ground for the re-creation of a new club in Tallinn. In 1991, the Tallinn Club was chartered and this was followed soon afterwards by Tartu. Nomme took a little longer but it too is now back in the Rotary fold. The clubs in Estonia are now in District 1420 with Finland. Present day members include: Mr. Andres Ansip, PM (Previously Major of the City of Tartu), Dr.Toomas Savi, former speaker of Parliament, Euro Parliamentarian, Professor Dr. Peter Tulviste, Euro Parliamentarian. The President of Estonia Mr. Arnold Rüütel is a Honorary Member of the Rotary Club of Saaremaa, his home island in the western part of Estonia.

This account of Rotary in Estonia has been compiled from RI Records, and with information from Rotary Global History Historian PDG Kari Tallberg of D1420.

Posted 5 January 2006, by Historian Basil Lewis

The contents of this website, our electronic features and newsletters have been researched, collected, compiled, and written by Rotarians.

RGHF Mission: As an effort to serve others, RGHF accumulates and preserves the complete history, values and philosophy of the Rotary movement, as well as encourages others to do the same at every level of the Rotary movement, and publishes those histories, values and philosophies on the internet, as well as other forms of media as expedient. 17 March 2003, amended 20 December 2007, Rotary Global History Fellowship Board of Directors.

This fellowship is not an agency of, or controlled by, Rotary International, but is affiliated with individual Rotary districts, clubs, other Rotary organizations and enjoys the support of Rotarians, clubs, districts, and zones world-wide. The views and opinions expressed on this website are not necessarily the collective views and opinions of Rotary International or all Rotarians. Rotary International is not responsible for any content and accepts no liability therefore. © 2000-2008 RGHF (Rotary Global History Fellowship)