![Sample our Humanities journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5939/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Humanities.jpg"})
Abstract
Various alternatives for arrangements for the situation of Estonian Swedes arose during Estonia's independence phase. This paper concentrates on examining the activity of the Swedish Estonian political elite, in particular, and the discourse about the matter. The study focuses on the early 1920s, when the matter was discussed the most among the Estonian Swedes. The Swedes finally decided to only settle for the lower level opportunity of self‐government, although their earlier declared ambitions had been much higher. The deciding factor for the Estonian Swedish elite seems to have been that over the years they had gotten used to the fact that the average Swede was quite unwilling to take an active part in national‐minded activities and their financial support.
Notes
1. See, for instance, Gullberg, State, Territory and Identity, 62–79.
2. Citation 1922. a. üldrahvalugemise andmed, 31.
3. Kummel, Svenskar i all världen, 212–214.
4. Blumfeldt, “Estlandssvenskarnas historia”, 159–160; Carlbäck‐Isotalo, “Sweden and Russia”, 219–229; Kangeris, “Die Schwedische Baltikumpolitik”, 188–191; Kummel, Svenskar i all världen, 214–215.
5. Blumfeldt, “Estlandssvenskarnas historia” (In the compiled book En bok om Estlands svenskar, originating from Citation1961); Hyrenius, Estlands svenskarna (originating from Citation1942); Söderbäck, Estlands svenskbygd (originating from Citation1939).
6. For instance, Andræ, Sverige och den stora flykten (Citation2004); Grubbström, Sillar och mullvadar (Citation2003); Hedin, Åter till släktens mark? (Citation2003); Marcus, Living on Another Shore (Citation2004); Persson, Flykten over Östersjön (Citation2001); Westerholm, På vandring (Citation2003).
7. Blumfeldt, “Estlandssvenskarnas historia”, 159–160; Kummel, Svenskar i all världen, 212–215.
8. Sõrmus, “Eestlased ja Eesti vähemusrahvused”, 61. See also Hyrenius, Estlands svenskarna, 79–85. To be precise, there have been temporary changes in the number of the Swedes living in Estonia – for instance, due to the forced transfer of 1,200 Swedes to the Black Sea in 1781 – but despite these the overall picture remains the same. For the events of 1781, see Madisson, Antifeodalnaya, 129–142; Grubbströn, Sillar och mullvadar, 16.
9. Hyrenius, Estlands svenskarna, 11–12; Küng, Rootslaste jälgedes, 13–15; Söderbäck, Estlands svenskbygd, 38–42; Vasara, Viron kansalliset vähemmistöt, 19.
10. Kübarsepp, “Vähemusrahvused Eestis”, 1253. See also Söderbäck, Estlands svenskbygd, 11–12.
11. Kummel, Svenskar i all världen, 214.
12. Link, The Papers of Woodrow Wilson. 519–531.
13. For the (clearly bourgeois) political opinion of Swedish activists, see, for instance, Blumfeldt, “Estlandssvenskarnas historia”, 158–164; Kummel, Svenskar i all världen, 213–215; Küng, Rootslaste jälgedes, 13–16.
14. Riigi Teataja (State Bulletin) 1/1918, 1–2.
15. Riigi Teataja 1/1918, 1; Minutes of the Constitutional commission 25.4.1919, Eesti Riigiarhiiv ( = Estonian State Archives, ERA), 15, 2, 360, 3.
16. Cited in Kummel, Svenskar i all världen, 214.
17. Kummel, Svenskar i all världen, 214; Carlgren, Rootsi ja Baltikum, 10; Zetterberg, Suomi ja Viro, 192–204.
18. Minutes of the congress of Svenska Folkförbundet 22.3.1919, published in “Protokoll” Kustbon 5/1919–6/1919. See also Blumfeldt, “Estlandssvenskarnas historia”, 159–160.
19. Captain Schiller to the government of Estonia 10.5.1919, ERA 1108, 8, 4, 37.
20. Swedish national secretary (Nikolai Blees) to the Ministry of Internal Affairs 9.6.1919; The Ruhnu expedition to the Ministry of Internal Affairs 14.6.1919; Blees to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, October 1919, ERA 1108, 8, 4, 46, 52.
21. ERA 957, 1; ERA 1108, 8; ERA 1587, 1.
22. It can also be mentioned that specialists in Estonian‐Swedish relations, such as Carlbäck‐Isotalo (Carlbäck‐Isotalo, “Sweden and Russia”), Carlgren (Carlgren, Rootsi ja Baltikum), Kangeris (Kangeris, “Die Schwedische Baltikumpolitik”), or even Kummel (Kummel, Svenskar i all världen) do not hint at possible further interventions or petitions by the Swedish government.
23. The local government of Ruhnu to the Swedish cultural department in the Estonian Ministry of Education 4.6.1919; Swedish national secretary (Nikolai Blees) to the Ministry of Internal Affairs 9.6.1919; The Ruhnu expedition to the Ministry of Internal Affairs 14.6.1919; Blees to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, October 1919, ERA 1108, 8, 4, 41, 46, 52, 89; Blees to the local government of Ruhnu, ERA 1108, 8, 7, 18–19; Annual report of the Swedish cultural department 1919, ERA 1108, 8, 14, 90–91.
24. Graf, Eesti rahvusriik, 315.
25. M. K., “Vi fordra” Kustbon 3.3.1920; M. K., “Aibolands landsting” Kustbon 14.4.1920.
26. Minutes of the congress of Svenska Folkförbundet 22.3.1919, published in “Protokoll” Kustbon 5/1919–6/1919.
27. Order of the day of the Estonian Rescue Committee 24.2.1918, In Mattisen, Eesti iseseisvusmanifest, 13; Maddison, Die nationalen Minderheiten, 3. See also Graf, Eesti rahvusriik, 262; Grubbström, Sillar och mullvadar, 56–57.
28. In February 1919 the Estonian government was partly reorganized, and the number of portfolios grew up to 15. For details, see, for instance, Graf, Eesti rahvusriik, 259–262.
29. A list of representatives of national minorities in the Estonian parliament. In Matsulevitš, Vähemusrahvuste kultuurielu, 33–34.
30. Committee minutes of the Constitutional Assembly 1.5.1919, ERA 15, 2, 361, 14; Konstantin Päts' speech in the Constitutional Assembly 2.6.1919. In Asutawa Kogu protokollid, 886.
31. An extract of the provisional law for public administration (passed 19.2.1918). In Matsulevitš, Vähemusrahvuste kultuurielu, 29.
32. Ethno‐politics of the Estonian provisional government (1918–1919) in detail, see Alenius, Ajan ihanteiden, 92–106.
33. Postimees 29.4.1921.
34. Farbror Svenske, “Ester och svenskar” Kustbon 21.1.1920. “Farbror Svenske” was the pen‐name of Joel Nyman, teacher and a significant columnist of Kustbon; see Grubbström, Sillar och mullvadar, 56.
35. N. B., “Vårt närmaste mål” Kustbon 17.3.1920; N. B., “Aibolands självstyrelse” Kustbon 21.4.1920; Farbror Svenske, “Uttalanden från de blandspråkiga bygderna” Kustbon 21.4.1920; H. P., “Om Estlandssvenskarnas självstyrelse” Kustbon 28.4.1920; Svensk, “Tala och skriv svenska!” Kustbon 5.5.1920; F. R., “Estniska Republikens grundlag” Kustbon 28.7.1920. See also Kummel, Svenskar, 220–221.
36. Citation 1922 . a. üldrahvalugemise andmed, 31.
37. Admirnas, “‘KU’ ja Eestimaa rootslased” Sotsialdemokraat 18.4.1920.
38. “Enemy images” in general, see, for instance, Harle, Hyvä, paha, ystävä, vihollinen, 17–20; Liebkind, Me ja muukalaiset, 78–80.
39. Danell, Svenskarna i Estland, 23.
40. “Återblick vid årsskiftet” Kustbon 1/1923; E. G., “Vårt folks representat i estniska parlamentet” Kustbon 5/1923; “Frågan angående folkminoriteternas kulturella autonomi hänskjuten till stora utskottet” Kustbon 19/1923; “Autonomilagen” Kustbon 17/1924; N. B., “Utsikterna till kulturell självstyrelse” Kustbon 34/1924.
41. “Finlandssvenskarnas väg” Kustbon 13/14/1923; Joel Nyman, “Domstolarna och vårt svenska språk” Kustbon 23/24/1923.
42. Kübarsepp, “Vähemusrahvused Eestis”, 1254–1255.
43. Blumfeldt, “Estlandssvenskarnas historia”, 160.
44. “Tyskarnas kulturella självstyrelse” Kustbon 42/1925; Farbror Svenske, “Från utkiken” Kustbon 34/1926; “Våra motståndare och vi” Kustbon 15/1929.
45. Minister of Internal Affairs (K. Eenpalu) to the Estonian government 5.11.1937. In Matsulevitš, Vähemusrahvuste kultuurielu, 150–153.
![Supercharge Your Next Research Paper: Research and write your next paper with Jenni AI.]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/112441/MPU-humanities-jenniai.png"})