The City Government is preparing for the preliminary work on a memorial for the victims and participants of the 1944 Great Escape.

In mid-September, members of the Tallinn City Council initiated a proposal to establish a memorial at Maarjamäe Memorial complex to honor the participants and victims of the 1944 Great Escape. This week, the City Government confirmed its readiness to begin the necessary preparations for the construction of the memorial.

It is known that during the turning point of World War II, in the late summer and autumn of 1944, between 75,000 and 80,000 people fled westward from Estonia to escape the advancing Red Army. The escape from occupation and terror tore thousands of families apart, and tragically, thousands of Estonians lost their lives during the journey.

According to Tallinn Deputy Mayor Kaarel Oja, this significant episode of recent history has so far been largely unmarked in Tallinn’s public space, and this oversight must be corrected. “We have begun the preliminary work, and if we don't encounter any unexpected obstacles, we could announce the competition for the monument by early next spring,” Oja added.

"However, it must be acknowledged that several monument projects have stalled in recent years for various reasons. To avoid this, thorough preliminary work that involves all interested parties is crucial, and this takes time. But to achieve the best possible outcome, we need to take that time," Oja explained.

The proposal from the Tallinn City Council suggests that the "1944 Great Escape" memorial be erected at the Maarjamäe Memorial complex, in close proximity to the Memorial for the Victims of Communism. There is cooperation and mutual understanding among the involved organizations regarding the location, as the Maarjamäe Memorial is dedicated to those who participated in the 1944 defense battles, which are directly connected to the Great Escape of that same year.


Photo: Refugees in Tallinn's port . Photo credit: A. Kalm (source: Rahvusarhiiv)