Interview: Eesti Rada 80
Interview with Karin Aanja, editor of Eesti Rada and Maarika Remmert, chairwoman of the Estonian Society in Germany
Eesti Rada has now been published for 80 years. What does this milestone mean to you and to your readers?
Undoubtedly, this is a very proud milestone. We are glad that there are subscribers who consider the paper necessary and support the publication of the paper by subscribing. For us, 80 years means that even in today’s world, a sense of belonging as a nation is considered important, which a native-language newspaper certainly reflects.
The paper began as a lifeline for displaced Estonians after World War II, documenting life in refugee camps and the longing for home. How do those early themes of belonging and identity resonate with the realities facing today’s Estonian diaspora?
The issue of identity is still very important today. There are different kinds of people, and for some, Estonia and Estonian cultural identity are not important. The people who belong to our association Estonian Society in the Federal Republic of Germany (ECSL) and the subscribers and readers of the newspaper Eesti Rada are undoubtedly the part of foreign Estonians for whom identity, a sense of belonging and Estonia are very important. There have been quite a number of recent reflections on Estonian identity and being an Estonian in the columns of the Eesti Rada, published by the so-called newer emigrants. This is a complicated topic, but it is clear that Estonia has a role to play in the hearts of everyone who is involved with the Estonian cause abroad to a lesser of greater extent.
In its first decades, Eesti Rada also served as a voice for Estonia internationally. How do you view that role today—does it still matter, and if so, how has it evolved?
This role has diminished because we now have an all-powerful internet where we can get all the information. However, we do see that the current publications of Estonians abroad could cover the activities of Estonians operating in other countries more, because this is precisely what unites the Estonian diaspora. I don’t know if it’s good or bad, but often there’s not much space left in Eesti Rada to cover other activities...
Has that role carried into more recent times of crisis? For example, during moments such as Estonia’s independence movement, the COVID pandemic, or the ongoing war in Ukraine, how has Eesti Rada rallied or supported the community?
Eesti Rada always tries to give an overview of what is happening in Estonia. This is very important for older readers. I can recall from the time of the coronavirus crisis that although social gatherings were not allowed, it was even easier to put the issue together, as online events were more accessible to a greater number of people: after all, Germany is a big country, and it is not always possible to travel to an event that interests you. Eesti Rada is a bridge that connects and spurs people on – others can see how well Estonians in Munich, Hamburg or elsewhere are doing.
The need for Estonian-language media was once urgent in refugee camps. What does that need look like today? As more Estonians are born abroad, how are you engaging younger, multilingual, or multinational families?
Eesti Rada covers events in the Estonian community in Germany. Within the framework of a project supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we were able to publish the children’s issue of Eesti Rada for several years, but admittedly it started to overwhelm us in terms of costs and it did not particularly boost the number of subscribers. Many children and young people attend so-called Estonian Sunday schools and we hope that this will increase our readership. In this sense, all active mothers and fathers are an extension of us when it comes to getting new subscribers. Readers of Eesti Rada are rare in that many of the offspring of war refugees speak Estonian. Therefore, throughout the history of Eesti Rada, there have been no German-language summaries of an issue of the newspaper.
Like many diaspora newspapers, Eesti Rada has faced threats of closure over the years. What challenges are most pressing today and what strategies are helping you persist?
Difficult times are inevitably connected to the financial side. We do not manage ourselves from the revenue we receive from our subscribers. Since Eesti Rada is an ECSL publication, the support comes from there. The board’s position is that the newspaper must be preserved – there is no better business card for demonstrating how active the Estonian community in Germany is. It’s a matter of honour to keep it that way.
Estonians arrive in Germany every day for one reason or another. Anyone who joins the association will receive a free issue of the paper and a recommendation to become a subscriber. Many do not know that Estonians in Germany have their own newspaper...
Readers often describe the paper as a source of unity. Is there a story, photo, or letter that made you think: “This is why we do it”?
Yeah, it is difficult to remember everything that’s happened when put on a spot now. There have been very heartfelt conversations and correspondence with the representatives of the so-called older generation, who unfortunately are fading. People have thanked us for the rare Estonian-language newspaper, people have called us and asked about the meaning of some forgotten words, etc. The newspaper is shared among family members and friends, so the real number of readers is much higher than the number of subscribers.
Could you share any other lessons that can be learned from Eesti Rada’s remarkable longevity that could benefit other diaspora publications?
Publishing a newspaper requires a common effort, there is no room for an attitude like “Oh, let others do, I will just subscribe and read.” Estonians are hardworking and, if you push the right button, they are also prone to volunteer work, i.e. write about events organised by themselves or the community. This, in turn, motivates others.
The 80th anniversary celebration in Hamburg is an important milestone. What is your vision for this gathering, and how do you hope it will strengthen both the community and the future of the newspaper?
We hope that Estonians from all over Germany, parents, middle-aged people as well as young people and children, will come to this event. This meeting shows once again what a fun and educational experience it is when we come together. The values of Eesti Rada are exactly the same. We think that many representatives of the younger generation are surprised by everything that the 80 years of Eesti Rada entails. It would be a shame to break this continuity.
The first issue of Eesti Rada declared: “We Estonians here, on foreign soil, still walk our own path.” As Eesti Rada steps into its next decade, what path do you hope it will continue to forge?
We hope to keep providing our readers with the content we have provided so far. We expect even greater activity in submissions about the activities of our community to build an even more complete archive for future generations. Due to its frequency of publication (6 issues per year), the inevitable peculiarity of our paper is that we have no aspirations of covering breaking news.
Of course, we want to increase the number of subscribers, because this is still the key to the survival of the paper. We will work for it the best way we can.
Finally, what message would you like to share with our readers and the wider Estonian community everywhere?
Be friendly, cooperative and open. Take what is offered to you and remember that each of us is a piece of Estonia that must be represented with dignity and a warm heart.
