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Australia welcomes new Estonian ambassador Jaan Reinhold

By
Johanna Rivers
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On the 7th of August, our Ambassador Jaan Reinhold presented his credentials to The Governor General of the Commonwealth Australia Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC.

In the conversation with Governor-General Sam Mostyn following the presentation ceremony, Ambassador Reinhold highlighted the excellent relations between Estonia and Australia and likeminded positions on major global issues, which has created a good basis for bilateral cooperation.

“Similar positions on main policy issues  – open economy and a recognition of the fundamental values of an open society – allow us to deepen our cooperation on various levels and areas, including the digital economy and cyber defence, as well as upcycling natural resources and boosting education and research cooperation,” Reinhold said.

Touching on foreign policy, they spoke about Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, where the positions of our two countries also overlap. “Governor-General Mostyn condemned Russia’s crimes of aggression and agreed that we must look out for cooperation opportunities between our two countries in rebuilding Ukraine, where Estonia’s experience could be useful for Australia,” Reinhold noted.
Ambassador Reinhold said that Australia was also home to a considerable number of Estonians, which in turn brings our two countries and peoples closer together.

The Governor-General of Australia also took an interest in Estonia’s history and recognised how we have preserved our cultural heritage through difficult periods in history.

Jaan Reinhold graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Tartu with a degree in history. In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Reinhold has worked at the Department for European Affairs, and as the Director of the Business Diplomacy and Analysis Division of the External Economic and Development Cooperation Department, as well as in the embassies in Vilnius, and as Consul General at Estonia’s Consulate General Shanghai. Jaan Reinhold is the accredited Ambassador of Estonia to the Kingdom of Bahrein and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and on 26 March this year, President of the Republic of Estonia Alar Karis named him Estonian Ambassador to Australia. From 2023 to 2024 Jaan Reinhold was Estonia’s Permanent Representative to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and before his appointment to Abu Dhabi in 2019, he was the Ambassador at Large for Eastern Partnership and the Director of the Estonian Centre of Eastern Partnership.

—

Welcome to Australia Ambassador Jaan Reinhold 🇪🇪🇦🇺

Article originally appeared on the Republic of Estonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

Update on funding for the Parnu Memorial to the 1944 Refugees

By
AESL
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Worldwide response to the Suurpogenemine 80th Anniversary Parnu Memorial Project.

A year of dreams, love, devotion , plain hard work and much anxiety is now culminating in a beautiful Reality!

The Parnu Suurpõgenemis’44 Memorial Statue is under construction!

The casting of those  expressive touching hands has been completed and the metal work begins.

Our memorial to the generation of our parents and forefathers is on target to be respectfully unveiled on the Parnu riverbank on Sat September 21/2024 @ 3:00 pm.

Thanks to the efforts from countries like USA, Australia, and Canada, we have raised nearly 74,000 euros.

This means that we have been able to upgarde from the basics, e.g. we will be able to upgrade the base from poured concrete to Estonian granite and install appropriate lighting, to make this a truly great memorial.

However, the worldwide fundraising continues. 

We need more generous donations  for the finishing touches – another 7,000 euros!

Please  see  https://eesti.org.au/parnu-monument-appeal/   for details on how to donate

Thanking You All

Dr  Juho  M.  Looveer
President, AESL
(Council of Estonian Societies in Australia, Inc)

Estonian language camp for children and families by the Great Ocean Road

By
Kristel Alla
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Image by Mariana Anatoneag from Pixabay
The Melbourne Estonian Society is organising a language camp for children and families, 13-15 September 2024, Anglesea, Great Ocean Road. Register by 27 August 2024 to participate.

The Melbourne Estonian Society invites children (0-18 years) and their families to participate in an immersive language camp this September. This will be a wonderful opportunity for families to connect with their Estonian heritage through language lessons, cultural and community building activities. The camp caters for a variety of Estonian language levels and non-Estonian speakers are welcome to attend.

When and where?
Friday (evening) to Sunday (afternoon), 13-15 September 2024.

At Anglesea camp by the Great Ocean Road, you will have the rare opportunity to explore the sand, sea, surf, bush and river environments all in one place.

Anglesea YMCA Discovery Camp
1535 Great Ocean Road, Anglesea VIC 3230

What is on the camp agenda?
There are language lessons, sports activities, folk dancing and singing on the agenda. The social events include a bonfire and a disco.

Read the camp agenda linked here.

How much will it cost to participate?
Children of the Melbourne Estonian Society members can participate for free. The cost for each adult is $243, for 2 adults $350. These fees include all meals and accommodation for 2 nights (bring your own bedding). The payment details are on the camp registration form.

NB! You need to be a member of the Melbourne Estonian Society to participate, however signing up is easy and there are benefits such as free events and discounts. The annual membership fee for adults is $20, free for children and those over 80 years old.

More information about membership and how to become a member linked on the camp registration form and the membership registration form here.

How to register?
You can sign up for the Estonian language camp here.

You will be asked to pay within 14 days of registering your interest, or latest on 27 August 2024.

Registrations are open until Tuesday, 27 August 2024.

For information about the camp, please email the Melbourne Estonian Society at info@melbourneestoniansociety.com. 

View the camp flyer linked here.

Estonian Passport Mission – Melbourne, Wedensday, 28 August 2024

By
Kristi Barrow
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Estonian Passport

The Consular Mission to Melbourne will take place on Wedensday, 28 August 2024.

If you wish to apply for new documents, please follow the instructions on the following link to book an appointment

https://canberra.mfa.ee/en/consular-mission/

ECFA announces funding allocations for 2024-2025

By
ECFA
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ECFA (The Estonian Cultural Foundation in Australia) is pleased to announce the following funding for projects enhancing Estonian culture, language and heritage across Australia. The total of $50,125 is the largest amount handed out to applicants to date and reflects the diverse range of quality projects and activities being undertaken in the Estonian community

TOTAL AMOUNTS AWARDED $50,125

Funds were allocated this year to:

  • XXIX Eesti Päevad 2024 (27-31 Dec 2024) – $10,000
  • ‘Sõrve’ Estonian Children’s Summer Camp(5-12 Jan 2025) – $10,000 (combined)
    • Estonian Sõrve Children’s Camp – $8,000
    • Hans Ots Grant for Financial Support – $2,000
  • Estonian Playgroups Teachers Training Workshop – $5,200
  • EstWest ‘Perth Estonian Family & Music Festival’ (Jan 2025) – $5000
  • Kooskõlas Segakoor (National Mixed Choir) Laulupidu Registration – $4,300
  • Melbourne Estonian Society (Melbourne Estonian Children’s Camp) – $4,000
  • Australian Estonian Media Project (eesti.org.au) – $3,000
  • Estonian Cultural Association in Western Australia (EstWest) – up to $3,000
  • Sydney Mudilasring (Sydney Estonian Children’s Playgroup) – $2,000
  • Austraalia Virmalised Dance Concert (9 Nov 2024) – $1,500
  • Eestlased Newcastle’is (Estonians in Newcastle) – $1,125
  • S.E.S. Kunsti~ Käsitöö ja Etnograafia Ring – $1,000

XXIX EESTI PÄEVAD ADELAIDE (27-31 DEC 2024)

$10,000 to assist with the organisation and production of the 29th Eesti Päevad (Estonian Festival) to be held in Adelaide over the 27-31 December 2024. We see this as one of the most important events for the Estonian diaspora in Australia and are showing our commitment to the event with this funding. More information can be found here: https://festival.eesti.org.au

‘SÕRVE’ ESTONIAN CHILDREN’S SUMMER CAMP (5-12 JAN 2025)

$8,000 to support the annual Estonian Children’s Summer Camp, a key cultural and social community event, that has been running for over 62 years. The camp provides a rich experience for children and all adults, sharing customs, heritage, language, dancing and singing. As in previous years, the camp is to be held at Point Wolstoncroft on the shores of Lake Macquarie, New South Wales over the 5-12 January 2025. More information can be found here: https://www.sorve.org.au. This grant is administered by the ‘Sõrve Sõbrad / Sydney Estonian Parents’ and Friends’ Association’.

HANS OTS GRANT (SÕRVE SUMMER CAMP)

$2,000 to provide financial assistance to interstate/regional families with Australian children of Estonian heritage between the ages of 8-18 who, because of the excessive cost of travel, financial or other hardship reasons would otherwise not be able to attend the annual Sõrve Estonian Children’s Summer Camp. In agreement, this year’s grant was reduced due to a surplus from previous years. This grant is administered by the ‘Sõrve Sõbrad / Sydney Estonian Parents’ and Friends’ Association’. More information can be found here: https://www.sorve.org.au/scholarship.html

ESTONIAN PLAYGROUPS TEACHERS’ TRAINING WORKSHOP

$5,200 to bring teachers and key coordinators together from the various ‘Mudilasringid’ (Children’s Playgroups). Across Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Newcastle, Melbourne, and Perth. Playgroups teach children the Estonian language, customs, songs and other activities that highlight elements of Estonian culture. This project brings teachers and key coordinators together for a three-day intensive workshop in Queensland to:

  • develop enhanced teaching skills and strategies
  • strengthen collaboration and peer support networks amongst educators
  • disseminate teaching materials and resources tailored to Estonian playgroup settings
  • consider strategies to prevent burnout within community-based work among educators
  • increasing family engagement in sustaining playgroups
  • promote cultural connections and language proficiency among young Estonian learners
  • ensure a robust foundation for future community engagement

PERTH ESTONIAN FAMILY & MUSIC FESTIVAL (ESTWEST)

$5,000 to support the Estonian Cultural Association in Western Australia (EstWest) in hosting a one-day Perth Family-and-Music Festival in January 2025. The event will be a vibrant celebration of Estonian culture, music, and community spirit, featuring a diverse lineup of artists who will also perform at Adelaide Eesti Päevad. This festival brings together the Estonian community in Western Australia, their friends, and anyone interested in experiencing the rich cultural heritage of Estonia.

KOOSKÕLAS SEGAKOOR (NATIONAL MIXED CHOIR) LAULUPIDU REGISTRATION

$4,300 to support the National Mixed Choir’s efforts in applying for and auditioning for the XXVIII Laulupidu (Song Festival) to be held between 3-6 July 2025 in Tallinn, Estonia.
This grant assists with the costs of registration for the Song Festival and covers exepenses associated with the two required audition recordings. While Sydney-based, the choir draws members from across the country to seek to represent Australia at the Song Festivals, which commenced in 1869 and are typically held every five years. More information can be found here: https://2025.laulupidu.ee/en/

MELBOURNE ESTONIAN SOCIETY (MELBOURNE ESTONIAN CHILDREN’S CAMP)

$4,000 to conduct an Estonian children’s language camp. The camp aims to promote connection with the Estonian heritage through language lessons, cultural activities and community building, ensuring that Estonian traditions and values are passed on and celebrated by future generations living abroad. The camp is to be held in regional Victoria.

AUSTRALIAN ESTONIAN MEDIA PROJECT (EESTI.ORG.AU)

$3,000 to support the virtual national team running https://eesti.org.au and who are looking to commission specific original content from professional Australian-Estonian journalists/writers in the coming year. The Australian Estonian Media Project currently runs Eesti.org.au and is looking to re-launch this year with more relevant and timely content to meet the needs of the Estonians in Australia audience.

ESTONIAN CULTURAL ASSOCIATION IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA (ESTWEST)

up to $3,000 to help the newly formed EstWest Association, which has a strong membership among new arrivals on the West Coast of Australia, to connect with established Estonian community organisations in Australia at the forthcoming Estonian Festival to be held in Adelaide. EstWest has nominated two members to travel to Adelaide, to meet with other community representatives and festival organisers to familiarise themselves with the festival model and the formal structure of the community at a national level. More information can be found here on EstWest: https://www.facebook.com/estwestassociation

SYDNEY MUDILASRING (SYDNEY ESTONIAN CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUP)

$2,000 to support the work of this group in fostering and developing Estonian culture for young children in Sydney. This Mudilasring meets weekly and promotes Estonian language, music and culture among Estonian families and their young children, and strengthens the Estonian community in Sydney. The playgroup continues to be a place for Estonian families and children to meet, speak Estonian, sing, dance, and celebrate holidays. You can contact Sydney Mudilasring here: mudilasring@eesti.org.au

AUSTRAALIA VIRMALISED DANCE CONCERT (9 NOV 2024)

$1,500, to conduct the Austraalia Virmalised Celebratory Dance Concert in 2024. The Sydney-based Virmalised folk dancing group is celebrating 90 years since the first recorded Estonian folk dance performance in Australia, 65 years of dancing under the name of ‘Virmalised’ and Helena-Mariana Reimann’s (Artistic Director of Tantsupidu 2025) visit to Sydney. The concert will be held at Sydney Latvian House (32 Parnell St, Strathfield NSW 2135) starting at 1:30 pm on Sat, 9th November and will invite other Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian and Eastern European dance groups to perform. The Sydney-based dance group is combining with dancers from other states in the hopes of performing at the XXI Tantsupidu (Dance Festival) in Estonia over the 3-4 July 2025. 

EESTLASED NEWCASTLE’IS (ESTONIANS IN NEWCASTLE)

$1,125 to provide ongoing opportunities for Newcastle and Hunter region children to get acquainted with other Estonian language and culture through songs, dances, stories, games, cultural activities and excursions.

S.E.S. KUNSTI~ KÄSITÖÖ JA ETNOGRAAFIA RING RAHVARIIDED LIBRARY

$1,000 to assist  the Sydney Arts, Crafts and Ethnographic Group with the continued development of an accessible ‘library’ of Estonian rahvariided (folk costumes) in Australia. They aim to collect pre-loved garments, be it on loan or donation, then repair, clean, maintain and lend out to people when needed for performances. They will also look to make new items from hand-made materials purchased in Estonia, especially children’s clothes.

For further information, please contact Dr Juho Looveer (ECFA President): juho.looveer@gmail.com.

Video Interview — Viido Narustrang’s Story

By
Johanna Rivers
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Viido Narustrang was 11 when he and his mother, Eugenia, fled Türi, Estonia in 1944 aboard a military goods train bound for Germany.

His father Albert had fought the Soviets in the War of Independence in 1918 and since 1942 was again fighting against Russia in an Estonian Division of the German army.

Reuniting with his father post war, The Narustrangs spent six years in Germany before arriving in Fremantle in 1950, as captured in the above photograph (Viido is top left, Eugenia in the black hat and Albert behind Eugenia’s right shoulder). Viido currently lives in Perth with his wife Patricia and was interviewed as to his memories of the exodus for eesti.org.au.   

Video interview — Viido Narustrang (July 2024)

Editor: The Narustrang family also shared a powerpoint presentation of research to their family roots:

A Brief HistoryDownload

Credits: Mark and April Narustrang

This story was collected as part of a campaign in support of the Mass Flight Memorial. If you have a story to share about your family’s mass flight experience, please write to us at news@eesti.org.au

In Memoriam — Raivo Rähni

By
Johanna Rivers
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0

Much beloved husband of wife Valve, son Andrew, and sister Mall; Raivo, 99, passed away peacefully in Melbourne after a sudden illness.

Born in Tartu Estonia, he served in the Finnish Infantry Regiment 200 fighting occupying Soviet forces, escaping Estonia in September 1944 with his father Harry, then living and working in Germany, Poland, Austria and England.

He met his future wife Valve at the Estonian displaced persons camp in Weissenburg Germany, where Raivo was camp commander.  After migrating to Melbourne on a cargo ship in 1950 and graduating from Melbourne University with a Bachelor of Architecture, he worked at the Victorian Public Works, as an independent architect, and from 1958 at Melbourne University, culminating as Deputy Head Architecture & Building.

A keen sportsman and chorister, he was an ardent supporter of Estonian cultural and academic activities and will be sorely missed, particularly by his wife Valve.  They were married for an amazing 74 years and known to each other for 79 years.

A funeral service honouring Raivo’s life was held at the Swedish Church, 21 St Georges Road Toorak this Friday 19 July 11:00am.

Message from AESL

Dr Juho M. Looveer
President, AESL
(Council of Estonian Societies in Australia, Inc)

ENG:

The Council of Estonian Societies in Australia (AESL) is saddened by the passing of Raivo Rahni.

Raivo was along-time member of the Melbourne Estonian community. He loved Estonian cultural and academic activities, and in particular, shooting and choirs. Raivo was also a leader in the Estonian Community, serving on the Board of the AESl for several years.

AESL extends its sympathies to Raivo’s family, especially Valve, his wife of 74 years.

EST:

Austraalia Eesti Seltside Nõukogu (AESL) tunneb kurbust Raivo Rahni lahkumisest.

Raivo oli kauaaegne Melbourne’i eestlaskonna liige. Ta armastas eesti kultuuri- ja akadeemilist tegevust, eriti laskmist ja kooris laulmist. Raivo oli ka Eesti Kogukonna juht, olles mitu aastat AESL’i juhatuses.

AESL avaldab südamlikud kaastunnet Raivo perekonnale, eriti tema 74-aastasele abikaasale Valvele.

Raivo Rähni Lühielulugu (EST)

Järgnev on kirjutatud mõned aastad tagasi, seega osa infot võib olla muutunud kuid avaldame originaalsel moel kuidas Raivo Rähni tol ajal kirjutas ning saatis Sirje Rivers katte hoiule.

Raivo Rähni sündis Tartus 1. jaanuaril 1925. a kullaseppmeistri ning hilisema äriomaniku (1936. a) Harri (Robi)-Rähni ja ema Mare (neiuna Murri) pojana. Isapoolne suguvõsa on elanud Tartus vähemalt 1634. a saadik, kus Raadi mõisa maa-aladel, Taidla külas on registreeritud esiisa-taluomanik, 1/2 adramaad omav Rope Jenno.

Sajandite jooksul on perekonnanimena esinenud Roope (1682. a), Räch (1799. a ja 1850. a), Roby (1805. a), Robby (1811. a), Roob, Roop, iseseisvuse ajal Rähni ja Robi-Rähni (1941-1944. a) ning välismaal Rähni.

Emapoolne suguvõsa pärineb Valgamaalt Hummuli vallast- Viljandimaalt Paistu kihelkonnast Loodi vallast Murri talust Valgamaale elama asunud Karl Murri’st ja Hummuli valla Roiu talu tütrest Reet Jõgi’st.

Algkujuline eesnimi Raimod eestistati 1937. a Raivo’ks.

Hariduse omandas Tartu 2. algkoolis, Tartu Poeglaste Gümnaasiumis ja Hugo Treffneri Gümnaasiumis, mille lõpetas klassivanemana 1943. a (cum laude). Leeritati Tartus Ülikooli kirikus 17. aprillil 1943. a.

Õppimise kõrval olid huvialadeks sport ja laulmine. Oli Tartu koolinoorte meister 1942. a 100m jooksus ja kuulus Tartu koolinoorte meeskonda jäähokis. Laulis kooris, kvartetis ja esines tenor-solistina koolidevahelistel üritustel. Oli noorkotkas ja vetelpäästja.

Pärast gümnaasiumi lõpetamist teenis Tartus õhutõrjes Vabadussilla kaitsel.

1943 a. sügisel lahkus salaja Loksa lähistelt väikese paadiga Soome ja astus vabatahtlikult Soome armeesse. Pärast lühikest väljaõpet oli rindel Rajajoel. Eesti rügemendi JR-200 formeerimisel saadeti tankitõrje kooli Huuhanmäel ja sealt rindele Viiburi lahe ja Vuokse lõiku.

Autasustatud Soomes 18. aug. 1944. a 2. kl Vabadusmedaliga. Samuti on pälvinud 1941-1944 Kannase Risti, 1941-1945 sõja mälestusmedali, Sinise Risti, Ida- Kannase Risti, 18. (Pajari) diviisi mälestusristi ja Eesti Vabariigi Kaitseministeeriumi poolt Vabadusvõitleja mälestusmedali.

Tuli koos JR-200 tagasi Eestisse 19. augustil 1944. a. Oli Irus Tallinna kaitsel. Lahkus Tallinnast 22. septembril, kui venelased olid juba linnas sees. Evakueeriti Saaremaalt põleva laevaga “Essberger” 29. septembril Saksamaale Gotenhafeni. Elas Saksamaal, Poolas ja Austrias.

Pärast sõja lõppu 1945. a oli DP laagris Saksamaal Bayeris Weissenburgi linnas, eestlaste laagri juht maist-septembrini 1945. a, kultuuriala juhataja juulist-oktoobrini 1946. a. 30. juulil 1945. a võttis ette kardetava retke venelaste poolt okupeeritud Tsehhimaale ühe eesti perekonna päästmiseks, kes oli kahjuks juba küüditatud. Osales USA tsooni Eestlaste Keskesinduse kujundamise koosolekul Wiesbadenis 15. aug. 1945. a. Weissenburgi laagri esindajana.

Õppis Erlangeni Ülikoolis arstiteadust 1946.-1948. a. Samal ajal võttis aktiivselt osa Weissenburgi laagri kultuurielust, lauldes muu hulgas solistina rahvusvahelistel kontsertidel.

Olude sunnil katkes 1948. a edasiõppimine Saksamaal ja emigreerus Inglismaale, kus algas sunduslik villavabrikutöölise elu Yorkshire’is, esialgu Keighley’is ja hiljem Bradford’is. Laulis kohalikus eesti meeskooris “Koit”. Koor esines muu seas ka Londonis Royal Albert Hall’is ühel kontserdil.

Inglismaalt siirdus oma tulevase abikaasa Valvega 1950. a juunis kaubalaevaga “Lidvard” Austraaliasse, kus abiellus 29. juulil samal aastal. Poeg Andres Rae sündis 23. septembril 1965 a. Poeg on lõpetanud Monash Ülikooli B.A. ja B.Bus. ja töötab Melbourne’is managerina ühes erafirmas.

    Austraalias alustas jälle olude sunnil tööd vabrikutöölisena, esialgu Astor Raadios, siis Rodd metallitööstuses ja valukojas, peatselt aga Myer Departmentstore büroos, ning hiljem ühes arhitektuuribüroos.

    Töö kõrval alustas õpinguid arhitektuuri alal Royal Melbourne Technical College’is ja hiljem Melbourne Ülikooli Arhitektuuri Ateljees. Lõpetas College’i 1956. a Dip. Arch. kvalifikatsiooniga ja Ateljee hindega First Class Honours ning eriauhinnaga. Õppis Melbourne Ülikoolis töö kõrval, saavutades B. Arch. kraadi 1966. a.

    Töötanud Victoria Osariigi Arhitektuuri Büroos (30.aug 1954-22. märts 1963), alul joonestajana, lõpuks vanema arhitektina; hiljem partnerina oma firmas ja iseseisva arhitektina. Kavandanud koole, ülikooliehitusi, büroosid, raamatukogusid, motelle ja eramuid.

    Õpetanud arhitektuuri Melbourne Ülikooli Arhitektuuri Ateljees 1958-1959. a. 1963.a saadik korraline õppejõud Melbourne Ülikoolis, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, 1967. a vanemlektor. Õppealadeks arhitektuuri teooria ja disain. 1984.a kuni erru minekuni 1991.a Melbourne Ülikooli suure, vana ja prestiizse arhitektuuri ja ehitusosakonna asejuhataja. Pärast erru minekut samas Senior Academic Associate ja 1999-2003. a Senior Fellow. 1960ndate aastate alguses koordineeris majanduslikult väga edukat teaduskonna ülesehitamise aktsiooni. Oli La-Trobe University Housing direktor 1971-1989. a. (18. a). On Fellow Royal Australian Institute of Architects ja registreeritud arhitekt.

    Olnud liige: The Royal British Institute of Architects, People and Physical Environment Research (Austraalia)- juhatuse liige (7 a), International Association for People-Environment Studies (Inglismaa), Environmental Design Research Association (USA), Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies- asutavas juhatuses Austraalias. Sissekanne teoses ”Eesti teadlased väljaspool kodumaad”, Stockholm 1982.

    Oli Victoria osariigi valitsuse juures tegutsenud Victoria Family Council’i arhitektide allkomitee liige. Olnud mitmete arhitektuuri-võistluste auhindamiskomisjoni liige, korraldanud teaduslikke konverentse ja avaldanud kirjutusi arhitektuuri alal.

    Mitmel korral olnud õppereisidel Euroopas, Aasias, Kanadas ja USA-s ning võtnud osa teaduslikest konverentsidest. Ühel sellisel reisil, 3. mail 1972. a kaaperdati lennuk Türgis teel Ankarast Istanbuli, kus perekond veetis ligi kaks päeva terroristide valduses Sofias Bulgaarias.

    On võtnud osa Melbourne eestlaskonna ja balti rahvaste kultuurilisest tegevusest. Laulnud nii kvartettides kui Eesti Meeslaulu Selts Melbourne’is; oli EMSM 40.a juubelialbumi toimetaja. Kuulunud EELK Melbourne Pauluse koguduse nõukokku ja juhatustesse 1973. a saadik, usaldusmees 1973-1996 (23 a), abiesimees 1993-1996. Tartu Kivisilla Taastamise Fond Austraalias komitee liige (1993-1995).

    Melboune’is toimunud ESTO’88 kongresside, konverentside ja kokkutulekute peakorraldaja; üliõpilasorganisatsioonide ja Korp! Ugala ülemaailmse 75.a juubelit korraldava komitee esimees. Austraalia Eesti Seltside Liidu juhatuse liige 1991-1993 (organisatsioonid ja arhiiv), 2009-2011 aseesimees ja Rahvuskapitali juhataja; 2014-2018 aseesimees Melbourne’is, juhatuses kokku 10. a. Victoria osariigi Haridusministeeriumi juures tegutsenud eesti keele õppetöö komisjoni esimees ja retsensent 1993-2001.a (9 a). Kirjutanud artikleid (29) ajalehele “Meie Kodu”.

    Korporatsioon Ugala Melbourne Osakonna scriba 30. märtsist 1979-30. märtsini 1984 (5 a), Austraalia Koondise senior (esimees) 30. märtsist 1984 kuni tänaseni (37 a), sellest viis ja pool aastat (1. juuli 1987-1. jaan. 1993) ülemaailmse Korp! Ugala Peakoondise senior, oli “Ugalensis XI” toimetuse kolleegiumi liige. Avaldanud artikleid ugalensiste ja Korp! Ugala kohta ajalehes “Meie Kodu” ja raamatus “Eestlased Austraalias ja Uus Meremaal II”. Korp! Ugala ürituste,
    kommersside ja Balti Kommersside organiseerija. Üks suuremaid Korp! Ugala toetajaid. Austraalia Koondise juures tegutsenud Korp! Ugala Tartu Maja ja üliõpilasi toetavate fondide koordineerija.

    On pälvinud Melbourne Eesti Ühing “Kodu” tunnustuskirja rahvuslikkuse edasikandjana ja eestluse säilitamisel Melbourne’is. Autasustatud E.V. Presidendi poolt 6. veebruaril 2006 Valgetähe V klassi ordeniga.

    KIRJED MILLE AUTORIKS ON RAIVO RÄHNI

    (ilmumise järjekorras)

    1. Rindemehe esimesi muljeid uues kodus. Soome Armee JR 200, 14. kompanii (Tankitõrjekompanii) Album , Huuhanmäki, 1944, lk 7-9.
    2. Flexibility and Adaptability in Context. Built Form and Flexibility. Department of Architecture and Building, The University of Melbourne, 1982.
    3. Rahni, Raivo and Rudolf, Lisle. Physical and Spatial Determinants of Building Flexibility- A Passive Approach. Built Form and Flexibility. Department of Architecture and Building, The University of Melbourne, 1982.
    4. Meinhard V. Otsa sünnipäeva pühitsemine. Meie Kodu, Sydney, 30. jaan. 1985.
    5. Meinhard V. Ots in memoriam. Meie Kodu, 7. ja 14. jaan. 1989
    6. Arhitekt Heino Raadik in memoriam. Meie Kodu, 14. veebr. 1990 lk 3.
    7. Seitsmekümneviiendaks aastapäevaks. Ugalensis XI, Korp! Ugala kirjastus, 1990, lk 2.
    8. Korporatsioon Ugala 75. aastapäeva ülemaailmne tähistamine Melbourne’is. Ugalensis XI, Korp! Ugala kirjastus, 1990, lk 60-62
    9. Arhitekt Ernst Kesa eluloost ja tööst, Meie Kodu, 5. dets. 1990, lk 3.
    10. Korporatsioon Ugala 80. aastane. Meie Kodu, 17. nov. 1993, lk 4.
    11. Ajaloolisi killukesi Tartu Kivisillast. Meie Kodu,19. jaan. 1994, lk 6.
    12. Korporatsioon Ugala. Eestlased Austraalias ja Uus-MeremaaI II, Teine väljaanne, Austraalia Eesti Seltside Liit, Melbourne 1995, lk 103-107.
    13. Thomas Rossmann 80. aastane. Meie Kodu, 25. märts 1998, lk 4
    14. Korp! Ugala Koondis Austraalias 1989-1998. Ugalensis XII, Korporatsioon Ugala kirjastus, Tartu 1998, lk 31-36.
    15. EMSM koorijuht Ausma Taves 75. aastane. Meie Kodu, 9. dets 1998, lk 4.
    16. Kasper Maidre in memoriam. Meie Kodu, jaan. 1999, lk 6.
    17. Roa Ole 75. aastane. Meie Kodu, 31. märts 1999, lk 4.
    18. Eevald Mõisa 75 ja Peep Mõisa 50. Meie Kodu, 8. august 2001, lk 4.
    19. M.E.Ü.K. Naiskoori pidu „Väike kabaree“. Meie Kodu, 2. mai 2007, lk 1.
    20. Võidupüha-jaanipidu Melbourne’is. Meie Kodu, 18. juuli 2007, lk 1.
    21. XXII Eesti Päevade avamine. Meie Kodu, 12. dets. 2007, lk 1.
    22. XXII Eesti Päevade avapidu-kabaree. Meie Kodu, 23. jaan. 2008, lk 4.
    23. XXII Eesti Päevade kikilipsu maskiball. Meie Kodu, 6. veebr. 2008, lk 1.
    24. Palju õnne! Thomas Rossmann 90. aastane. Meie Kodu, 30. aprill 2008, lk 5.
    25. Austraalia koondis aastatel 1999-2008. Korp! Ugala 95, Ugalensis XIV. Väljaandja
      Korporatsioon Ugala Vilistlaskogu, Tartu 2008, lk 8-12.
    26. Mälestusi korp! Ugala taastamisest Eestis. Korp! Ugala 95, Ugalensis XIV.
      Väljaandja Korporatsioon Ugala Vilistlaskogu, Tartu 2008, lk 81-83.
    27. M.E.Ü. „Kodu” Naiskoori pidu “Kuldsed vestid”. Meie Kodu, 3. dets. 2008, lk 1
    28. Roa Ole in memoriam. Meie Kodu, 25. märts 2009, lk 7.
    29. Võidupüha ja jaanipidu Melbourne’is. Meie Kodu, 8. juuli 2009, lk 5.
    30. M.E.Ü.K. Naiskoori 50.a juubeli kontsert-pidu. Meie Kodu, 14. nov. 2009, lk 4.
    31. ”Kirjud Vestid” videofilmide esietendus, Meie Kodu, 22. juuni 2011, lk 4.
    32. Leonhard Praks 100. Meie Kodu, 12. oktoober 2011, lk 4.
    33. M.E.Ü.K. Naiskoori kontsert-pidu “Armastus”. Meie Kodu, 30. nov. 2011, lk 4
    34. Raivo Rähni. Meie Kodu nr 48, 14. dets 2011, lk 3, foto
    35. Terroristide võimuses. Meie Kodu, 25. aprill 2012, lk 6, fotod.
    36. Arvi Vainomäe in memoriam. Meie Kodu, 25. september 2013, lk10.
    37. Korporatsioon Ugala 100. Meie Kodu, 6. november 2013, lk 6-7.
    38. 1941 Mass Deportations. Meie Kodu, 15. juuli 2015, lk 11, foto
    39. Retk Tsehhoslovakkiasse 1945.a. Meie Kodu 29. juuli 2015, lk 8, foto

    KIRJED SEOSES ELUKUTSEGA

    Ülikooli õppealade- disain, arhitektuuri teooria, Technical Essay, Investigation Projects, Research Reports programmid: Melbourne’i Ülikooli Arhitektuuri Ateljee 1958-1959 ja Melbourne’i Ülikooli Faculty of Architecture and Building 1963-1993, kokku circa 100 ürikut või 3000 lk.

    Mitmed sajad joonestused ja spetsifikatsioonid arhitektina.

    KIRJED SEOSES KORP! UGALAGA

    Korp! Ugala ringkirjad mille autoriks on Raivo Rähni: Melbourne osakonna ringkirjad 1979-1984; Austraalia koondise ringkirjad 1984-2016- kokku 110 ringkirja, 311 lk. Materjal kuni 2010. aastani asub Eesti Rahvusarhiivis (Ajalooarhiiv), Tartu, koos Austraalia koondise
    arhiiviga, tähis EAA. 5445 (Pr Kaja Pullonen).

      MÕNINGAD KIRJUTUSED VÕI NIMETUSED RAIVO RÄHNI KOHTA

      (ilmumise järjekorras)

      Koolides lõppes õppetöö. Gümnaasiumi lõpetas Tartus ligi 400 noort. Hugo Treffneri nimelise Gümnaasiumi lõpetasid:…üks lõpetajaist oli Raivo Rähni… Postimees 1943 a. Tartu (kuupäev teadmata).

      Koolituskeskusest tuleliinile. Lehekülgi 14. kompanii päevikust. Rindel 18. juulil 1944…. Kell 16.00 saabus stm. Rähni kompanii ülema käsuga hakata kohe liikuma. Soomepoiste ajakiri Põhjala Tähistel Nr 13, 1971, lk 19. Soomepoiste Klubi Torontos.

      Best of open plans. Joint winners Raivo Rahni and John F. Swan. Australian Home Beautiful, May 1957, lk 54, foto. Ühe lehküljeline kirjeldus koos elumaja plaani ja autorite lühielulugude ning piltidega.

      Trett, L. Balli Meeleolus. Meie Kodu, 28. jaan 1965. Intervjuu Raivo Rähniga tema tööst arhitektina ja ülikooli õppejõuna.

      New Motel is the last word in comfort. Riverina Herald, April 7, 1965, lk 5. Kirjeldus ja pilt Raivo Rähni poolt kavandatud motellist.

      Home- A.D. 2000 Style. The Sun, April 24, 1968, lk 8. Artikkel intervjuust arhitektuuri lektori R. Rähniga koos kirjelduse ja piltidega tema tudengite töödest.

      Burton, Graham. Here are the winners. H.I.A. Home of the year contest. The Age, June 28, 1968, lk 14. Üks kolmest zürii liikmest oli Mr Ray Rahni, Senior Lecturer, School of Architecture, Melbourne University.

      Minister for Housing presents awards for HIA Homes of the Year. Housing Australia, July 1968, lk 18. Üks kolmest zürii liikmest oli Mr Ray Rahni, Senior Lecturer, School of Architecture, Melbourne University.

      Sterling, Zoe. Anyone want a Synagogue? The Australian Jewish News, November 26, 1971, lk 17 ja 18. Kirjeldus koos piltidega R. Rähni tudengite töödest.

      Autor? Hijack demand: “Free 6 in jail”. The Herald, Melbourne Australia, 3. mai 1972. Kirjeldus lennuki kaaperdamisest Türgis, mille pardal oli Raivo Rähni koos perekonnaga.

      Hijackers held boy, 6. The Herald, Melbourne, Australia, 4. May 1972. Kirjeldus reisijate vabanemisest kaaperdatud lennukist, kaasaarvatud Raivo Rähni koos perekonnaga.

      Prof Lewis, Brian. I did it my way. Melbourne School of Architecture Magazine “Act?”, October 1974, lk 15. Koolijuhataja avaldus, et arhitektuuri hoone eduka raha ja materjalide korjanduse läbiviijaks oli Ray Rähni.

      Great Hall for LaTrobe. The University of Melbourne Staff News, August 1980. Artikkel intervjuust Melbourne ülikooli vanem-lektori Raivo Rähniga tema pikaajalisest koostööst LaTrobe ülikooliga, koos ülikooli rektori professor John Scott’i, Raivo Rähni ja ühe tudengi auditooriomi kavandi mudeli pildiga.

      Jürissaar, Ottniell. Kevade tüdrukud, Tallinn 1993, lk 108. Kirjeldus esinemisest kontserdil: “Selle pausi ajal juhtus aga kohutav õnnetus, mis tahtis mind puruks ja põrmuks muuta. Nimelt laulis mu klassivend, mu hea sõber Raivo Rähni. Ta polnud kunagi….”

      Game, Peter. Hijack! A Family’s 30 hours of terror. The Herald, Melbourne, Australia, 29. Oct. 1977, lk 25 & 27. Üksikasjalisem kirjeldus lennuki kaaperdamisest ja Raivo Rähni ning ta perekonna läbielamustest, foto.

      Ve Em. Tartu Ülikooli 350. a juubeli aktus-pidu Melbourne’is. Meie Kodu, 20. okt. 1982, lk 3. Raivo Rähni kõne kokkuvõte ja foto.

      Künnapas, Teodor (toim). Eesti teadlased väljaspool kodumaad. Eesti Teadusliku Instituudi toimetised, Stockholm 1984, lk 109. Biograafilised andmed.

      Kreem, Robert. Vandega seotud, London, Ontario, Canada, 1984. „Noored Ülikoolides“, lk 215, kirjeldus tudengite elamisest Erlangeni ülikoolis :….„kõnnilõppija Raivo Rähni“. Ots, Meinhard. Arhitekt Raivo Rähni 60. a. Meie Kodu, 30. jaan. 1985, lk 3, foto

        Overseas graduates visited. Archifax. Department of Architecture and Building, The University of Melbourne magasin, vol 1, oktoober 1989. Kirjeldus Raivo Rähni ja abikaasa ametlikust kohtumisest ülikooli lõpetajatega Singapuris ja Hong Kongis, koos piltidega.

        Retiring lecturers farewelled. The University of Melbourne News, vol 5, nr 1, veebruar 1991, lk 2. Nelja õppejõu erruminek. Kirjeldus koos pildiga.

        Austraalia Eesti Seltside Liit. Eestlased Austraalias ja Uus-Meremaal, Teine väljaanne, Austraalia Eesti Seltside Liidu juhatused- 1991, lk 261 ja 1992, lk 263., kirjeldused koos piltidega.

        Vabaduse eest: soomepoiste lühielulood, toimetanud Margus Leemets. Soome Sõjaveteranide Eesti Ühendus, 1997, lk 297. Lühike elulugu ja pilt.

        Eesti Taasiseseisvumise X aastapäeva tähistamine Melboure’is 26.08.2001, Raivo Rähni avasõna. Meie Kodu, 5. september 2001, lk1.

        Toom, Glory. Soome Vabariigi 90. sünnipäev Melbourne’is. Meie Kodu, 12. dets. 2007, lk 6. Kirjeldus Raivo Rähni osavõtust Soome Vabariigi 60. aastapäeva pidustustest, foto.

        Isohella, Anne-Riitta. Soomepoisid. Soome Sõjaveteranide Eesti Ühendus, Tallinn 2008, lk 213: „Publikule esitati Rodolfo aaria Puccini ooperist La Boheme, mida esitas soomusjääger Raivo Rähni“.

        Meie Kodu tänab koostöö eest. Raivo Rähni, Meie Kodu, 14. dets. 2011, lk 3, pilt.

        Tiit Lääne, Enn Hallik. Soomepoiss Raivo Rähni lahkus põleva laevaga vabadusse. Viimase laevaga vabadusse. Meritsi maailma läinud eestlaste lood IV, lk 18-37. MTÜ Paduvere Talumuuseumi Selts, 2015.

        Soomepoiste Elulood, Grenader Grupp OÜ, 2015, lk 354. Lühike elulugu ja pilt.

        Laul, Epp. 75th Commemoration of Mass Baltic Deportations. Meie Kodu, 22. juuni 2016, lk 7. Nimetus Raivo Rähni kõnest üritusel.

        Laul, Epp. Melbourne’s Independence Day Celebrations. Meie Kodu, 22. märts 2017, lk 1 ja 7. Nimetus Raivo Rähnile M.E.Ü “Kodu” tunnustuskirja andmisest, pilt.

        Tallinna Ülikooli Väliseesti isikud- andmebaas VEPER: Raivo Rähni (puudulik informatsioon).

        Kalm, Mart. Teos teadmata. Arhitektid paguluses lk 111: “Austraalias Melbourne’i ülikoolis õpetas kaua palju kavandanud Raivo Rähni”.

        ISIKLIK

        Raivo Rähni lühielulugu, 2 lk, koos muu materjaliga: korp! Ugala privaat, Tartu, Eesti.

        Raivo Rähni Elu Lugu, 330 lk, käsikiri, hoiul- õde Mall Klaas, Kose Eesti.

        kino! kodust (from home) – “KANNIKAS KANNIKA VASTU” (1978)

        By
        Lachlan Bell
        -
        0

        Tere kõigile, Lachlan here! Thank you to all who could make it to our Kino screening on Sunday, 7th July for Emadepäev (Mother’s Day) and Kannikas kannika vastu (Bread vs. Bread), we had a fantastic turnout and even got some of the original 1978 cast together. It was a very special night allowing for the film to be appreciated by all with new subtitles, intro and rolling credits added as well.

        As part of our dedication to making kino more accessible to our community both interstate and overseas, Olev Muska and I have decided to make the film freely viewable online via Dropbox with the link below. This link will remain accessible and we just ask that it is only distributed for non-commercial purposes. 

        You can view the film here by clicking the link below:
        https://www.dropbox.com
        Included are some film notes with reviews and a post-mortem compiled by Olev

        Without the attempts at digitising and salvaging the film by Olev Muska, this would not be possible to share online and perhaps be lost to time, so again thank you for your efforts and dedication to preserving a snapshot in time. You can see the large amount of work that went into this film, from it’s cast, costumes, set design, visual effects and more. I hope this inspires more young people to pick up the camera and start creating, our community has so many stories and tall tales that deserve to be on the screen. 

        Perhaps one day a short film competition could be arranged coinciding with a Sydney Eesti Päevad perhaps? I would love to see the Estonian Film Festival (EFFA) from December 2012 brought back as an ongoing event! We need more ambitious planning and programming across our communities and new stories that speak to who we are here in the Australian diaspora.

        I want to personally thank minu ema, Mai Bell, who has tirelessly turned up and helped support me run the nights both with bump in, cooking and bump out/cleanup. Thank you for always being there! Also big ups to all the Kino fans who turned up regardless of the weather and those that would stick around to move chairs and pack up tables. Your help did not go unnoticed and made running the nights all the worthwhile. I also want to thank Leen and Siimon who started the nights back in October 2010 – which previously ran it on the last Friday of every month. Siimon generously passed on the collection of DVDs they had amassed to assist with screenings!

        If you are interested in helping run movie nights at Sydney Eesti Maja, please contact me via kino.sydney@eesti.org.au or lachlan.bell@eesti.org.au and get in touch! We have a few interested parties and a committee may be the most logical step in making the nights easier to run.

        Head isu eesti rahvas ja jätku leiba, Lachlan

        Kino! was kindly supported by Sydney Eesti Selts and a grant from the Estonian Cultural Foundation in Estonia (ECFA).

        June in Review (2024)

        By
        Johanna Rivers
        -
        0

        📣 We’re experimenting with a new news format for everything Estonian in Australia! You’ll find a summary of national and local community stories from this past month, as well as events coming up next month. What do you think? We’d love your feedback: contact us.

        Have news or thoughts to share? Write to us: news [at] eesti.org.au

        Key insights

        News around Australia

        See more national news →

        Family Stories

        Upcoming Events

        See our Events Calendar for everything →

        Recurring Events

        Folk Dancing

        Do you have news or thoughts to share?

        Please get in touch by emailing news [at] eesti.org.au

        We are striving to improve communications among Estonian communities in Australia so that everybody can have the opportunity to share and hear about news and events.

        Ultimately, the community gets what the community gives – we are humbly asking for your support. If there are events or news you know about, or have some thoughts or experiences you’d like to share, please reach out to us. Check out Submission Guidelines here or write to us at media [at] eesti.org.au with your questions or comments.

        Follow us here or join our Facebook page for the latest updates on our Media Project.

        kino! movie night – 7th July “EMADEPÄEV” (2016) & “KANNIKAS KANNIKA VASTU” (1978)

        By
        Lachlan Bell
        -
        0

        Tere tere kino huvilised! The next screening for kino! comes around this Sunday 7th July with doors open at 5:00pm at Sydney Eesti Maja for a special showing of some local movie magic. This will be the last Kino I (Lachlan) host as the organiser (I’m off to Eesti, tšau!) and if anyone is interested in helping organising nights, please contact me at kino.sydney@eesti.org.au

        In July, kino! is screening the short film Emadepäev / Mother’s Day (2016) and Kannikas kannika vastu / Bread vs. Bread (1978). These two films explore rivalries, in-fighting and the age-old debate, which is the superior bread, white or black? And a double-feature of Juhan Lübek!

        Lachlan Bell’s (it feels strange writing in the third person) short film Emadepäev / Mother’s Day (2016) makes it’s world-premiere made by the then-18-year-old student straight out of Ryde Secondary College! The 8-minute film, limited in length by the HSC graders, is a one-room chamber piece bringing together Jüri (Juhan Lübek), Alvar (Kieran Scott) and Ema (Malle Lehtsalu) around the külmlaud.

        The work was birthed as an Extension 2 English Major Work for the HSC and has never been shown to a public audience before, so be prepared for some teenage anxiety and ‘deep’ commentary on the politics of family. Bring your ema (and vanaema) along and share in some family trauma bonding.

        Our feature film is Kannikas kannika vastu / Bread vs. Bread (1978), making it’s remastered debut 46 years from its premiere on the on the 27 December 1978 at the ‘KASEPLANKA’ Noorteõhtu at Paddington Town Hall as part of the 10th Estonian Festival.

        Directed by Olev Salasoo and conceptualised by Olev Muska, Lembit Suur, Juhan Lübek, Olev Salasoo, Lembit Salasoo, Sulev Kalamäe and Harald Mirlieb in the sauna (naturally), it features an exhaustive list of familiar fresh-faced pillars of our community here in Sydney.

        For those out of the loop, Kannikas kannika vastu was originally damaged at it’s debut screening by a certain squirrel a few hours prior in 1978. With the best intentions possible of making the film as clear and crisp as possible, and having already having tested the metho on another film reel as a precaution – all 600ft of Super8 film – a year and a half’s work – was wiped with methylated spirits hours beforehand and was packed away for the 9:30pm screening.

        Only then would the damage be seen. The spirits had seeped into the film and warped it and the cotton wool had rubbed off the top layer of the magnetic audio track. The horror! Thankfully, in 2020, Olev Muska had 11 reels of past Super8 film – experiments, documentation and productions created during our youth escapades between the years 1974 to 1980 – digitised in Estonia including lesser-known short films such as Esto oli aus saunapoika (1976) and Kolm rootslast Austraalias (1979-80).

        Of those, Kannikas Kannika Vastu (Bread v. Bread) was salvaged and represents the peak of the groups achievement in filmmaking. Now remastered, translated with subtitles for new audiences, this rare piece of extant media remains as a snapshot of the Sydney-Estonian youth’s antics and tomfoolery.

        A film about the most infamous bakery rivalry never known to the Estonian diaspora, the 50min comedy drama examines the politics of identity, affiliation and taste and the tale of an Estonian population torn asunder. The two big pigs of the baking scene, Anton Sähk Tõrv and Peeter Andrus Piig, settle their disputes through petty gang warfare and tit for tats. A tale of revenge, plotting, love and an equal amount of both violence and vulgarity, this film is definitely not for children. Please note that there are some graphic scenes depicting both physical and sexual violence.

        On the film, past reviews have notes: “How ugly! Phooie!”, “All the drinking and swearing, we’re not like that!”, “Don’t our young people have any sense of aesthetics?”, “We expected something better for so much work and money!” and best of all “There is so much beauty in life, why didn’t our young people make a movie about that?!”.

        As part of this special screening, there is a mandatory dress code for atendees! The theme is ’Black vs. White’. The rules are simple, no other colours are allowed, only white or black dress. Anyone not to dress code must pay $5 to enter. Show your inventiveness, allegiance and affiliation – Bonegilla vs. Bathurst, the ultimate showdown. There will be a prize for best dressed, judged by myself, Mai Bell and a surprise guest judge.

        Warm dress is highly recommended!

        Same as always, doors open at 5pm, films start at 5:30
        Mai in the kitchen will be serving up our world-famous and hot classic ‘estoasties’ in black and white bread of course!

        Jätku leiba, Lachlan!

        EVENT DETAILS 

        Date: 7th July, 2024
        Admission: Free
        Doors open: 5:00pm
        Film starts: 5:30 pm
        10-minute intermission: from 5:45 pm
        Language: Estonian with English subtitles​
        Address: 141 Campbell St, Surry Hills, NSW, 2010
        Parking: Free on Sundays along Reservoir St, Samuel St and Goodchap St

        Kino! is kindly supported by Sydney Eesti Selts and a grant from the Estonian Cultural Foundation in Estonia (ECFA)

        Seeking Australian Estonians who live or work in Surry Hills for new TV series

        By
        Kristi Barrow
        -
        0

        Do you live in Surry Hills?

        Do you have any burning questions about your family history?

        Are you curious to know what your DNA might reveal about the history of Australia?

        We are making a documentary series in association with Ancestry.com and want to hear from you.

        If you are over 18 and want to know more please visit https://casting.lumi.media/a5ba3507-e45b-46aa-a34a-e07b22b0fb5b/register

        or email us at sdna@eurekaproductions.au

        About Eureka
        Eureka is part of the global-reaching Fremantle Group and we have made a raft of successful programmes such as Grand Designs Australia, Restoration Australia, the Recording Studio, This Is Going to Be Big and Tony Armstrong’s Extra-Ordinary Things.

        As far from Europe as possible – The Talmet family story

        By
        Maie Barrow
        -
        0

        A Message from Maie Barrow:

        As a long time member of the Mass Flight committee of the Estonian World Council, this project is very dear to my heart. I donated to honour my mother who left her family and homeland with a suitcase in one hand and a 2 year old daughter in the other. She boarded a ship for war-torn Germany, taking a leap into the unknown to keep me safe and grasp a chance of a better life for me. She did not know whether she would ever see my father again nor did she know what the future held for us, but she did know that it was not safe for us to stay.

        The statement “Do not want to go but can not stay” applied to us as well as thousands of other Estonians.

        I am grateful to my parents for all the sacrifices that they made to give my brother and me the best life possible and for bringing me up to be proud of my Estonian heritage. It is thanks to people like my parents and hundreds of other Estonians in Australia that our community has the chance to appreciate our cultural heritage here in Australia.

        This story was reproduced with permission in support of the Mass Flight Memorial. It originally appeared in Signals Magazine (Issue #111), posted by Kim Tao via the Maritime Museum. If you have a story to share about your family’s mass flight experience, please write to us at news@eesti.org.au

        In the aftermath of World War II, many displaced Europeans migrated to far-flung nations, including Australia, in search of a better future. The Talmet family fled Soviet rule to settle in Adelaide, building a new life from very little.

        In September 1944, on the eve of the Soviet invasion of Nazi-occupied Estonia, Dagy Talmet (1915–1986) fled her hometown of Tallinn with a small suitcase in one hand and her two-year-old daughter Maie in the other. Her husband Osvald Talmet (1912–2004) was a pilot in the Estonian Air Force (then part of the German military forces), which had withdrawn to Germany ahead of the Soviet advance. Osvald knew that if his wife and daughter remained in Estonia, they would likely be deported to a forced labour camp in Siberia. He arranged for them to be evacuated from Tallinn on the German hospital ship Moero.

        As Dagy did not want to leave on her own, she convinced her sister Olga to go with her. Olga was very practical and packed food and warm clothing for their escape. By the time they reached Tallinn harbour the hospital ship was already full, carrying more than 1,000 wounded soldiers and civilians. They boarded a smaller ship, Lapland, which formed part of a convoy that made a timely departure from Tallinn on the night of 21 September 1944. The next day the Soviets marched into the capital, re-occupying Estonia for nearly half a century (Estonia achieved full independence from the Soviet Union in 1991).

        The Talmet family in Estonia, 1943. Reproduced courtesy Maie Barrow.
        The refugee’s last glimpse of Tallinn in flames, 1944. Reproduced courtesy Estonian Archives in Australia.

        During the night Lapland sailed south through the Baltic Sea and in the morning Dagy heard planes flying overhead. She had been accustomed to the sound as Osvald always flew over their home in Tallinn to let her know that he had returned from each mission. As she went below deck, a number of Soviet planes dropped bombs on their convoy. Lapland managed to pull out of the way but Moero was hit and sank, drowning more than 600 people – the majority of whom were Estonian refugees.

        Lapland arrived safely into the German port city of Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland) and as Dagy had papers to identify herself as the wife of an Air Force officer, she and Maie were permitted to travel on troop trains. With five other Air Force wives and their children, Dagy and Maie made their way across Germany, at times just 20 or 30 kilometres ahead of the front line. Where the railway tracks had been bombed out, they left the train and walked until they found another railway line, which would eventually take them into Bavaria in south-east Germany. They arrived late at night to a railway hotel, and the next morning, Dagy opened the curtains to reveal a panorama of the Bavarian Alps. It was the most beautiful sight she had seen in a long time.

        Maie Talmet in the Displaced Persons camp, Bavaria, Germany, 1947–48. Reproduced courtesy Maie Barrow. 

        Dagy and Maie remained in Bavaria until the end of World War II, when they were put into a Displaced Persons camp in Augsburg, and then Wielandshag, in the American zone of Allied-occupied Germany. Osvald, meanwhile, who had been taken as a prisoner-of-war, had no identification papers and no way of knowing where his wife and daughter were. Dagy eventually managed to locate Osvald with the assistance of the Red Cross and the family was reunited at Wielandshag. 

        Like many others in the DP camp, the Talmet family had hoped that when the war was over, the Soviets would withdraw from Estonia and they could return home. By 1946, however, they had come to the realisation that this was unlikely and they aimed to get as far from Europe, and Soviet influence, as possible. 

        Maie and Dagy Talmet on the deck of Oxfordshire in Adelaide, 1949. Reproduced courtesy Maie Barrow.
        Dagy and Maie Talmet arriving in Adelaide, 1949. Reproduced courtesy Maie Barrow.

        Osvald made applications to emigrate to America, Canada or Australia. The American government didn’t favour applicants who had been in the German forces, while the Canadian government wanted young, single migrants. The Australian government was receptive to family groups and the ‘beautiful Balts’, with their blonde hair and blue eyes, were considered ideal immigrants who would blend in and help boost Australia’s post-war population and workforce. 

        Osvald migrated to Australia first, travelling under a sponsored scheme that required him to work for the Australian government for two years in exchange for an assisted passage. He departed from Bremerhaven, Germany, on SS Svalbard and arrived in Sydney in October 1948. Osvald was sent to the Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre near Wodonga, Victoria, and was given the choice of three assignments, the first of which was digging trenches for the new sewerage system in Adelaide. Fearing that the second and third assignments could be worse, Osvald chose to go to Adelaide. 

        Dagy and Maie migrated the following year, having been placed in an Italian transit camp at Bagnoli, near Naples, before embarking for Adelaide on SS Oxfordshire. For Maie, now seven years old, the voyage through the Suez was a great adventure. Dagy bought a bunch of small bananas from Arab traders in the Red Sea and placed her share of 200 bananas under her bunk. Maie, who had never seen a banana in her entire life, could not resist this sweet temptation. By the end of her mother’s two-hour English class, Maie had eaten all but one of the little bananas! She was rushed off to the ship’s hospital and given a large dose of castor oil.  

        Dagy and Maie arrived at Outer Harbor, Adelaide, in May 1949 and Osvald was there to welcome them, presenting a little doll to Maie across the deck of the ship. The family boarded a train for the Adelaide Hills and as they passed through Largs North in Adelaide’s north-west, Osvald waved at a bare sand hill and exclaimed to his wife, ‘I’ve just bought that block of land for our house!’ When Dagy saw how isolated it was, she burst into tears. 

        Osvald waved at a bare sand hill and exclaimed to his wife, “I’ve just brought that block of land for our house!”.

        In Adelaide Osvald lived in a tent in a work camp while Dagy and Maie spent several weeks at the Woodside Hostel. Before long the family moved to Cheltenham, where they rented two rooms from the local postman. Maie started school at Woodville Primary in June 1949, not knowing any English, apart from the words to the song ‘Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree’, which she had been taught on board Oxfordshire. By the end of the year she had come top of her class, having learnt English through total immersion at school. 

        In 1951 the Talmet family moved into their new house at Largs North, which was built with the help of other Estonian migrants. Osvald, who had completed his compulsory work for the government, found a job at General Motors Holden, while Dagy, who had been a weaver in Estonia, worked at ACTIL (Australian Cotton Textile Industries Limited) in Woodville. Osvald and Dagy, like so many migrants, were prepared to labour in the factories and sacrifice their lifestyles to ensure Maie and her younger brother Erik (born in Adelaide in 1958) could receive a better education. 

        Maie studied chemistry at the University of Adelaide, where she met her future husband Kevin Barrow. In 1966 the couple moved to London and Maie worked as a research assistant to leading Australian chemist Sir Ronald Nyholm at University College London. They returned to Australia in 1973 and settled in Sydney. Following the birth of her two daughters, Anni and Kristi, Maie returned to work as a research assistant at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). She completed a Masters degree in chemistry, studying fungal metabolites, and later worked in the Chancellery at UNSW, as executive assistant to the deputy principal.

        Maie Talmet (second from left) at Woodside Hostel with the doll her father gave her on arrival in Adelaide, 1949. Reproduced courtesy Maie Barrow.
        Maie Talmet in front of the house her father built, Largs North, 1950s. Reproduced courtesy Maie Barrow.
        Maie Barrow at the Estonian Archives in Australia, Sydney, 1998. Reproduced courtesy Maie Barrow.

        In 1994 Maie was attending an Estonian function when she got a tap on the shoulder from community elder Raivo Kalamae, who offered her a voluntary position at the Estonian Archives in Australia in Surry Hills. Not knowing anything about the world of archives, she completed a Masters degree in information management at UNSW and was the archivist at Botany Bay City Council for 15 years. She has been the honorary archivist at the Estonian Archives for the past 20 years and enjoys preserving the heritage and culture of her homeland and introducing it to Australians. 

        Reflecting on her family’s life in Australia, Maie remembers, ‘When my father got here he had to borrow two shillings from a friend so that he could write and tell us that he’d actually arrived. While he was working here, every so often in a letter would be a one pound note he’d managed to save and send to us. We really started from nothing. And that’s why my mother got a job as fast as she could. I don’t think they would complain, I think they would say they had quite a good life here. But it was hard work and it was a hard life to start with.’ 

        This story was collected as part of a campaign in support of the Mass Flight Memorial – a worldwide Estonian diaspora project. AESL are seeking donations until 31 July 2024 to make this monument a reality. Please consider making your donation today. If you, or someone you know, have a story to share about the mass flight experience, please write to us at news@eesti.org.au

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