Memorial for the Estonian Victims of Communism
The memorial is dedicated to all Estonian people who suffered under the terror inflicted by the Soviet Union from 1940 to 1991. As a consequence of this, Estonia lost one of every five persons from its population of slightly over one million, of whom more than 75,000 were murdered, imprisoned or deported.
The Memorial has two parts – the Journey with the name plaques of the 22 000 victims, and the symbolic Home Garden with informative texts and location stones marking sites of terror. A monument to Estonian military officers who fell victim to communist terror is part of the Memorial.
"To reach the home garden, one has to embark on a journey. To embark on a journey, one has to leave the home garden".
The Journey is a 200 meters long corridor with black metal walls. The names of over 22,000 people who never returned home are inscribed on the name plaques of the Journey, symbolising the merciless power of the totalitarian system.
The Home Garden is a place where dreams, memories and the yearning for home are intertwined. Apple trees and honeybees are the symbols of the Home Garden. On the wall facing the Home Garden is an installation of poetic text and 22,000 honeybees to correspond to the number of victims.
A monument to Estonian military officers consists of a wall with the names and hidden photos of the victims.
Concrete, steel, apple trees