Memory Day. Who Went to Siberia in Search of Freedom?

It was a time when the Russian corridors of power were still debating whether Siberia is part of Russia or not. There is no longer any debate about that. Partly because in the 19th century, thousands of men and women travelled from one end of the tsarist empire to the other, attaching this vast territory to the Throne of the Tsar with their work and effort. Among these voluntary colonists were also many Estonian peasants, driven by the dream of having their own piece of land, their own homestead and rights at a time when the power of the landlords still prevailed in the Estonian territories. Who were these people? Where did they go and how did they fare?

Historian Maarja Merivoo-Parro, who has been on expeditions to the Estonian settlements in Russia, along with folklorists Anu Korb and Astrid Tuisk, share their thoughts and impressions, inviting others to join the discussion.