At the end of our visit to the Vabamu Museum, the question was raised as to how Estonian society perceives Russians and Germans today. During our visit, it was explained that the memory of the Soviet occupation continues to cast a long shadow and has left a profound mark on Estonian (and more broadly, Baltic) society.
Entire generations were compelled to fight for both occupying forces—first for the Soviets, then for the Nazis, and later once again for the Red Army. This historical complexity renders any retrospective distinction between 'guilt' and 'innocence' exceedingly difficult.Many individuals simply tried to manoeuvre their way through the shifting regimes, prioritising survival over ideological alignment.
Our guide pointed out that, from today’s perspective, it may seem easy to pass judgment. However, he emphasized that both the Nazis and, later, the KGB employed a range of tactics to convince or force individuals to collaborate.
It is estimated that over 30,000 people in Estonia collaborated with the KGB, although no official records exist to verify this figure. He suggested that, perhaps, it was for the better that Estonia did not engage in a widespread witch hunt following independence to determine who was guilty and who was not."
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