From Delicate Lobby Work to Mass Demonstrations: An Inside Look on the Exile-Estonian Struggle for Keeping the Baltic Question Current

• In Event: Between Hope and Disillusion: Émigré Perspectives on U.S. Cold War Liberationist Ideals

Abstract

In 1948, U.S. Congress passed the Displaced Persons’ Act which opened the doors to an influx of Baltic refugees who were unwilling to return to their Soviet-occupied homelands. Unlike many other receiving nations who imposed strict rules on where and how the new arrivals should work and live, Americans exhibited a rather laissez-faire attitude. This enabled Estonian exiles to climb the socio-economic ladder relatively quickly and reinforced their sense of agency, while both factors were crucial components in the ongoing political struggle for independent Estonia. The close-knit networks created during the years spent in camps had suddenly stretched and covered the whole world and they were indeed put into use to reinforce the non-recognition policy whereby Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania maintained their independence de jure. However, this was no small feat. Realpolitik disciples in the wider community had their own agenda and made their voices heard. In this battle of wills, belief in the Baltic cause transformed into a sort of secular religion. The wide array of activities from lobby work to mass demonstrations can be seen as rites. American politicians and public figures were cast into either the role of saint or sinner and foreign policy standpoints began to influence domestic electoral dynamics.

Author

• Maarja Merivoo-Parro, U of Jyväskylä (Finland)