European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 17, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Freedom1the from its capital to its islands Baltic country ready to Greet visitors by Harold Mcconnell history has dealt Estonia the staunch Little Baltic nation of 1.5 million a pretty Tough hand. But its people have come through smiling and confident. When you come to visit them in an area about the size of Denmark Belgium or Switzerland you feet and breathe this unquenchable spirit of Independence. The estonians have just recently in August 1991 thrown off the shackles of nearly five decades of soviet occupation. Now they Are ready to Greet tourists warmly and make them feel at Home. Freedom is in the air. Their roots go Back to about 6000 . When the area was settled by Finno Ugric tribes. They have survived invasions by Danes poles and swedes and mainly by germans and russians. Through it All the estonians have maintained their ideals language and culture. And a Rich culture it is. Tallinn the capital City of about 500,000, dates to the 12th Century. Here you will find museums Heaters concert Halls movies several Good hotels a number of restaurants and shops beaches and the olympic yachting Center for water sports. Most fascinating perhaps is the City s old town. One could spend Days wandering its streets browsing in its shops and gawking at the architecture. Its towers churches and old buildings Are marvelous studies in Antiquity. E s t o in i a an crowded byways thread through the old City of Tallinn Estonia s capital. National geographic we climbed a Long stairway up Cathedral Hill to a Point that offered a View of the old town Skyline broken by Church Spires and towers rising above the walled City. Farther on artists were Selling their paintings. We stopped for a look inside the old russian orthodox Cathedral built in 1895, walked past too pea Palace and past a House built by Peter the great in 1711. Inside the 14th-Century Church of the holy ghost we were told that the first estonian language school was started there in 1535, with 20 persons attending. The altar dating to 1483, and the stained Glass windows were especially appealing. In the museum our guide related Estonia s history As we walked around and viewed its Many exhibits and artefacts. The 17th Century when swedes ruled Estonia was a relatively Happy time he noted. In the Spring of 1992, King Carl Xvi Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden were warmly greeted on a visit to Estonia. Strolling on we paused to Admire the old red roofed artillery Tower called Kiek in de Kok peek into the Kitchen. From the Tower you can peek into the kitchens of nearby houses hence the name. Built in the 15th Century it has Cannon balls embedded in its Walls. Inside it has an exhibit of medieval relics and armaments. At one Point we paused to View rubble from a bombed out theater building. A sign posted at the site recalled the March 9, 1944, air raid by the soviets in their drive to recapture Estonia from the germans. The continued on Page a february 17, 1994 stripes Magazine