Estonian Declaration of Independence
Estonia · 1918
Read Estonian Declaration of Independence by Estonia (1918) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/estonian-declaration-independence-1918.txt.
Description
Estonia's declaration of independence, titled a Manifesto to the Peoples of Estonia, was issued in February 1918. The hosted text is the full English version. It recalls how Estonians kept their hope of freedom alive through centuries of foreign rule. It opens with old lines of national poetry about the hero Kalev coming home to his children.
The Russian Empire was falling apart, and German armies were drawing near. In that hour, the Estonian National Council claimed the right to decide the land's fate. The manifesto declares Estonia an independent, democratic republic with neutral standing. It promises land, rights, and elections to a constituent assembly. It also pledges fair treatment to Russians, Swedes, and Germans living there. German troops seized the country within days, yet the date is still marked as Estonia's birthday.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Estonia |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 1918 |
| COLLECTION | DOCUMENTS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 5 KB |
| RIGHTS | PUBLIC DOMAIN |
| SOURCE | Tower Archive |