The Philatelist has done several stamps of countries trying to break away from Russia after the 1917 revolutions. They usually failed when the Red Army showed up. Uniquely though, the Estonians beat the Red Army and this gave veterans a surprising power in independent Estonia. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
The stamp is really poorly printed. As Estonia was a new state, there was a rush to get out stamps. Not for postal use, but as a source of revenue from stamp collectors. There is a legend that a strange version of the first Estonian issue that was only half perforated being shipped to German stamp dealers by way of Helsinki. The shipment was marketed as lost so the few that show up have much value. By this issue, whatever the voracity of the above, the badly printed stamps were getting to collectors in large numbers and have little value. As artifacts though, interests increases, I hope, so please keep reading.
Todays stamp is issue SP2, a 70 Penni +15 Penni semi postal stamp issued by Estonia in 1920. The 15 Penni extra was to help veterans of the recently concluded war of independence and that is what the two stamps of the issue display. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 50 cents. The overstamp of 2 Marks represents the inflation of the time and slightly lowers the value of the stamps.
Estonia has a Scandinavian heritage especially in it’s northern part and for many years was affiliated with Sweden. Russia then took it over and made efforts to Russify the area. With the chaos of 1917, Estonia sought independence. The leaders played lip service to the idea of a Scandinavian super state including Estonia but there was much infighting amongst the leaders. The forces fighting for Estonia were an interesting mix. In addition to local volunteers, there was an intact force of the old Imperial German Army, there was an alliance with the White Russian forces still fighting the Bolsheviks, and a large group of volunteers from Denmark and especially Finland. Arms and naval power was being provided by Great Britain.
The war with the Red Army went well and much use was made of Armored trains that lead advances that were especially effective. Soon the force was pushing into Russia and the Soviets were willing to sign a treaty granting Estonia independence. The German and White Russian forces continued fighting the Red Army in Russia until finally defeated.
The veterans of the conflict became a powerful political force in Estonia afterwards. The makeup of the force might lead you to believe them right wing politically and that would be correct. The many outside volunteer soldiers had expected much more in the way of war booty that what was offered by the economically struggling new country. Veterans formed the Vaps movement that sought a strong presidency an weak legislature and adopted many of the affectations of the fascists. This alarmed regular Estonians who both valued their freedom and understood that the Soviet Union would not tolerate a fascist state in the Baltics. Remember there was no longer an intact German army present to make the Soviets think twice. A center right politician named Konstantin Pats lead a coup that made Estonia more authoritarian but kept the Vaps out of power.
President Pats offered no resistance when the Soviets invaded in 1940. For that, some Estonians labeled him a collaborator and he stayed in power for a short period as the country became a Soviet Socialist Republic. The Soviets did not trust him either and sent him into exile in a remote part of Asian Soviet Union. There he was jailed and eventually died in a Soviet mental hospital for never giving up his claim to being the legitimate President of Estonia.
Well my drink is empty and I may have a few more while I ponder a Scandinavian super state. Perhaps a little to super for it’s own good? Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.