The anthem of the Estonian SSR; russian: Гимн Эстонской ССР was the Soviet

regional anthem An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to short s ...

of the

Estonian SSR The Estonian SSR,, russian: Эстонская ССР officially the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic,, russian: Эстонская Советская Социалистическая Республика was an ethnically based adminis ...

between 1945 and 1990 when

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...

was occupied by the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

(USSR).

Background

The anthem was presented to the central government of the USSR in May 1944, three months after the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR had issued a decree on 3 February 1944, "On the State Anthems of the Soviet Republics." The melody of the anthem was composed by

Gustav Ernesaks Gustav Ernesaks (12 December 1908 – 24 January 1993) was an Estonian composer and a choir conductor. Biography Ernesaks was born in Perila, Peningi Parish. He played an integral role in the Singing Revolution and was one of the father figu ...

, and the lyrics written by

Johannes Semper Johannes Semper ( – 21 February 1970) was an Estonian poet, writer, translator and politician. He was born in Pahuvere (now Viljandi Parish), Kreis Fellin, in the Governorate of Livonia. A student and later a prominent scholar at the Universi ...

. It, the anthem of the Karelo-Finnish SSR, and the

anthem of the Georgian SSR The state anthem of the Georgian SSR was the regional anthem of Georgia between 1946 and 1990 when it was part of the Soviet Union. Background The music was composed by Otar Taktakishvili, and the words were written by Grigol Abashidze and Al ...

were the only Soviet regional anthems not to mention the

Russian people , native_name_lang = ru , image = , caption = , population = , popplace = 118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 ''Winkler Prins'' estimate) , region1 = , pop1 ...

. After Stalin died in 1953, a period of

de-Stalinization De-Stalinization (russian: десталинизация, translit=destalinizatsiya) comprised a series of political reforms in the Soviet Union after the death of long-time leader Joseph Stalin in 1953, and the thaw brought about by ascension ...

began. On July 21, 1956, the third stanza of the anthem's lyrics was changed to remove all mentions of Stalin. Throughout most of the time

was a part of the USSR (1940–1991) performing or reciting the melody or lyrics of the former

national anthem of Estonia National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

was strictly forbidden. With the secession of Estonia from the Soviet Union in 1991, the national anthem from 1920 by

Fredrik Pacius Fredrik Pacius (; born Friedrich Pacius; 19 March 1809 – 8 January 1891) was a German-Finnish composer and conductor who lived most of his life in Finland. He has been called the "Father of Finnish music". Pacius was born in Hamburg. He was ap ...

with lyrics by

Johann Voldemar Jannsen Johann Voldemar Jannsen ( in Vändra, Kreis Pernau, Livonia, Russian Empire – , in Tartu) was an Estonian journalist and poet active in Livonia. He wrote the words of the patriotic song "Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm", which later became the ...

was restored.

Lyrics

Notes

References

External links

Instrumental recording in MP3 format (Full version)

Instrumental recording in MP3 format (Short version)

Estonian SSR Anthem 1945(Eesti NSV Hümn)

MIDI file

Vocal recording in MP3 format

{{Authority control

Estonian songs Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic