CHRISTMAS GALLERY 2011
The Estonian Studies Center/VEMU extends warm wishes for a merry Christmas and a happy New Year to its supporters, volunteers and friends with a sampling of materials from the VEMU archives reflecting the spirit of Christmases past.
Do you have photographs in your archives at home that portray Estonians celebrating Christmas at home in Estonia, in a DP camp, in their new home in Sweden, USA or Canada, or elsewhere? If so, VEMU extends an invitation to you to place these in its archival collection. Pictures of Christmas being celebrated with friends and relatives, at school, at home, at church, with members of a choir or dance group, would be most welcome. We would also be glad to have older (1940’s and 1950’s) and special Christmas cards, accounts of memorable Christmas celebrations, and other mementoes of Christmas that may be in your archives at home.
If you are giving away your original copies of photos, negatives, post cards, and the like, please send them to: Piret Noorhani, VEMU, Tartu College, 310 Bloor St. W., Toronto ON M5S 1W4. If you do not wish to part with the originals, you can either scan them and send them to piret@tartucollege.ca or arrange for them to be scanned at the VEMU archives at Tartu College.
Help round out VEMU’s collection – put some colour into our history with Christmas!
All materials are from the VEMU collections.
MAGAZINES
Meie Tee (magazine) Christmas issue 1947
Vikerlane (magazine) Christmas issue 1949
Triinu (magazine) no. 11 1955
NEWSPAPERS
Eesti Teataja (newspaper) 20.12.1947
Meie Elu (newspaper) 19.12.1951
Vaba Eestlane (newspaper) 24.12.1952
CHRISTMAS CARDS
Viive Tolli’s Christmas cards to Karl Aun 1986-1990
Karl Aun’s personal archive
The Christmas cards of Marie Under and Artur Adson to Salme and Artur Ekbaum 1963-1966
The family archive of Artur and Salme Ekbaum
The Christmas card of Kadi and Heinz Tekkel to Ella Ilbak.
The post card depicts Elmar Kits’ “The view from Toome” (1958)
Ella Ilbak’s personal archive
Valev Uibopuu’s Christmas card to Ella Ilbak 19.12.1962
Ella Ilbak’s personal archive
Bernard Kangro’s letter to Ella Ilbak signed also by
Kangro’s daughter Eva Merike 27.12.1955
Ella Ilbak’s personal archive
Pedro Krusten’s letter to Ella Ilbak. No date. On the verso a quotationfrom
Nikolai Baturin’s poem in Ella Ilbak’s hand: “ I ‘d put on my new moccasins,
/ it’d be easier to go,/ and I’d cut myself a willow cane, to keep me company.
/ And so I’d go straight across the fallow,/ at last to find the place,/ where
the grey stork nests,/ where the dew tastes like currant wine.”
Ella Ilbak’s personal archive
Joann Saarniit’s Christmas cards to Hanno Kompus and Rahel Olbrei.
No date.
The family archive of Hanno Kompus and Rahel Olbrei
Karin Saarsen’s Christmas card to Hanno Kompus and Rahel Olbrei 19.12.1970
The family archive of Hanno Kompus and Rahel Olbrei
PHOTOS
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| The Reverend Marek Roots delivering the Christmas sermon to people in Eesti Kodu, Toronto. 21.12.2006. Photo: E. Libe |
Santa Claus (Viktor Libe) and his elves (Maire Polashek and Aino Müllerbeck) at the Christmas Party at Eesti Kodu in Toronto 21.12.2006. Photo: E.Libe |
Margaret Birch (Provincial Secretary for Social Development)
giving a speech at St. Peter’s Church in Toronto 21.12.1983.
Photo: D. Haamer
Christmas as celebrated by the Estonian Association in St. Catharines.
Asta Jostman with the decorations she made “The Bulletin of the DP Camp” 8.12.1991.
Photo: B. Jostman
Ella Jostman, a member of the Estonian Association of St. Catharines selling her textiles as they are exhibited at the Estonian House in Toronto. 1990’s.
Photo: H. Oja //2 photos//
The Estonian Association of St. Catharines celebrating Christmas. The organizers
of the Christmas party are (l. – r.) Salme Voorand, Paul Jaanson, Salme Kiisel,
Heljo Kärner, Jaan Eichenbaum, Ines Ahermäe. No date.
Photo: H. Kärner
The Christmas party of the Memoir Writers’ group at Tartu College. 2000’s.
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| The Jõe family celebrating Christmas Eve at home in Toronto, 1967. Ilmar Külvet with his mother Maria, who was visiting from Estonia. Vaike Külvet’s family archive |
The Jõe family celebrating Christmas Eve at home in Toronto, 1967. 1st row, left: Tiiu Jõe-Kolga, Vaike Jõe-Külvet, Ada Jõe. 2nd row: Ilmar Külvet, Bernhard Jõe, Maria Külvet. Vaike Külvet’s family archive |
Christmas in St. John’s Church in Montreal 1976th
Toronto Society of Estonia Christmas in the Old Andres Church hall in 1960?.
1st row, left: Otmar Pello, Magda Pihla, Lydia Vohu, Talvi Jaldre.
2nd row, left: Helmi Betlem, ?, Arvo Vabamäe, Valve Andre.