In the gallery of the TLU Academical Library (Rävala ave 10), an educational exhibition about Estonian heads of state is open until April 30th. The exhibition offers an excellent opportunity to delve into the significant moments of Estonia’s history and its leaders, and to understand their contributions to the country’s development.
As of today, we have had a total of twenty heads of state, although not all of them have held the title of “president”. Instead, they have served as Prime Minister, Chairman of the Council of Ministers, State Elder, Prime Minister Acting as State Elder, or Head of State. Konstantin Päts, who was elected as the first president by the Riigikogu on April 24, 1938, held all of these positions. The shortest tenure as head of state was held by Ado Birk – 3 days – during which he failed to form a government. The longest-serving head of state was Tõnis Kint, who served as Prime Minister Acting as the President of the Republic in exile for 19 years, 2 months, and 9 days. In terms of time spent at the helm of the state, Konstantin Päts ranks third, following Aleksander Warma, who also served as Prime Minister Acting as the President of the Republic in exile.
Four Estonian heads of state were executed by the Soviet occupation authorities: Jaan Tõnisson, Friedrich Karl Akel, Jüri Jaakson, and Jaan Teemant. Five heads of state died in captivity: Konstantin Päts, Ado Birk, Ants Piip, Juhan Kukk, and Kaarel Eenpalu. Otto Strandman committed suicide before his arrest. Thus, out of the ten heads of state before the Soviet occupation, only August Rei survived, and he barely escaped with his life. The fate of Jaan Tõnisson and Jaan Teemant after their arrest remains unknown to this day, as well as the burial place of eight executed or deceased heads of state in labor camps. Five heads of state operated as exiles outside their homeland. Since 1990, five heads of state who died abroad have been reburied in Estonia.
The exhibition “Estonian Heads of State 1918–1992” was first opened in February 2015 at the Museum of Occupations in Tallinn, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia. Over time, Lennart Meri, Arnold Rüütel, and Toomas Hendrik Ilves have been added to the exhibition. It has traveled across Estonian schools, museums, libraries, archives, community centers, and cultural houses, and has also been showcased in Finland and Latvia. Now, it has reached the Academic Library of Tallinn University. Each head of state is represented in the exhibition by a life-size figure, featuring a portrait photo on the front side and photos depicting their life and activities. On the reverse side of each figure, there is a brief biography in both Estonian and English. The previous and current presidents are not currently exhibited. As a bonus, the library has retrieved and displayed literature specifically related to Konstantin Päts from its collections for the exhibition.
The exhibition “Estonian Heads of State 1918–1992” was first opened in February 2015 at the Museum of Occupations in Tallinn, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia. Over time, Lennart Meri, Arnold Rüütel, and Toomas Hendrik Ilves have been added to the exhibition. It has traveled across Estonian schools, museums, libraries, archives, community centers, and cultural houses, and has also been showcased in Finland and Latvia. Now, it has reached the Academic Library of Tallinn University. Each head of state is represented in the exhibition by a life-size figure, featuring a portrait photo on the front side and photos depicting their life and activities. On the reverse side of each figure, there is a brief biography in both Estonian and English. The previous and current presidents are not currently exhibited. As a bonus, the library has retrieved and displayed literature specifically related to Konstantin Päts from its collections for the exhibition.
The exhibition was curated by Peep Pillak, the chairman of the Estonian Heritage Society. The preparation of the exhibition was supported by the Office of the President of the Republic of Estonia, the NGO Konstantin Päts Museum, the Film Archives of the National Archives, and Eesti Päevaleht (Stockholm). The exhibition’s design and graphic design were carried out by Inga Heamägi. The project was funded by the Ministry of the Interior and the National Foundation of Civil Society (KÜSK).
Visit the exhibition and discover the fascinating history of Estonian Heads of State!