1960. aasta laulupidu Kodu- ja Välis-Eesti lähendaja ja lõhestajana
1960 ESTONIAN SONG FESTIVAL AS A SOURCE OF UNITY AND DIVISION BETWEEN ESTONIAN COMMUNITIES HOME AND ABROAD

Summary/Abstract: Khrushchev’s policy of building cultural relations with the West opened up a possibility for communication between Estonians home and abroad in the late 1950s. From the Soviet perspective, this contact was aimed at weakening the anti-Soviet attitudes of refugee organizations and splitting the community that fled to the West. As a consequence of the non-recognition of the annexation of the Baltic states, a portion of the community was determined not to visit their homeland until it was free. Another part, however, did not see much wrong with a trip to their native land. The disagreements and internal divisions of the community inspired the Soviet officials to influence the refugees in different ways. Making use of people’s homesickness and their wish to see friends and family, a number of people were selected for positive inclusion through cultural contact and other means in order to encourage other refugees to follow their example and change their behaviour and attitudes. The 1960 Song Festival seemed like a perfect opportunity to invite people to visit their homeland. The Festival was also meant to coax the acclaimed conductor and composer Eduard Tubin to visit Estonia. However, the Song Festival failed to activate communication to the desired degree and Tubin also refused to participate. The manipulation of Tubin, which focused on his professional motivation and connections with former colleagues and acquain¬tances, finally bore fruit in December 1961. The Ministry of State Security of the Estonian SSR considered this a breakthrough in changing the attitudes of the exiles, as the “emigrant leaders” reacted to Tubin’s visit with calls to refrain from visiting Estonia, which in turn sowed resentment among those who were looking forward to visiting their homeland and deepened internal contradictions. The debate that erupted around attending the Song Festival in Tallinn as well as Tubin’s trip to Estonia brought into view the fragmentation of the Estonian diaspora, the existential concerns of people living in exile that the Soviet authorities deliberately amplified in order to use them for their benefit through various influence operations.

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