Ideology

Abstract

In the aftermath of the First World War, the ex-combatants often developed a special outlook and heightened sense of belonging because of their shared experiences. This ‘brotherhood of the trenches’ or ‘front ideology’ was common to most European nations. In the Estonian case, a similar phenomenon developed, known as the Vabadussoja vaim (War of Independence spirit).¹ The Veterans believed that by virtue of their sacrifices, of having shed blood in winning independence for their homeland, they stood on a higher moral ground, on an elevated plane, and could claim to speak for the entire nation. They represented a moral elite, the best sons of the fatherland. They could claim to be more than simply ex-soldiers of an ordinary war: they were unique in being the ‘creators of the state’. This was not just self-image, but a view located in the mainstream of national discourse. Veterans were regarded by many as bona fide national heroes. The idea and myth embodied by the War of Independence — solidarity, fraternity, and selfsacrifice — was central to the project of nation-building. The ‘War of Independence spirit’, however, was not possessed by all ex-combatants; it was present especially in those who had volunteered to defend their homeland.² The ‘spirit’ was not restricted solely to ex-combatants. According to General Põdder, the Veterans were united by an ‘idea’, not by their ‘status’, and that all those who shared their views could participate in the League.³