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Estonia(2018)
May 2018
Europe
The Streetcars in Tallin are each named for a famous person.
"Poska" has a special significance for me.

My Dad and his 8 siblings were mistakenly registered in school as
"Poska" children instead of their true family name "Paukstis"
This misidentification continued all through their school years
and is even printed on my father's high school diploma in 1935.

Later that year when Social Security became law, Dad began using the name on his birth certificate.
However, 2 of his 8 siblings legally changed their name
to Poska and it is etched on their tombstone.
Stories like this are important when researching roots
to discover "who do you think you are?"


Poska is a Lithuanian name as well as common in Estonia.
Streets are named after Mr Poska
and here he is


A pleasant park with memorials to important Estonians
and a creative use of fallen trees

Before the 1917 revolution Estonia and the other Baltic countries were controlled by Czarist Russia.
This is one of the palaces built for the Czar just in case he should decide to visit.
As I understand, he never actually lived here.
The museum contained sculpture and paintings
as to be expected,
but much more that reflected the history of the country


Many of the exhibits were film, photos and personal recollections of life under Soviet rule.
Expecially significant were the stories of the danger and hardship of those
who risked their lives and those of their children to flee to the West
Sadly refugees fleeing war and repressive regimes still exist today