“It is a great honour, on Estonian Flag Day, to present to the Estonian National Museum, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Estonia, the flag of the President of the Republic, which has now returned home after having been kept hidden abroad for more than 80 years,” said Foreign Minister Tsahkna.
The flag in question flew from the flagpole at Kadriorg Palace during the tenure of Otto Tief’s government in the autumn of 1944. As Soviet forces approached Tallinn, Eugen Vilder, then a 14-year-old Scout, together with a young Estonian soldier, decided to remove the flag from the palace flagpole. They cut the flag in two, and each of the young men wrapped one half around his body.
While the fate of the half taken by the soldier remains unknown, Eugen Vilder managed to flee with his mother and younger sister, first to Germany and later to Australia, taking the flag with him. Vilder kept the flag hidden in his possession until his death in 2021. His relatives discovered it in 2025, and in March this year it was handed over to Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna during his visit to Australia for its return to Estonia.
“The blue, black and white flag is not merely a symbol of our state, but also a reminder of our people’s long struggle for freedom and the twists and turns of our history,” Foreign Minister Tsahkna said. “The flag that was kept hidden in Australia and has now returned home tells an extraordinary story of our nation’s fate, but also of courage and resilience.”
According to the Foreign Minister, the young men took a great risk in 1944 when they saved the flag, demonstrating how important the symbols of our statehood and independence are to the Estonian people.
“In today’s turbulent world, we need the same courage and determination shown by the young men who saved the flag – to remain focused on achieving a just and lasting peace in the face of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, bringing Ukraine into the European Union, and building a strong European security architecture together with Ukraine, as well as to stand up for Estonia’s freedom and independence,” Tsahkna stressed in his speech marking the presentation of the flag to the Estonian National Museum.
The Foreign Minister also highlighted the significant role of the Estonian community in Australia in preserving Estonian identity and building bridges between the two countries, even during the most difficult times.
“The flag of the President of the Republic, which Eugen Vilder kept hidden, is one of the most remarkable symbols of Estonianness in Australia,” Tsahkna said.
