Forest Lawn Memorial Project
Forest Lawn Memorial Project is committed to preserving the memories of the Estonians buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Burnaby. We have also expanded to other cemeteries in the Lower Mainland. We are collecting biographies in order to keep alive the memory of Estonians in the B.C. diaspora.
Binder of Tears
The Binder of Tears is a collection of stories and interviews that explores the impact of the Soviet occupation of 1944 on both the families who remained behind and those who chose to flee.​
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Generation A Stories
The 'Gen A' project is a collection of interviews that document the lives of the generation of Estonians who fled their homeland during World War II to escape Soviet occupation, eventually settling in various countries around the world. While many of their escape stories share common elements, the project seeks to uncover the unique aspects of each individual’s journey, highlighting personal experiences, decisions, and memories that set their stories apart. In addition to detailing their escape, the interviews explore their early experiences in the countries where they sought refuge, offering a deeper look at the challenges and adaptations they faced in exile.
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The Pitka Project
​Johan Pitka, Rear Admiral of the Estonian Navy and a hero of the Estonian War of Independence of 1918-1919, was knighted by the British for services as an ally against the Bolsheviks. He emigrated to Canada in 1924. Sir John and his party settled on the southern shore of Stuart Lake, B.C. and struggled against the wilderness for eight years; they tried cattle-raising, farming and lumbering. However, markets were lacking and transportation was difficult without a road. The settlers had to move elsewhere in Canada or return to Estonia. When Estonia offered Pitka a pension, he decided to visit his homeland but eventually stayed. His family soon followed, and the last settler left Stuart Lake in 1932. Pitka was last seen in 1944 in Estonia; his fate is unknown. His three sons, arrested on June 14, 1941, were probably shot. His wife and two daughters with their husbands escaped to Sweden in 1944, re-emigrating to Canada in 1948. READ MORE