Noarootsi Commune

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Noarootsi vald

Flag Coat of arms

Counties of Estonia>County Lääne County
Mayor Ülo Kalm
Area km²
Population (as of 2005)
- Population density>Density 910
3.1/km²
Centre (France)>Centre
- Coordinates Pürksi
[59°00' N 23°31' E]

Noarootsi Commune within Lääne County

Noarootsi Commune (Estonian: , Swedish: Nuckö kommun) is a rural municipality in Lääne County, western Estonia. It covers an area of 296 km² and has a population of 910.

The administrative centre of Noarootsi Commune is Pürksi village (Swedish: Birkas). It is located 10 km north from the capital of Lääne County, Haapsalu.

History

The parish of Noarootsi was the only one from the Estonian mainland where most of the local residents were Swedish. In 1934 4,388 inhabitants lived there, 2,697 (64%) of them Swedes.

Until the end of the ancient historic period, today's Noarootsi area was practically unpopulated. Noarootsi's peninsula was once a group of small islands, which joined the mainland in the middle of the 19th century. The Swedish population was first established in Noarootsi in the middle of the 13th century. The majority of the colonists came from Finland. As all colonization took place with the West Islands' bishops' approval, the immigrants were given privileges, which consisted mainly of personal freedom and freedom of movement, and lower taxes. The Swedish settlement was at its peak in the beginning of the 16th century.

In the second half of the 16th century, during the Livonian war, the areas of Noarootsi were plundered by Russian army troops, and many sites such as the church were devastated. In the 1580s Noarootsi was subjected to Swedish rule and it lasted until 1710. The Swedish era caused the cultural life to accelerate. In Noarootsi the first known folk school (first mentioned in 1650) was established. Noarootsi's church added chapels in Sutlep, Rooslep and Osmussaare. At the same time a line of manor houses was built, which initiated limits on the coastal Swedes' rights. Noarootsi's peasants' long fight for their freedom had begun.

During the Great Northern War, Noarootsi was attacked by the plague epidemic during 1710-1711. The number of residents decreased by two-thirds, and many villages died out completely. Estonians from the mainland came to live in the empty villages. It was the start of Noarootsi becoming Estonianized. After the Great Northern War the conflicts between the lords of the manors and the peasants became more critical. This conflict culminated in the 1770s, with the sending of some of Hara's village residents to the mainland.

In 1816 serfdom was abolished in Estonia. It did not touch the coastal Swedish Estonians and their condition was ambiguous. They were not slaves and they were not free. The folks' communal self-government and permanent compulsory school attendance were established in Noarootsi in 1856.

In the middle of the 19th century a new intellectual period began. Schools needed Swedish-speaking teachers. For their preparation in the Paslepa manor house, a teachers' training college was established, which was in operation for 14 years. The training college was led by the Swedish missionary Thore Emanuel Thoren. By the 1890s, a network of Swedish schools was formed in Estonia.

In the beginning of the 20th century, Noarootsi started to be the centre of the Swedes' intellectual activity. The local society's activities were led by Johan Nymann and Hans Pöhl. In 1898 the first choral society was established in Paslepa, and in 1902 the first Swedish lending library was established. In 1903 the first Swedish calendar was distributed. In 1909 the Swedish education association was established in the Vööla manor house. In 1920 Pürksi's folk high school was opened and it was in operation until 1943.

During the Estonian Republic the relationship between local residents and Swedes and Finns increased remarkably. Riguldi became a very active ship construction centre, the ship Hoppet (Hope in Swedish) is one ship that still exists from this era. At first, potatoes and apples were exported to Sweden and to Finland. It seemed that the Swedes were developing their place in Estonian society.

In 1939 the Soviet Union's army bases were brought to Estonia. During this time, a great deal of the population was evacuated from Osmussaare (Odensholm in Swedish). In the summer of 1940 the Soviet Union established their power and with this a border zone. It became impossible for the residents to go on with their previous occupations and they started to think about emigration to Sweden.

From 1943 to 1944 most of the Swedes left Estonia. In their place came war refugees from Ida-Viru county and Ingria. In 1944 the Soviet Army returned and the border zone was restored. The remaining inhabitants' contacts with their relatives in Sweden were cut off. During the forced emigration and building up of collective farms, many villages were ruined and the coastal areas become military zones. Only a few villages have retained their original look.

The new age in Noarootsi's history started at the end of the 1980s. The border zone disappeared and the local residents could return to their homes. In 1988 the first folk day celebrations were organized in Noarootsi. In 1989 Swedish instruction was reinstated in Noarootsi. In 1990, Noarootsi Gymnasium, with immersion study in Swedish, was founded in Pürksi. Approximately 900 people live in Noarootsi Township today. Only 50 of them consider themselves Swedish.

Some Swedes have returned to Noarootsi after the demise of Soviet Union and bought or reclaimed old property, usually land, which they developed. The area is attractive for people looking for a summer house as large areas of Noarootsi have been off limits for civilians during Soviet rule. High property tax in Sweden and low in Estonia is another reason.

Chronology

13th Century (second half) Noarootsi was founded
1250 Osmussaare was first mentioned in written sources
1294 Swedish people were first mentioned near Haapsalu
1391 Noarootsi was first mentioned in sources (Nuckö)
1575 Russian looting raid during Livonian war
1581 Noarootsi came under the control of Sweden
17th Century First manor estates in Noarootsi
1650 School of Noarootsi is first mentioned. A pastor of that time, Isaac Mariestadius Hasselblad, founded Pürksi Public Primary School, where reading and writing were taught in Swedish.
1710 Noarootsi came under the control of Russia
1710-1711 Epidemic plague
1856 Local self-government was established
1873 Missionary Thore Emanuel Thoren arrived
1873-1887 Paslepa Teachers' College, which educated teachers for Swedish schools, in operation in Noarootsi
1902 The first Swedish language book was published in Noarootsi
1903 The first Swedish language calendar was distributed
1909 The Swedish Educational Society was established
1920-1943 Pürksi Folk High School, which became the Pürksi Estonian-Swedes' cultural centre, in operation in Pürksi
1935 Noarootsi Freedom Monument unveiled
1940 Soviet rule established
1941 Deportations
1943-1944 The majority of Noarootsi's inhabitants left for Sweden
1988 First celebrations of the Noarootsi homestead days
1989 Second era of teaching Swedish began
1990 Noarootsi Gümnaasium was opened. The Noarootsi Freedom Monument was rededicated
1991 Noarootsi received township rights
1993 Paslepa Folk High School was opened

External links

[Official website] (in Estonian and Swedish)
[Den Andra Stranden] - a virtual journey through Nuckö/Noarootsi and other Swedish-Estonian areas

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