After the revolution of 1917 and civil war 1918-20, the remnants of the Russian White Guard retreated from Petrograd to Baltic republics – mostly to Estonia.
At that time there was also Estonian Red Guard, which tried to establish communes and own soviet republic. Estonian Red Guard was partly executed, partly forced to retreat to soviet Russia. The paradox is that - soon Russian White Guard significantly contributed to establishing Estonian republic [which secured the property and wealth of Russian capitalists, guaranteed by Estonian nationalist state]. But at the same time Estonian Red Guard, while retreating from Estonia, seized Russian city of Pskov, knocked out Russian White Guard from the city and established Soviet power there.
It may seem strange or a paradox if we see the story in nationalist categories: Russians/Estonians. But there is no contradiction if take into account the class composition of both forces: mostly privileged officers from the one side and mostly workers or fishermen from another.
Photo: Estonian Red Guard, 1919 - typical fishermen’s clothing
Via Dmytriy Kovalevich
