Presidential flag arrives at Estonian National Museum from Australia

TALLINN - The blue-black-and-white flag that flew over Kadriorg Palace in Tallinn during the Otto Tief government, and was saved from falling into the hands of the Red Army in 1944, has returned to Estonia from Australia after 82 years. The historic flag was donated to the Estonian National Museum (ERM) on Flag Day.

When German troops retreated from Estonia in September 1944 in the face of the Red Army's offensive, Prime Minister in the duties of the President, Jüri Uluots, ordered Otto Tief to form a government on September 18. The government declared the restoration of Estonia's independence. During those days, the blue-black-and-white flag flew over Kadriorg Palace.

The President of the Republic's flag was saved from falling into the hands of Soviet forces by a 14-year-old scout, Eugen Vilder. According to Vilder, before fleeing his homeland, he went to Kadriorg where, together with a young Estonian soldier, he took the flag down from the palace's flagpole. To preserve it, they cut the flag in two and each wrapped one half around their body under their clothes. They then went in different directions to increase the chances of saving the flag.

Eugen Vilder fled with his mother and younger sister to Germany and later emigrated to Australia, where he lived until his death in 2021. The flag remained in his care the entire time, hidden and preserved far from his homeland.

Eugen's nephew, Andres Vilder, recalled how his uncle had once shown him the flag in a wooden box during his childhood and told him its story. Together with his brother Toomas, they located the flag in 2025. As Eugen Vilder's heirs, they decided that the historic flag's rightful place was in Estonia and donated it to the Estonian National Museum.

According to Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, who brought the flag from Australia to Estonia and handed it over to the ERM, the flag, which has been away from its homeland for over eight decades, tells an extraordinary story of Estonian history. This story resonates with Estonians at home and makes the country's fate clearly understandable to people abroad as well.

"The young Estonian men took a great risk in saving the President of the Republic's flag from the Kadriorg Palace flagpole," Tsahkna said. "The fact that the flag was saved from falling into the hands of Soviet forces, taken out of Estonia, and kept hidden on the other side of the world for many years confirms how much we value our country's freedom, independence, and its related symbols, and it demonstrates the resilience of our people."

For the ERM, this is a valuable item that carries the story of Estonian statehood and continuity.

"The meaning of the flag is much greater than its material," said ERM Director Laura Kipper. "This flag unites the difficult choices of 1944, the idea of the continuity of the Estonian state, and the role of expatriate Estonians in preserving memory. We are very grateful that the decision was made to donate the flag to the Estonian National Museum so that all Estonians can share in its story."

The ceremony to hand over the flag to the ERM took place on Flag Day, June 4, and it will be displayed in the "People and State" section of the permanent exhibition "Encounters".