Smugglers, spies & escapes · 1944
Ruhnu's Swedes leave for Sweden
For centuries the small island of Ruhnu in the Gulf of Riga was home to ethnic Swedes who lived by traditional Swedish law. The 1934 census counted 282 islanders: 277 Swedes and 5 Estonians. In November 1943 a first group of about 75 islanders moved to Sweden. In August 1944, shortly before the Red Army returned, the rest of the population, except for two families, fled to Sweden by ship. Their farms were declared state property, Estonians from the mainland were settled on the island, a Soviet air defence unit was stationed there and a collective farm was set up. In Sweden the islanders founded an association to keep the memory of old Ruhnu alive.
Open it on the map See the spot on the old maps and as it is today
Eesti keeles
Liivi lahes asuval väikesel Ruhnu saarel elasid sajandeid rootslased, kes järgisid vana Rootsi õigust. 1934. aasta rahvaloenduse järgi oli saarel 282 elanikku: 277 rootslast ja 5 eestlast. 1943. aasta novembris kolis esimene, umbes 75-liikmeline rühm saarlasi Rootsi. 1944. aasta augustis, vahetult enne Punaarmee tagasitulekut, põgenes ülejäänud elanikkond peale kahe pere laevaga Rootsi. Nende talud kuulutati riigi omandiks, saarele asustati eestlasi mandrilt, sinna paigutati Nõukogude õhukaitseüksus ja loodi kolhoos. Rootsis asutasid saarlased seltsi, et hoida alles vana Ruhnu mälestust.
Source: English Wikipedia: Ruhnu. ↗