We visited the museum of Soviet Occupancy. Tallin has been occupied by many countries over the years (danish, germans, sweds) including russia. They were occupied by russia from 1710 - 1918 when they got their independence. Then in 1940 russia came to them and ask if they could use their seaport, or they wold again take them over. So they said yes, russia came AND took them over. 10,000 estonians were sent to siberia. The economy was pridominantly farming. So they sent all the independent farmers and their families and then made a communal farm. These suitcases signify those who were sent. We also heard a woman talk who was sent to prison in russia in the 1980s for being a passive resistent. She got out in 1987 when a letter was smuggled out and sent to pres reagan. This was after Detante and prisoners were to be treated humanly. She said they knew he got the letter when they started feeding them regularly.