THE ESSR PERIOD (SOVIET UNION OCCUPATION 1940 - 1941)

By Alar Pastarus

The take-over by the Soviet Union of all political and administrative functions in Estonia was completed by a formal incorporation act on August 6, 1940. Soviet Union's postal rates were introduced in Estonia from December 6, 1940 and this was announced in daily press. At the Post Offices Soviet stamps were put on sale, but Estonian stamps remained valid for use until December 31, 1940. In practice, such use (also mixed frankings with Soviet stamps) was tolerated in the first half of 1941.

Estonian Postal Censorship in Haapsalu, Kuressaare and Paldiski closed down during the last days of July, 1940. In Tallinn the Censorship Centre was taken over by the representatives of Soviet Union on August 1, 1940. The censorship was from now on carried out by Soviet's personnel. As their regulations were secret, there is very little known about how the actual censoring was carried out technically. Known is that the examiners were now called "controllers" and that the work was conspiratory and politically motivated.

Postcard (cancelled Tallinn, December 31, 1940) written in poor Swedish by Renate Tamseri
to Stig Hartman in Sweden.

Translation:

Dear Mr. Stig Hartman!
I wish You a very good New Year with much happiness! I was very glad to receive Your letter, and I hope that in the future I will be able to write to You in the old way. You can't imagine the great happiness when receiving Your kind letter. It was a wonderful feeling to know that somewhere in the world there is a person that cares. My very best regards. Yours truly Renate Tamseri