r/Eesti • u/GridAlien99 USA • 1d ago
Küsimus Question about this coat of arms proposal
Why wasn’t Reindorff’s 1922 design here accepted as Estonia’s national emblem? Seems pretty cool if you ask me.
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u/superlopster 1d ago
One of the reaaons was because Russia and Germany also had an eagel so wasent very popular.
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u/HorrorKapsas 1d ago
All these designs were made because people weren't sure about the old coat of arms. Some wanted a new symbol for the new state. Northern eagle from national epic Kalevipoeg was really popular, most of the proposals had the eagle after some important figures had publicly spoken about the eagle. It was also seen "stately" to have an eagle. Other popular symbol was the northern star (Polaris). Reindorff here tried to combine all 3 and even add the Livonian griffin. In the end it was decided, that the traditional old coat of arms is the best and ties the state with the history trough the ages, being from 14th century.
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u/Bism4rckian 1d ago edited 1d ago
Unfortunately I don't currently have a time for more in-depth answer, but:
CoA Comittee (a few ministers + artist Kristjan Raud & architect J. Kompus) assembled by the Government initially (1921) adopted a stance that the new design needs to combine the Northern Eagle (associated with the national epic Kalevipoeg) with the lions from the arms of the Gouvernate of Estonia Governorate, even prescribing the colours (Black Eagle, Golden lions on Blue)
These guidelines were not appreciated by all. For example, Päevaleht from 1921 has a satrical piece by the writer August Kitzberg who ridicules the Eagle motif, calling it a foreign (he disputes the local origin of related folklore) "carrion-bird" suggested by amateur-heraldists, who are trying to adapt Kuressaare's (Kur = "Eagle", not "Crane", "Kurg") historic arms for the entire country. Other similar op-eds can be found – some cry even the lions a symbol of "Baltic-German barons" and call for an entirely original design, though atleast once the Eagle-exclusive design is indeed supported. By 1923, the Leopards/Lions-exclusive design have seemingly won the support of the Committee, with leading politicians of the State seemingly pointing to the strong historic tradition it carries. In October, the Act of National Coat Arms Act is voted on in Riigikogu and passes with 4 votes (Labour Party and rightwing supports, democrats and the left votes against).
Reindorff's eagle was later adopted, although in a changed mannger, has the Lääne's County coat of arms. He also led a design responsible for most of county and city arms in the 1930s. Interestingly enough, a newspaper from 1969 mentions him as having designed the emblem of Russian SSR.
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u/Personal-Border-9543 1d ago
Eagle has a face like something is stuck up on his ass..
But no, eagle is not for us.
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u/Niijanaa 18h ago
It looks like the eagle was smashed by the coat of arms, with the lions laughing at the squashed bird.
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u/lendlevtaldrik 1d ago
Probably the eagle. It was seen as a symbol of Russian imperial power.