Pope County Genealogy Group: Estonia, DP camps, and the Singing Revolution

Ellen's parents were born in the tiny country of Estonia. This talk will be about the history of Estonia as well as her parents' experiences during WWII when Estonia was occupied by the Russians, the Germans, and the Russians once again. After the end of WWII, over 40 million people were displaced by the war and put in Displaced Persons (DP) Camps throughout Germany, including Ellen's parents. Refugee resettlement was a huge undertaking and she will share her parent's experiences and how they eventually immigrated to England and eventually the United States. The presentation will conclude with the "Singing Revolution," a truly inspirational story of how culture saved Estonia and led to it becoming an independent country in 1991.

Ellen Lesta McWhirter was born in England. Her family immigrated to the U.S.A. in 1965. Her father always said that his children were "Products of Estonia, made in England, and shipped to the United States." She has lived in Indiana, North Carolina, Texas, and now claims Arkansas as home. Ellen is retired from the U.S. Forest Service and loves basket weaving and hiking the beautiful Ozark Mountains.