Maatamees

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Maatamees
18 November (1 December) 1917 issue of Maatamees
TypeWeekly (July 1917), Thrice Weekly (August 1917 – February 1918)
Editor-in-chiefHans Pöögelmann
FoundedJuly 14, 1917 (1917-07-14)
Political alignmentBolshevik
LanguageEstonian language
Ceased publicationFebruary 22, 1918 (1918-02-22)
CityReval
CountryRussia
Circulation4,000
Sister newspapersTööline, Zvezda, Laukstrādnieku Cīņa
WebsiteDigital archive

Maatamees ('Landless Peasant') was an Estonian-language newspaper published from Reval (Tallinn), Autonomous Governorate of Estonia, Russia between 14 July [O.S. 1 July] 1917 and 22 February 1918.[1][2] The newspaper was an organ of the Rural Sections of the North Baltic Committee of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (Bolsheviks).[1][3][2] Maatamees had a circulation of about 4,000 copies.[3][4] All in all, 84 issues of Maatamees were published.[1]

Editorial team[edit]

Hans Pöögelmann, a revolutionary writer who had recently returned from exile in the United States, was the editor of Maatamees.[3][5][6] The editorial board included Jaan Anvelt and Jaan Sihver, the latter being a former political forced labourer and having moved from Moscow to Reval in July 1917.[3][7][8] Viktor Kingissepp was an active contributor to the newspaper.[1]

Launching of Maatamees and July Days[edit]

The decision to launch a publication for mobilizing support for the party among the Estonian peasantry was taken at a plenum of North Baltic Organizations of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (Bolsheviks) held in Reval 18–19 June 1917.[9] In July 1917 Matamees began weekly publication.[8] During the July Days, the Bolshevik organs in Estonia Kiir and Utro Pravdy were closed down by the local soviet following orders from Boris Dudorov [ru].[10] Maatamees was able to continue publication, albeit it had a different, more rural readership than the banned Bolshevik newspapers.[5]

August 1917 – thrice weekly[edit]

From August 1917 onwards, Maatamees was published thrice weekly.[8][11] On 13 August 1917, following the holding of the Conference of North Baltic Organizations of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (Bolsheviks), a Convention of Estonian Landless Peasants was held in Reval. The Convention took Bolshevik positions and a Provisional Executive Committee of the Estonian Landless Peasants with representatives of all rural districts was elected. Furthermore a 3-member Central Bureau was elected, consisting of Pöögelmann, Sihver and Johannes Heintuk. The Convention recognized Maatamees as the organ of the peasantry.[5][12][13][7]

Profile[edit]

The newspaper published texts of Lenin, decisions of the higher party bodies and news pieces drafted by a network of rural correspondents.[1] During the campaigning for the 1917 Russian Constituent Assembly election, the final version of the local Bolshevik electoral platform was published in Maatamees by mid-October.[14] Maatamees had a Latvian language counterpart, Laukstrādnieku Cīņa ('Struggle of Farm Workers').[15]

Closure[edit]

The publishing of Maatamees was ended at the onset of the German occupation of Estonia.[8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Eesti nõukogude entsüklopeedia, Volume 5. Valgus, 1973. p. 11
  2. ^ a b Paul Vihalem. Eesti kodanlus imperialistide teenistuses, 1917–1920. Eesti Riiklik Kirjastus, 1960. p. 729
  3. ^ a b c d Великая Октябрьская Социалистическая Революция: 7 мая-25 июля 1917 года. Изд-во Академии наук СССР, 1957. p. 450
  4. ^ Исторический архив, Issue 5. Изд-во Академии наук СССР, 1957. pp. 43, 45
  5. ^ a b c Karl Siilivask. Suur Oktoober Eestis. Valgus, 1977. p. 38, 57, 63
  6. ^ Endel Sõgel. Eesti kirjanduse ajalugu: Köide, 1 raamat. Aastad 1917–1929. Kirjastus Eesti Raamat, 1965. p. 17
  7. ^ a b Aleksandr Mikhaĭlovich Prokhorov. Great Soviet Encyclopedia, Volume 23. Macmillan, 1973. p. 449
  8. ^ a b c d Виктор Андреевич Маамяги. История Эстонской ССР: С марта 1917 года до начала 50-х годов. Изд-во "Ээсти Раамат", 1971. p. 40, 187, 189
  9. ^ Estimaa Kommunistlik Partei. Keskkomitee. Partei Ajaloo Instituut. Ülevaade Eestimaa Kommunistliku Partei ajaloost, Volumen 1. Eesti Riiklik Kirjastus, 1961. p. 227-228
  10. ^ Evan Mawdsley. The Russian Revolution and the Baltic Fleet: War and Politics, February 1917 – April 1918. Springer, 28 September 1978. p. 75
  11. ^ Институт марксизма-ленинизма (Москва, Россия). Шестой съезд РСДРП (большевиков), август 1917 года: протоколы. Гос. изд-во полит. ли-ры, 1958. p. 148
  12. ^ Juhan Kahk, Karl Siilivask. Eesti NSV ajalugu: populaarne ülevaade. Perioodika, 1987. p. 106
  13. ^ R. Juursoo, Raimo Pullat. A Brief History of the Estonian Working Class. Perioodika, 1981. p. 36
  14. ^ Вопросы истории Эстонской ССР, Volume 6. Tartu Riiklik Ülikool, Tartuskiĭ gos. universitet, 1970. pp. 318–319
  15. ^ А. М Совокин. Революция пролетарская, революция народная. Изд-во полит. лит-ры, 1987. p. 165

External links[edit]

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