Lemmy's Photo Gallery I
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Me climbing one of the northernmost mountainpeaks of the German Alps in summer 1971. (15kB)
My sweet mother Evy Vester in Stockholm, Sweden in mid 70's. She was born on April 1, 1921 in Tallinn, Estonia. (3kB)
My dear father Evald "Allan" Vester with his folks in Tartu, Estonia. Pic taken 1926 or -27.
The name "Evald" has been used through six generations in the Vester family; my great great great great grandfather came from Sweden to Estonia approximately 1790-1810.
When my father joined the US army (after having been a soldier in the Estonian, the Russian and the German Army) in the end of World War II, his new American fellow soldiers couldn't pronounce "Evald", so they called him "Alan"...
He married my mother in a refugee camp in Germany, and in the end of 1946 he came to Stockholm, Sweden. He kept the name "Evald Allan Vester".
My grandfather Evald Vester was a modiste in Tartu, Estonia, but earlier his family had a firm of undertakers in this the second largest city in Estonia. I can't remember what my father told me about his fathers roll in the Estonian War of Independence (1918-1920), but like almost every young Estonian man he was fighting the Russians and the Germans.
My grandmother Rosalie I only talked to on the phone a few times 1960 or so, but I really don't know much about her life. I don't even know her maiden name.
Both my grandparents died in the 60's before the age of 70, without having had the opportunity to meet their son, whom they hadn't seen since the beginning of the war.
(45kB)
My mother's father, Jüri von Steinfeldt. His father was a German-Baltic nobleman, but before Jüri married Ida, he removed the "von" from his name. He was fighting for an independent Estonian republic, and in those days many familys gave their name an Estonian character; people with a foreign name (mostly Swedish, German or Russian) even translated their names - "Steinfeldt" would have been "Kivipõld", but Jüri didn't want to "give up his name"...
He was born on July 7 1879 and died of pneumonia in a Siberian concentration camp. "Location unknown", as the Soviet authorities called it when we found out in mid 60's.
During the War of Independence (1918-1920) against Russian and German troops, he was an engine driver on one of the four armoured trains, which raided deep into Russian territory. They also supported the Latvian Army; they had the same enemies. Theese "armoured" freight wagons mostly had sand between double wooden walls..
Jüri was deported to Siberia maybe in 1944, when the Red Army reoccupied Estonia after the Germans were defeated. Maybe later - e.g. in March 1949 about 80 000 Estonians were deported - we haven't found out. He died in 1949, four years after the war... Revengeful people, theese Soviets.
I guess this picture of Jüri was taken approximately 1920. He was not bald - he shaved his head due to his profession as an engine driver. Grimy business those days..)
(27kB)
The famous Dome Hill of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. "Toompea" in Estonian. The Estonian Parliament is to be found here. (10kB)
My uncle Harry Steinfeldt, as a young Estonian soldier. He was born on March 28, 1919. Now he lives in Stockholm, Sweden. (6kB)
Yours truly as a brave soldier boy 1969 in the north of Sweden. (41kB)
My grandma and mother at home in Tallinn in 1934. (27kB)
Grandma Ida tried to escape from the Russian and German terror with her daughters Hella and Evy, her sister Claire and her mother Maret Kilgas (1860-1950), who was born on the Estonian second largest island Hiiumaa (Dagö in Swedish). Maret's parents were Swedish (family name Pilberg). Hella was born in Tallinn, Estonia, on September 20, 1907, and died in Stockholm, Sweden, on February 17, 1998. In october 1944 Ida had an attack of ileus, died and was buried in Nuremberg (Nürnberg), Bavaria.
(10kB)
The day of Ida's funeral, on october 11, 1944 in Nuremberg, Germany. Aunt Hella(1907-1998), my mother Evy(1921-), their grandmother Maret(1860-1950) and their aunt Claire(1892-1978). (25kB)
Aunt Erna Andersson (born Steinfeldt) visiting her native country Estonia in 1939, just one month before World War II. Picture from Võsu, a seaside resort situated about 40 miles east of Tallinn, at the Gulf of Finland.
She got married a few years before the war to a Swedish engineer and inventor, Helmer Andersson, and never had to experience the burning Europe outside Sweden. As a dancer in an Estonian performing group she often toured abroad, mostly in Sweden. I think that's how she met Helmer.
She was born on November 26, 1909 in Tallinn, Estonia, and died in Stockholm, Sweden in October 1976. (26kB)
My beloved mother, just before World War II. At that time she was a student at Tallinn English College, and also a promising ballet dancer at the famous Estonia Theater. She has a musical ear, and she still plays the piano and sings with a very good voice. (4kB)
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