The red-leafed Novosibirsk bird cherry trees were part of the “Blossoming Monument” (Õitsev monument) installation in Haapsalu, where we commemorated the 70th anniversary of the deportations. Now the 15 trees grow across Estonia at the locations where the deportees were put on trains destined for Siberia in 1949. Over time the delicate saplings will settle down and grow roots. The replanted bird cherry trees will have to acclimatise to their new surroundings. The trees live longer than people and symbolise how the trauma of deportations is conveyed in society and how it changed from generation to generation. The living trees convey a spirit of healing, survival, acclimatisation and growth. “Blossoming Monument” (Õitsev monument) is dedicated to the persistence of life despite difficulties. Many of the bird cherry trees were planted near memorial stones. While the stones signify the difficulties in recent Estonian history, the trees represent the fact that people are able to acclimatise and survive and life goes on.
Find your closest bird cherry tree.
HAAPSALU The bird cherry tree is growing in front of the train station building on a plot of grass
KEILA The bird cherry tree is located next to the train station building, near the memorial to the deportations
RISTI The bird cherry tree is growing next to the water tower of the train station
PALDISKI The bird cherry tree is growing near the train station building on the city side of the trees encircling the memorial to the deportations
KEHRA The bird cherry tree is located near the train station building (now a museum), in a park surrounding the memorial to the deportations. Standing in front of the memorial, the tree is located behind the stone, a little to the right
TAPA The bird cherry tree is growing on the plot of grass opposite the orthodox church between the footpath and road
RAKVERE Facing the train station building, the bird cherry tree is located on the left, by the hedge running parallel to the tracks
JÕHVI The bird cherry tree is located near the train station building next to the memorial to the deportations
TALLINN Tallinn has not yet designated an area for the bird cherry tree…
JÕGEVA The bird cherry tree is located by the road in the memorial park, a little further on from the Betti Alver Museum
TARTU The bird cherry tree is located in the park near Sõpruse Bridge, near the memorial to the deportations
ELVA Facing the train station building, there is a park and bike keep on the left. The bird cherry tree is growing on the plot of grass behind the bike keep
PUKA The bird cherry tree is growing in the sparser part of the circular green area in front of the train station building
KEENI The bird cherry tree is located next to the train station building directly behind the memorial to the deportations
VÕRU The bird cherry tree is growing at the centre of the green area in front of the train station building
VERIORA The bird cherry tree is growing by the pond (on the opposite bank from the youth centre)