Narva has been an Eastern outpost for many centuries. Narva became a vital gateway to the complicated river system to all the way to the rich Constantinople in the viking age and before that. Since the 17th century Narva became an important merchant city for Sweden and the historic old town was built within the bastion walls. From the beginning of 18th century Russian Empire invaded the city. Both World Wars went through the city, but in 1944 Narva was leveled by Soviet Red Army artillery and air raids. Only handful of houses left from medieval time. The old town was not rebuild and instead the city center housed with new condominiums. The original inhabitants were not allowed to return and city was populated by the workforce of different nationalities from across the Soviet Union. The common language became Russian language. Estonian population has been around 5% since then. Read more from Wikipedia article.

Actually I don’t have high expectations because I’m entering into a new playground and I need to learn quickly to behave like a proper journalist and video editor. So, there is lot to learn, but I hope I will observe and reveal something interesting of this part of the World.

Because of last the 75 years of history Narva has complicated history and parallel truths in such magnitude that it is explosive.

I will meet people who represent both extreme ends and I will interview a history teacher whose views are located in the middle. I hope I have done enough preparation in order pull off the interviews.

The day itself, that I have chosen, is the end of the 2nd World War as the 9th of May. This particular date itself is already quite controversial to Estonians and to Russian speaking minority, because for Soviet Union and for Russian Federation it has been presented as a victory over Nazy Germany. But most of Estonians do not see the date as a victory, maybe just the end of the war, because for Estonians one occupation replaced another occupation and the hardship and hostilities on civilians only just began.

I would like to get the feeling and the tension of the occasion itself. Also I’m looking for a personal touch and stories of regular Narva citizens on the non-ordinary day.

I hope to give a wide perspective of the topic and let the reader decide and construct his or her own truth.