Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm (1868)
Estonian National Male Choir. Accompanied by the Defense Forces Orchestra. Music: Fredrik Pacius. Lyrics: Johann Voldemar Jannsen
Description: My Fatherland, My Happiness and Joy’ was the national anthem of the Republic of Estonia from 1920-1940, and was again adopted with independence in 1990. The song first was heard at the Estonian Song Festival in 1869. Although officially banned under Soviet rule, the melody, which was also the melody of the Finnish national anthem, could be heard over Finnish radio. Lyrics in Estonian and English available under the ‘Texts’ caption in the right-hand column.
Official Anthem of Soviet Estonia (1948)
Music: Gustav Ernesaks; Lyrics: Johannes Semper
Description: This song was the official anthem of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, replacing the beloved “Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm” in everything but the hearts of patriotic Estonians — even though the music was also written by Gustav Ernasaks. It was nonetheless the only Soviet republic anthem that did not mention the Russian people.