Probably one of the most fascinating stages in the history of the Baltic Germans is the last act of this particular slice of a nation - the life of the Baltic Germans in the Republic of Estonia. The picture shows the pupils of the Tallinn Cathedral School, an establishment providing German-language education from the mid-18th century until 1939, in a military education lesson. Their teacher, sitting in the centre, is wearing an Estonian military uniform, and the boys' sleeves are adorned with the armbands of the voluntary Defence League. The photograph was taken in the 1930s.

By that time the Baltic Germans had already experienced several changes in their social, cultural and economic situation. A nation-state of Estonians, where the Germans had very little say, suddenly emerged in the territory previously comfortably ruled by German nobility. The reforms and mutations of the first decades of the 20th century pushed the Baltic Germans, who, despite making up less than 1 per cent of the Estonian population, nevertheless had enjoyed a monopoly on power, into the political and, increasingly, also into the cultural periphery. In an economic sense, the most damaging blow to the Baltic Germans was the Estonian land reform of 1920, one of the most radical of its kind in Europe, which brought to ruin several aristocratic families.

Paradoxically, at first sight this did not seem to immediately cause total opposition of the Baltic Germans to the politics favoured by the majority of Estonians. One reason was perhaps a significant factor in the Baltic German identity, i.e. high morality - serving one's community and homeland was considered a point of honour which largely shaped the Baltic German self-awareness and outweighed all mundane concerns. When, in November 1918, the Bolsheviks threatened to invade Estonia, the local Baltic Germans did not remain idle. Under the leadership of Constantin von Weiss, former officer of the tsarist army, a military unit was formed, which later became known as the Baltic Regiment. This act can, naturally, be explained rationally: for example, hoping, in case of a successful outcome of the war, to secure a more lenient attitude of the Estonians regarding the land reform. Even when this did not happen, loyalty to the young republic was an obvious requirement for the majority of the Baltic Germans, who saw themselves as indigenous people, alongside the Estonians, in this country. However, a tiny thorn in the flesh probably remained, despite the fact that many Baltic Germans served the Estonian state as soldiers, scientists and national officials, and the Baltic German businessmen and industrialists still set the tone in the country.

Regardless, it was no problem for the German schoolboys to attend the lessons in military education required by the Estonian state. We could even say that this was a matter of honour. The Baltic Germans, after all, were able to look back with pride at the contribution of their ancestors to Estonian history and culture.