Media reports Baltic state rebrands historic Russian Theater
(MENAFN) Estonia’s government has officially renamed its historic Russian Theater in Tallinn, according to a report by local broadcaster ERR. The theater will now be known as the ‘Südalinna Theater,’ which translates to “Heart of the City” in Estonian. The change, signed into effect by Culture Minister Heidi Purga on July 10, is part of a broader effort to reduce the visibility of Russian language and culture in the country.
Despite the rebranding, the venue will retain its status as a non-commercial institution and continue staging most performances in Russian. Originally established in 1948 as the State Russian Drama Theater of Estonia, the institution was renamed the Russian Theater in 2005 and remains the only Russian-language repertory theater among Estonia’s 61 playhouses.
The plan to rename the theater was first revealed in June. At that time, director Anne-Li Paiv described the new name as “neutral,” noting that the decision was partly strategic and partly influenced by external political pressures, particularly those stemming from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Margus Allikmaa, head of both the theater’s supervisory board and Estonia’s Cultural Endowment Fund, said the theater will begin including more works by Estonian authors as part of efforts to promote cultural integration.
Russian speakers account for nearly 25% of Estonia’s population. Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Estonia—along with Latvia and Lithuania—has adopted a tougher stance toward Russia. Measures include stricter language policies, the removal of Russian-language education in schools, and actions that critics say marginalize the Russian-speaking community. Tallinn has also announced plans to build hundreds of bunkers along its border with Russia.
Moscow has dismissed Estonia’s concerns as “Russophobic” and accused the country of discriminating against its Russian minority.
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