Now the Saare County Memento Association and the Saaremaa Freedom Fighters Association have proposed that the municipal government remove the name of Juhan Smuuli as an “ardent communist and deporter” from one of Kuressaare’s main streets. And replace it with the name of August Mälgu, writer from Saaremaa.
As for whether or not the name change is justified, everyone has their own opinion.
Whatever the decision, history has shown that names that have become familiar over the decades remain in people’s memories for a long time. “To the Men’s House of Upa” was collected many years after the demolition of this monument located in the heart of Kuressaare. And many islanders still remember where Vojentorg was and what kind of goods could be bought there, even though Vojentorg itself has long disappeared. The building, it is true, is still standing.
Even if Juhan Smuuli Street, which gave its name to the entire neighborhood, becomes a street named after August Mälgu or another cultural figure, or if the old name Nurme Street is restored, it is unlikely to be actively used by people in the near future . “I live in Smuil” or “I go to Smuil” – it can be assumed that these phrases will be heard from the mouths of the islanders even years from now. The power of habit is great.
2024-01-03 20:17:01
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