Estonian Refugeesʹ Song Festival in Germany (1947)

Estonian refugees' song festival in Augsburg, Germany on August 10, 1947. The song festival procession starts frmo Hochfeld refugee camp and moves along the streets of Augsburg towards the Open Air Theatre. The festival emblem says "Estonian refugees' song festival in Germany 1947" that is carried in front of the procession. Six young women in national costumes are carrying the long ribbons of the emblem that form the combination of Estonian national colours of blue-black-white. The emblem is followed by the national flag of Estonia. Then follow the chief conductors of the festival, organisational team and the columns of singers carrying flags. All seats are already taken by the audience when singers arrive to the square of the Open Air Theatre. The historical fortress wall has been rebuilt as an open air stage. The audience seats are located by the former fortress moat. Head of the song festival team, Peeter Paul Lüdig, takes the floor, followed by Ernst Heinrich Ein, the chairman of Central Agency, greetings. Both the speakers and the pretty girls in national costumes are shown. First the joint choirs perform, conducted by Udo Kasemets and Anton Kasemets. Women's choirs are conducted by August Pruul, Roman Toi is the chief conductor for men's choirs. Men's choirs on the stage. Four chief conductors receive gratitude and bouquets of flower, they are being thrown into air. Choirs leave the song festival ground while waving to the audience.