Not listed as a cultural monument<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Soviet Union, entitled as a workers\u2019 state, held industrial workers in exceptionally high esteem, as their hard and selfless work was to uphold the socialist economy of the whole country. Needless to say, the cr\u00e8me de la cr\u00e8me of the working class was composed of those who did the hardest work, and this completely deservedly included miners. Kohtla-J\u00e4rve, a town built around the oil shale industry, was a striking example of a Soviet industry town, and instilling the cult of the workers\u2019 nation through monumental art in such a town was outright obligatory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the idea arose to enhance the prominent Rahu (Peace) square in the centre of Kohtla-J\u00e4rve\u2019s Socialist district (now J\u00e4rve district) with a visual dominant, it was decided that a monument depicting the town\u2019s pride \u2013 mine workers \u2013 would be the most suitable choice. It was established on the northern side of the broad square that hosted meetings, parades, and other public gatherings, right beside the avenue promenade that passes the town\u2019s governance building, constructed in the 1970s. The tribune in front of the monument became an arena for the town\u2019s political party bosses and functionaries to wave at the passing Soviet workers during celebrations. The piece quickly became one of the visual identification symbols of the town otherwise lacking in symbolism and monuments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the centre of the dolomite monument are two vigorous and stern-faced miner figures, both in a victorious position, with one foot stepping ahead, and their metal pickaxes held high above their head. On each side of the miners are screen-like dolomite blocks with arcs carved in them, creating solemn halo of a sort around the worker figures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After completion, the piece readily started living its own life in the local folklore as well. In the project version it was named \u00d5lg \u00f5la k\u00f5rval<\/em> (\u201cShoulder Beside Shoulder\u201d) but was named Au t\u00f6\u00f6le<\/em> instead, as suggested by the town\u2019s party committee. As was often the case, such sententious and slogan-like names were not adopted by the local folks, and soon enough the monument was called \u201cthe two sober miners\u201d, or \u201ctwo sobers\u201d for short. Supposedly the two were the only Kohtla-J\u00e4rve miners that stayed sober after payday. A popular endearment for it was also \u201cthe \u017diljabin brothers\u201d after the local miner brothers Vassili and Ivan \u017diljabin who were presented as role models for the working people. Among Estonian townspeople on the other hand, a popular name was \u201cV\u00e4ino and Jaan\u201d after the Eesti P\u00f5levkivi<\/em> (Estonian Oil Shale) consortium\u2019s manager at the time, V\u00e4ino Viilup, and the town\u2019s party committee secretary Jaan L\u00fcllemets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The following town\u2019s party committee secretary Leonid Ananit\u0161 had a plan to move the monument out of town, to the top of the Kukruse spoil tip, but the plan fell flat. In 1996, the monument was reconstructed, the tribune in front of it was reduced by a third of its size. In 2020 there were additional refurbishing works on the monument.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Madis Tuuder<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Not listed as a cultural monument The Soviet Union, entitled as a workers\u2019 state, held industrial workers in exceptionally high esteem, as their hard and selfless work was to uphold the socialist economy of the whole country. Needless to say, the cr\u00e8me de la cr\u00e8me of the working class was composed of those who did […]","protected":false},"featured_media":2835,"menu_order":0,"template":"","categories":[100,97],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n