Blink and you would miss it, Mustla is just nothing, a population of circa 800 and falling as the big cities call the youth away. I just happened to be driving through on my way back to Viljandi, when the voice in my head told me I should stop and wander. maybe some windows to climb through
Sometimes I am happy to listen to these voices.
What a fantastic old indicator for thirsty travellers hung on the wall of what I believe to have been a hostelry; around since the 17th century. To the uneducated populace of the era, a physical sign was of far greater value than the written word.
It is now boarded up and abandoned.
That was it just a few boarded up places, no one on the street. No one to talk to; but if I had returned to my car I would have missed these stunning pieces of well I guess I would call it "posh Graffiti"
Someone is an obvious lover of all things equine, the village has no connection to horses.
The monument to the fallen of the War of Independence has had an eventful existence. Originally unveiled in June 1937, then during Soviet occupation in June 1941 it was demolished , to be once again erected in July 1942 during the German occupation.
In 1948 when Estonia was incorporated into the USSR it was again demolished; until in 1990 the restored variant was unveiled.
Close by was a memorial plaque, to a German Officer adorned with the Iron Cross. My interest was immediately piqued. I visited a nearby graveyard hoping it may hold further information and clues for me. I needed to know.
It didn't.
Simply known as "Alf", I have since learnt he had a rather wonderful and fortuitous life. The memorial, much to the protests of the Russian Federation was unveiled in 2018, on the wall of the house in which he lived 1935-39.
Serving as an Officer in the Estonian army until the Russian occupation of the country, he then led a unit of the clandestine Forest Brothers, a resistance movement to the Soviet Forces.
When Germany re engaged and took control again of Estonia, Alf joined them initially with the Wehrmacht latterly as an officer in the Waffen SS.
During the conflict he was awarded
Estonian Defence League White Cross 3rd Class
Latvian Aizsargi Cross of Merit
Iron Cross 2nd & 1st class
Infantry Assault Badge
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Close Combat Clasp
The most highly decorated Estonian officer during WW2.
At the conclusion of WW2 Alf moved to the UK where he joined MI6, the overseas intelligence arm of the British Secret Services. Retiring to Germany in 1961. Where in 1976 he died. (freely available image)
Now that is a life lived!
Alas, I walked around and around and around, often stumbling amongst the exposed gnarled tree roots, or hidden grave stones, long being reduced to rubble.
There was nothing to enlighten me further, on Alf as I now know him. I did snap other wonderful memorials though.
The hotel/inn from the village centre, Google translate tells me nothing, it only deepens the mystery, something about a fire in 2015.Maybe this is part of a larger stone, now lost?
Markers ancient and new.
The pompous
The poignant
The famous.
Martin Klein, a farmer, competed in the 1912 Olympics for the Russian Federation, he was the first Estonian to win an olympic medal. Silver in the middleweight wrestling competition.
In the semi final bout he eventually overcame the world champion Alfred Asikainen in the longest match ever recorded 11hr 40 min. he was too exhausted to compete in the final the next day
Klein in the black shorts, Asikainen in white (freely available image).
So I guess the the motto of this tale is never judge a book by its cover, Mustla on the face of it offered nothing; but it delivered so much.
Had I not stopped and wandered, these remarkable people would have remained unknown to me, to you. I hope you enjoyed.
