It was a cold early morning in April 1993 in the harbor of Tallinn, just before M/S Estonia was to due from Stockholm. The ship arrived, and small welcoming groups converged towards the arrivals building. From one of them an elegant gentleman of undistinct nationality approached. With a very strong Göteborg accent he said to me: "I understand we went to the same school back in Göteborg". And so it was...we even had had the same teachers.

After awhile, having introduced myself and explained why I was in Tallinn, I dared ask: "Who are you and what are you doing here?"."I am Hain Rebas" was the answer, "! came to Sweden in 1944 as a refugee, had a Swedish university and military education and am presently minister of defence in Estonia"

Quite a career. The spell in Estonia ended in a year and Hain eventually became professor of Nordic History in Kiel. At 65, January 23, 2008 retirement came and Hain Rebas went freelancing.

TBE will print some of his past writings, particularly those concerning the new strategic situation around Läänemeri. Here comes .... out of Baltic Defence Review oh

CAN THE BALTIC STATES BE DEFENDED?
AN ESSAY ON MACRO-HISTORY AND SEMANTICS
Professor Hain Rebas*

CAN THE BALTIC STATES BE DEFENDED?
AN ESSAY ON MACRO-HISTORY AND SEMANTICS

Hain Rebas

The answer to the title-question can be given very bluntly: - Of course, ´the Baltics´ can be defended, as they have been throughout the periodically turbulent history of thousand years, from the Viking Age onwards. However we assess their evolving through various enforced alliances, the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian nations exist today - politically independent and free.

go here, to read the rest

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