On Sunday I met with my aunt's granddaughter, who happens to be the closest relative I have in Estonia. She inherited the property where my dad was born and grew up. We had met once earlier after my aunt died in 1993, but I had completely lost touch with her (she had remarried and changed her name since). Nice to reconnect with a lost relative.
For the last 3 years a new house stands where my grandfather's house once stood. So time has erased this part of my father's past as well. In a way I'm saddened by the loss, but in another way I'm glad for the progress, as I remember already 16 years ago this house was in bad shape and needed to be replaced.
She showed me a few things my aunt had left, my grandfather's portrait, my grandmother's will, and she also told me somewhere she has school books from the 1930's possibly belonging to my dad. My dad could have never imagined how interested his future son would be to see his schoolwork some 70-80 years later...
I've also found out that after my dad served in the Finnish army from 18 Jan 1944 to 18 Sept 1944, he never returned to Estonia, instead emigrating to Sweden, eventually on to Canada, never to see his mom or home again.
So here at my dad's home I have found a few of his footprints, although most over time have been wiped away. I pray I find more, but it seems only remnents remain.
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